NPA extorted P40-M in North Cotabato in last 2 years

NORTH COTABATO – The New People’s Army has forcibly collected more than P40 million worth of protection money from the residents of municipalities in the province's second district in the past two years, the military claimed Thursday.

More than half of the sum was levied as “revolutionary tax” by notorious NPAs from traders and wealthy folks, according to Lt. Col. Noli Vinluan, commanding officer of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion.

The 57th IB, a component unit of the 10th Infantry Division, has jurisdiction over Kidapawan City and North Cotabato’s Makilala, Magpet, President Roxas, Antipas, and Arakan towns, where the NPAs have been operating with impunity.

Vinluan said rebels collect no less than five centavos for each rubber tree from a farmer in the province.

The towns where the NPAs operate have vast tracts of rubber farms owned by small farmers and big corporations.

“There are reports that they collect bigger amounts from big orchard and rubber farms,” Vinluan said.

He said there are also local politicians paying the NPA “protection money” to enable them to freely move around their respective municipalities.

The mayor of President Roxas, Jaime Mahimpit, and his security escorts were injured in a roadside bombing last month while on their way to a remote barangay to inspect a road project.

Police and Army intelligence sources said the roadside bombing was pulled off by the NPA after the mayor refused to shell out money.