NPA rebel hunted by own group for embezzlement

Communist rebels are hunting down one of its members who allegedly ran away with an undetermined amount of cash collected from local candidates as part of their "permit to campaign" racket, the military said on Thursday. A statement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Civil Relations Committee (AFP-CRS) identified the rebel as Vicente Taoy alias Benal, of the New People's Army-Southern Mindanao Regional Committee Front-2. The military said Taoy was the collector of "extortion fees" from mining operators in Pangasanon area in Barangay Napnapan and from the Mampising Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pantukan town in Compostela Valley. “Ang nakikita natin dito ay ang laganap na katiwalian, pagnanakaw, at lantarang pang-aabuso ng mga lider ng [Communist Party of the Philippines]-NPA. Hindi nakakagulat na ang mga miyembro na may delikadesa at konsensiya ay tumiwalag na sa grupo," said Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz Jr., head of the AFP-CRS. (What we are seeing here is rampant corruption and blatant abuse from the leaders of the CPP-NPA. It isn't surprising anymore that some of them had chosen to quit the group altogether.) Cruz said Taoy was the second leader from the SMRC this year who is being hunted down by his own group for alleged embezzlement. He said the rebels are also tracking down overall secretary Menandro Villanueva alias Nelson or Bok, for allegedly failing to remit permit-to-campaign fees. Villanueva is reportedly hiding in Metro Manila, Cruz said. "Ang mga nanatili ay iyong mga naghihintay na lang ng kanilang pagkakataon upang makapagkamkam ng kanilang parte sa pandarambong; ang mga kriminal na ito ay walang moral backbone," he said. (Those who are still with the group are just bidding their time to get their share of its extorted funds. These criminals have no moral backbone.) Cruz added that Taoy and Villanueva may set precedents among other members of the group. "Malakas ang posibilidad na magpatayan sila sa ganitong pagkakataon, lalung-lalo na sa mga galit at naiinggit na mga kasamahan nila sa CPP-NPA (It is highly possible that one of these days these rebels will be up against each other.) ," Cruz said. - Nikka Corsino/KBK, GMANews.TV