PH Govt formally requests EU to stop funding CPP-NPA ‘fronts’

Stop the funding of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army fronts.

This is essentially the tenor of the letter written by to the European Union (EU).

In a letter to Gilles De Kerchove, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator dated March 26, Esperon said EU funds are being principally used to sustain terrorist activities of the longest existing communist terrorist organization in the world — the CPP-NPA — which is listed as a terrorist group by both the United States and the EU.

National Security Adviser and Vice Chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) Hermogenes Esperon  (photo credit to RMN)

National Security Adviser and Vice Chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) Hermogenes Esperon  notes that the funds being sent are being used to "to propagate terrorism" through international alliances and networks, and are utilized to finance terrorist front organizations to recruit, traffic, and exploit children to become child warriors.

Also the money being sent by EU are being used to "to recruit and exploit vulnerable sectors such as indigenous people (IP), the systematic destruction of the latter's culture and value system, and the murder of their leaders.

Propagating terrorism

Esperon said the CPP-NPA has successfully nurtures international alliances in the different parts of the world through its front purportedly to address social ills afflicting the Filipno society

Recruiting children and IP’s

Recruitment are done to the vulnerable sectors of the society such as fishermen, peasants, Indigenous people,aming others.

Esperon explains that three Belgian NGO’s which have "indirectly and unwittingly partnered" with various NGOs in the Philippines that act as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA, namely the SOLIDAGRO, Viva Salud, and KIYO.

Among the listed Philippine NGOs were the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV); IBON Foundation; Karapatan; Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc.; the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines; the Salugpungan Ta'tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center, Inc.; the Alliance of Health Workers; the Kilusang Mayo Uno; Gabriela; and ACT.

 Esperon explains that the ALCADEV and Salugpungan NGO’s are identified as CPP-NPA alternative learning centers and schools.

"It is appalling that these entities are used to radicalize children with the end view of turning them into child warriors and future leaders of the CPP-NPA communist-terrorist groups," the letter reads.

Terrorism funding illegal

Belgian Ambassador to the Philippines,Michel Goffin, said the EU and Belgium consider it illegal to fund terrorism, whether directly or indirectly.

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Report from PNA