Reds also source funds from Fil-Ams in US, Canada: ex-rebels

MANILA — As a group of ex-rebels welcomed the move of European leaders to look into the information presented by the Philippine government on the reported funding of EU-member countries for activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), it said the communist group also receive funds from Filipino-American communities in the US and Canada.

“Pinapahayag namin ang pagsuporta sa inisyatibang ilantad ang gawain ng CPP-NPA-NDF para magpasok ng pondo para sa digmaan bayan (We are expressing support to the initiative to expose the CPP-NPA-NDF acquisition of funds for the people’s war),” the Kilusan at Alyansa ng mga Dating Rebelde (KADRE) said in a statement dated March 6.

KADRE, a group of more than 300 former members of the CPP and its armed wing New Peoples Army (NPA) nationwide, issued the statement following reports that a Philippine delegation showed European leaders documents indicating that communist front organizations receive funds from the Belgian government and some European countries in the guise of marginalized and pro-poor programs.

The group said it was common for CPP-NPA, and National Democratic Front (NDF) to use legitimate advocacies such as human rights, climate change, education reform, among others, to convince progressive nations to grant them financial aid.

“Eksperto ang international unit ng Partido na gumamit ng campaign advocacy groups particular sa larangan ng human rights, climate change advocacy, environmental issues, educational reform agenda dahil dito galante at nakatutok ang mga mauunlad na bansa sa aspeto ng pagtulong sa mga developing countries (The international unit of the party are experts when it comes to using campaign advocacy groups particularly in the field of human rights, climate change, environmental issues, educational reform because progressive nations are generous to developing countries),” said Ka Apo, a leader of KADRE.

 Other fund donors

He said aside from EU-member states, some Filipino-American communities are also funding the CPP.

“Hindi lang Europa ang kanilang ginagatasan, nandyan din ang pang- gagatas nila sa mga ‘Fil-Am Communities’ sa Estados Unidos at Canada. Ang lagi na lang sinasabi yung pondo ay gagamitin sa ‘Campaign Info Drive on Climate Change Resiliency (It’s not only Europe spending for them, there is also the Fil-Am communities in the US and Canada. They keep saying that the funds will be used for a ‘Campaign Info Drive on Climate Change Resiliency),” he added.

Ka Apo said questionable handling of the international unit of the CPP-NPA prompted him to leave the group.

As one of the original founders of Migrante International, he said CPP sent him abroad as an overseas Filipino worker to form the alliance of progressive organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families.

A Philippine delegation engaged with officials of the European Union (EU), European Parliament, and European Commission (EC) in Brussels, Belgium in February to request the latter to stop the flow of funds to the CPP-NPA.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) revealed that the Belgian government has already released its first tranche of more than 621,000 Euros (PHP36,663,840) out of the 15-million Euro (PHP885,600,000) grant to some seven non-government organizations for the 2017-2021 program. This year, some 1.3 million Euros (PHP76,752,000) are expected to be released.

Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, confirmed that communist terrorist groups hide behind legitimate organizations.

Parlade added that the information about the EU and Belgian government funding organizations affiliated with the CPP-NPA came from EU and the Belgian government themselves.

The CPP-NPA was earlier declared a terrorist organization by the US and EU.