EDITORIAL - Dirty financing

A reward of P100,000 was put up yesterday for information leading to the arrest of the kidnappers of a former Italian missionary in Dipolog City. Security officials and other sectors seemed to be in agreement that the kidnapping of Rolando del Torchio from his pizza shop was for ransom and the perpetrators are not Islamist terrorists.

Torchio’s kidnapping is just the latest to hit the country. Foreigners aren’t the only ones targeted. In recent weeks there have been unofficial reports about kidnapping incidents even in crowded areas in Metro Manila, with millions said to have been paid in ransom.

Anti-crime watchdogs have warned that kidnappings, carjackings and other crimes meant to raise money tend to spike when elections approach. Recently, police officials expressed alarm over an increase in the number of government personnel arrested for drug-related offenses, with some of the suspects admitting they were engaging in the illicit trade to raise campaign funds.

Dirty money has financed campaigns in the past. Jueteng funds have sent numerous candidates to public office, and even drug money is believed to have bankrolled certain campaigns. In previous years, periodic spikes in bank and armored van robberies were attributed to campaign fund-raising. Failure to regulate campaign finance and weaknesses in the anti-money laundering law have allowed candidates and even political parties to pad their war chests with dirty money.

Police reported that since 2011, 548 government officials and employees have been arrested on drug charges, including 124 barangay councilors, 28 barangay chairmen, 63 barangay employees, 89 cops, 21 military personnel, 12 jail guards, 10 firemen and 10 militiamen. Police said several of the suspects admitted using drug money to finance their election campaigns.

Law enforcers can clamp down on criminal activities, but authorities must do more to prevent dirty money from being used to finance election campaigns. As candidates get away with dirty financing in every electoral exercise, it can only breed impunity.