MISAMIS ORIENTAL Governor Yevgeny ‘Bambi’ Emano said the Padayon Pilipino Party will not give money to the New People’s Army (NPA) just to be allowed to campaign in areas where the Maoist rebels are known to operate.
Emano and the Padayon is confident that its candidates in the May 2016 elections will be safe and will be allowed to campaign unmolested in the hinterlands, even with no ‘permit to campaign’ from the rebels.
“Wala man mi sala and dili man daotan among tuyo diha sa mga suok nga mga lugar. Dili kami mohatag kay wala man kami ikahatag,” Emano said.
The NPA had announced that it would begin collecting money from candidates and politicians as part of its so-called peace agenda.
Meanwhile, an official of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) based in Camp Evangelista in Barangay Patag in the city, said soldiers have began deploying in areas considered election hot spots where the NPA is known to ask for permits to campaign from candidates.
Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, 4ID spokesperson, said the division is monitoring eight provinces known to have NPA guerrilla bases.
Martinez said areas are scattered from Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, down to the Angat Valley near Compostela Valley.
In Misamis Oriental, Martinez said the 4ID is monitoring Gingoog City, Balingasag and Lagonglong towns.
In Bukidnon, 4ID is looking into the boundary of Agusan del Sur with the province, Malaybalay City and Maramag town.
“Pero di lang yan lahat na may bases ng NPA guerrilla na may direct effect during sa election yun ang medyo problematic. We need to prevent permit to campaign,” Martinez said.
Martinez said the 4ID would be coordinating it efforts with the Philippine National Police to prevent election related violence between rival political camps.
Martinez called on candidates not to give in to the demands of the NPA.
“Based from previous election report, NPA in Northern Mindanao have collected money to some political candidates through their permit to campaign and permit to win scam,” Martinez said.
Martinez said candidates running for congress and governor are usually asked to give from P300,000 to P650,000.
For candidates running in the municipal level, Padayon says the party will not pay ‘permit to campaign fees.
Martinez said the rebels are known to ask for fees ranging from P200,000 to P500,000,” he said.