(Eagle News) — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday, Feb. 20, said over 300 politicians were financing the New People’s Army.
Año said the 349 politicians in the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s list, whom he did not name, gave their support either by paying the amount being extorted from them, or by paying what the rebels call permit-to-campaign fees.
The interior secretary said of the 349,11 were governors and five were vice governors.
He said there were also 10 incumbent congressmen and a former congressman, 55 mayors, 21 vice mayors, 41 councilors and 126 barangay chairs, 50 barangay councilmen, and eight other barangay officials on the list which was based on intelligence reports from the 2016 presidential polls and the 2018 barangay elections.
“Most of these officials are in Bicol, Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), Region 11 (Davao Region), and Region 2 (Cagayan Valley Region),” Año said.
According to Año, based on an intelligence report, the rebels managed to collect P194.5 million during the 2016 and 2018 polls.
“If you pay them, you automatically establish yourself as a supporter of the communist terrorist group and an enemy of the government,” Año said. Mar Gabriel