Sunday, November 21, 2021
Duterte to mining firms: Face closure if you pay NPA tax (2017)
Duterte to mining firms: Face closure if you pay NPA tax
NOV 21, 2017 7:45
PM PHT
INFO
The New People's Army, says President Rodrigo Duterte,
will not 'thrive' if it were not for the 'financial support' of mining
companies.
MANILA,
Philippines – Mining companies will soon have to make a difficult choice:
suffer from attacks by the New
People's Army (NPA) or face government sanctions.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, November 21, warned mining companies and other groups paying revolutionary tax to stop giving in to demands of communist rebels or else he would shut them down.
"If you continue to support them financially, I will close you down. In the interest of the security of the state, all those funding the NPA, we will trace you," said Duterte at the Ang Huling Tikas Pahinga event in Taguig City.
Before this warning, Duterte explained how big mining companies "without exception" pay taxes to the NPA, allowing the rebel group to "thrive." (READ: Suspected NPA rebels kill CAFGU member, abduct 2 cops)
"All mining companies are paying taxes to the NPA. That's without exception. And the NPA would not thrive if the companies didn't give it," said Duterte in a mix of English and Filipino.
Back in
February, Duterte ended
peace talks between the government and the communists, represented by
the National Democratic Front (NDF). Given this state of affairs, he said everybody
else has to reconsider their approach to the NPA
"We have to decide once and for all. If I go against the NPAs, everybody has to reconfigure their relationship with the NPAs," said the President.
The NPA is known to impose revolutionary tax on businesses operating in the countryside, like mining companies and plantations.
The
communist rebels are said to threaten such businesses with destruction
of property if they fail to pay the tax. (READ: Duterte
eyes proclamation tagging CPP-NPA as 'terrorists')
In his Tuesday speech, Duterte again emphasized his decision to end talks with the communists.
But he had an additional order to chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza.
"I told Dureza and Bello, you tell the guys there in the Netherlands, I'm no longer available for any official talk. Let's just go to war," said Duterte. (READ: Military agrees NPA should get 'terrorist' tag) – Rappler.com
Duterte meets with leftist Cabinet members [nominated by the CPP] (2017)
Duterte meets with leftist
Cabinet members
ABS-CBN
News
Posted at Feb 21
2017 03:34 PM | Updated as of Feb 21 2017 11:30 PM
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte met with leftist members
of his Cabinet at the Palace on Monday, weeks after the collapse of peace talks
between the communist rebels and the government.
Photos and a video released by the Palace on Tuesday show
Duterte in discussion with Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy
Taguiwalo, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, and National Anti-Poverty
Commission (NAPC) Secretary Liza Maza, who were all nominated by the Communist
Party of the Philippines for the Cabinet.
Also present in the meeting were Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Jesus Dureza, and Labor Secretary and chief peace negotiator
Silvestre Bello III.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella earlier said
leftist members of the Cabinet would remain in their posts even after the CPP
and government lifted their unilateral ceasefires, and Duterte suspended peace
negotiations.
Duterte, who won an election last year on a vow to wipe out
illegal drugs, had raised hopes of bringing an end to the communist insurgency
that has stunted development for years, especially in central parts of the
Philippines.
A ceasefire was declared in August and last month, the
government asked the U.S. State Department to remove the rebel movement's
Netherlands-based founder and leader, Jose Ma. Sison, from its terrorist
blacklist to move negotiations forward.
But both sides later traded accusations of truce violations
and negotiating in bad faith.
Duterte said he had "walked the extra mile" to
bring peace by resuming talks and freeing rebel leaders but his efforts were
never reciprocated by the communists who took advantage of the talks to recruit
fighters and extort money. – with Reuters
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/21/17/duterte-meets-with-leftist-cabinet-members
NPA taxation a reality, just pay them - Duterte (2013)
NPA taxation a reality, just pay them – Duterte
Oct. 22, 2013 DAVAO TODAY
DAVAO CITY – City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had this advice to agri-business players who might be asked for ‘revolutionary taxes’ by the New People’s Army: just pay them.
The mayor raised this point, along with other concerns on peace and order, in his address during the opening day of the Davao Trade Expo 2013 last Thursday at the SMX Convention Center.
“It’s a fundamental question for business: is it good to do business in the mountains? Do we give in to them?” the mayor asked.
He said as mayor of a city in Mindanao dealing with “revolutionary” and “ideological” groups such as the Communist Party of the Philippines and Moro revolutionary groups, the way to deal with them is to talk to them.
“It’s a matter others want to avoid. But it’s a reality that has to be talked openly, since the NPA is more active now in Region 11, notwithstanding the statements from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” Duterte said.
December last year, Duterte drew flak when his pronouncement during a visit at the Communist Party of the Philippines quoted him as saying that he pays revolutionary tax. A youtube video later circulated accusing him of giving P125 million as annual revolutionary taxes.
He clarified that he attended the CPP anniversary at a Typhoon Pablo-affected area where he gave some amount for the typhoon victims; the funds were sourced out from private donors. He said he merely kidded that the funds were the taxes that he would pay to NPAs, but because there was no barangay captain around to receive the donation, he coursed it through local NPA leaders.
In Thursday’s trade expo, Duterte said, “I can talk, but I can’t talk them out of their ideology. You have to realize the Communist Party is entering its 45th year here. You have to admit there’s been historical injustice committed on the people.”
Duterte said the national government should deal with the revolutionary groups by talking peace.
“Crimes I can deal with it. But with the revolutionary (groups), I give it to the (national) government, but here, I advised government not to make arrests of revolutionaries” he said.
As to the NPAs asking taxes he said “I cannot put it to a stop. So factor that in your investments. If you pay to the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), you prepare also for the NPA.” Some participants giggled and smiled on this remark.
Duterte went on and explained that the NPAs are open to discuss terms.
“You give credit to these revolutionaries, you can exchange words and deal with them,” he said, citing experience that the NPA could be negotiated in the release of captured government soldiers and police.
The mayor added his account when the NPA apologized for the grenade attack in a gym in Paquibato district that injured civilians and paid 5,000 pesos for all the victims.
“When they informed me they will pay 5,000 pesos, I said ‘good’. When I asked where they will get the money, they said they will get it from banana planters,” Duterte quipped.
The mayor also assured investors of safety from crime and from corrupt officials and police in the city.
He also assured efficiency in business applications in local government services, as he emphasized his “72-hour policy that all transactions will be done.”
“If this fails, bring your papers to my office and I will work on it,” the mayor said.
This year’s Davao Trade Expo, organized by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce, focused on the region’s agricultural expansion to boost production and income. The expo promoted “five golden crops” in agriculture namely coconut, coffee, cacao, corn and cassava. The event drew in around 500 participants and 200 exhibits in agri-business products. (davaotoday.com)
http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/new-peoples-army/npa-taxation-a-reality-just-pay-them-says-duterte/