DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. yesterday said he has no reason to pay permit-to-campaign fees to the New People’s Army (NPA), as alleged by some of his detractors.
In fact, Villar implied that he, among all the presidential bets, has the least reason to pay such a fee, denounced by the government as an extortion scheme by the insurgents.
Villar said he has his “friends” in the party, referring to NP senatorial candidates Reps. Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza of Bayan Muna and Gabriela, respectively.
Both Bayan Muna and Gabriela have been associated with the communist movement but are legal entities and recognized as legitimate party-list groups.
“I’m not paying anything and why should I pay when we have our friends here with us,” Villar said in Filipino.
“On my part, I know they (NPA) believe that we have the same objectives when it comes to helping the poor, so why should I pay?” he added.
Immediately after making this statement, Villar clarified that both Ocampo and Maza belong to organizations that are above ground and are part of the system of government.
“Let us make it clear that our allies are Bayan Muna and (Gabriela). We don’t have anyone with us who is violating the law,” Villar said in Filipino.
“The groups with us are those that are within our system of government and who are also fighting for the rights of the people, especially the poor,” he added.
Villar said the allegations that he is paying permit–to-campaign fees to the NPA are all part of the black propaganda being spread against him by his opponents.
“I don’t get bothered by this anymore. They are hoping that people will believe them and in effect take away my votes,” he said.
“But my good performance in the surveys only proves that people do not easily believe these things,” he added.