SOME individuals who claimed to be "organizers" of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP)-Laban are allegedly enlisting people in Zamboanga Sibugay to be "members of President Rodrigo Duterte's movement" and collecting P380 as membership fee.
Alicia, who asked that her surname be withheld, a resident R.T. Lim town, Zamboanga Sibugay, told SunStar Philippines that the group is asking people to join the party, so that they will be included as "beneficiaries of a livelihood program of the government."
PDP-Laban is the political party of Duterte. It controls both houses of Congress.
Alicia said that one member of the group identified herself as Erlinda Lozano, a resident of Barangay Magsaysay, R.T. Lim town.
"They urged us to join PDP (Laban) and asked for money in order to become a member," she said.
She added that Lozano told them in a meeting that "to be a member of PDP, we have to pay P200 and another P180."
"Perhaps, it was sort of membership fee," she said.
Similar reports were received from other towns in the province where the so-called organizers are encouraging people to join the "movement."
It could not be ascertained though if the ongoing campaign for membership to the ruling PDP-Laban is different from the movement initiated by Duterte's most trusted ally, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., who was going around the country to organize a nationwide movement called "Kilusang Pagbabago" (KP).
Evasco seeks to establish a KP unit in each of the country's barangays, envisioned to become a vehicle to bring government services down to the ground.
Its bigger role, however, is to form a critical mass that will protect Duterte as he pursues controversial government policies.
Evasco's organization is growing fast. In Cebu, it was attended by a mammoth crowd when it was launched in October. The Revilla political clan in Cavite also threw its support behind the group.
On Facebook, several regional KP chapters cropped up, but it could not be ascertained if the chapters really exist.
Evasco, in his nationwide tours, riled up Duterte's supporters, warning them of the supposed destabilization plots against the President.
The group is hoping that Duterte himself will endorse it, through an executive order, creating the Office of Participatory Governance to formally link with KP's members nationwide. Duterte's endorsement is seen as a booster to KP's recruitment.
But R.T. Lim Mayor Michael Piodena asked the people not to rush and be observant.
He warned the residents not to fall as prey to syndicates that might cash on in the government's programs and initiatives. (SunStar Philippines)