NPA EXTORTING MONEY FROM SMARTMATIC? / RP MEDICAL TEAM OFF TO HAITI
MANILA, JANUARY 25, 2010 (STAR) The New People’s Army is extorting money from Smartmatic to allow the telecommunications firm to operate in areas under rebel control, the military said yesterday.However, Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz, Armed Forces Civil Relations Service chief, did not say how much money the communist rebels were demanding from Smartmatic.
“But the harassment on Smartmatic is viewed not only as part of the NPA’s money making scheme but also their total disregard for the people’s chance of an advanced voting system,” he said.
Cruz said the NPA is also collecting “permit-to-campaign” and “permit-to-win” fees from politicians running for office in areas under their control.
“We urge the candidates not to yield in to such NPA fund-raising schemes,” he said. “To pay is analogous to paying ransom.”
Cruz said military intelligence reports showed that the fees range from P20,000 to P500,000, depending on the position the candidate is seeking to win.
“From 1996 to 2007, the NPA earned a staggering P1.15 billion or annual income of P101 million from its extortion activities on construction firms, mining, telecommunications, concessionaires, politicians and private individuals, including poor farmers, fisherfolk and sari-sari store owners,” he said.
National Security Adviser Milo Ibrado said a number of national and local politicians were monitored to have employed the NPA for their own political interests.
“At this stage, a number of them (politicians) have been monitored to be going around escorted by the NPA bodyguards,” he said.
The military and the police are under orders to go all out against these politicians and their NPA bodyguards, Ibrado said. – Jaime Laude
RP medical team off to Haiti (The Philippine Star) Updated January 25, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Knowing how it is to be at the receiving end of a disaster and saying it is now time to give back, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly a team of Filipino medical specialists on the trans-Pacific leg of their journey to Haiti today, where they will aid survivors of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.
The 21-member team, organized by the Department of Health and comprising trauma experts, surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses, will leave Manila at 10:30 p.m. on flight PR 104 to San Francisco, where they will board a connecting flight to Miami and then to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
From there, the team will travel to Port-au-Prince, capital of neighboring Haiti, where they will join an international corps of medical specialists and aid workers already on ground helping the population recover from the worst natural calamity to hit the Caribbean nation.
The Philippine contingent will stay for just over two weeks in Haiti. They depart Santo Domingo on Feb. 11 for Miami and San Francisco, where they will board PAL flight PR 105 at 9:05 p.m. local time. The team arrives in Manila at 5:25 a.m. on Feb. 13.
The cost of transporting the Philippine medical mission to and from Haiti will be borne by PAL as the flag carrier’s contribution to the international relief effort for the battered country.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other religious organizations said it is now their turn to help earthquake victims in Haiti.
CBCP president Nereo Odchimar called on the Filipino faithful to help the victims of the killer quake that left thousands of people dead in the Caribbean island. Church of the poor Caritas Manila has launched an appeal for financial aid and donations for the victims.
“Last September and October, we received support both local and international to help with our relief and rehabilitation efforts for Ondoy and Pepeng. Now, it is our turn to help,” said Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton Pascual.
Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Haiti and the Church network, Caritas Manila and Radio Veritas through its Caritas sa Veritas Damay Kapanalig - Haiti will work together to raise funds for the victims.
You may deposit your donations for Haiti to Caritas Manila through the following banks nationwide: BPI – Savings Account No. 3063-5357-01, BDO – Savings Account No. 5600-45905, Metrobank – Savings Account No. 175-3-175069543.
For international deposits, you may course it through the following dollar accounts and swift codes: BPI DOLLAR – Savings Account No. 3064-0033-55 Swift Code: BOPIPHMM and PNB DOLLAR – Savings Account No. 108566600025 Swift Code: PNBMPHMM. For more information, visit www.caritasmanila.org.ph or email caritas_manila@yahoo.com. You may also send text messages to 09198928226, fax (632) 563-9306, or call (632) 563-9311, 563-9309, 563-9308. — With Patricia Esteves
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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