NPA collections down to P2.14-M, says PNP

MANILA, Philippines – As the 2013 midterm election nears, the Philippine National Police (PNP) estimates that the collections of threat group New People’s Army (NPA) from permits to campaign (PTC) and permits to win (PTW) have significantly been reduced. 

Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office Deputy Chief Sr. Supt. Noel Baraceros told Rappler on Saturday, May 11, that the PNP attributes this to the early preparations made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and police.

PNP intelligence data showed that the estimated collections made by the NPA from PTC and PTWs have declined to only P2.14 million since January 13. This only represented 7.41% of the estimated 2010 collections of P28.885 million. 

Baraceros said the PNP derived the estimates based on three key factors:

• presence of threat groups like NPA
• history of violence in an area
• areas that have intense political rivalry 

“Yun pa din, yung pagbabantay natin at yung warning ng AFP, PNP na hindi dapat magbayad,” Baraceros said. “Nagsimula tayo as early as May last year (2012) tapos yung joint letter directive, yung coordination ng AFP, PNP and Comelec. From there very intensive yung ginawa nating police operations, yung tinatawag naming checkpoints tapos yung information campaign natin.”

Baraceros also said the identification of the election hotspots have contributed to the decline in NPA collections in the mid-term polls. The election watch list areas are the areas that are usual hotspots for election violations. 

The 15 hotspot provinces are: 

• Abra
• Pangasinan
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Cagayan
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Masbate
• Samar
• Misamis Occidental
• Maguindanao
• Lanao del Sur
• Basilan

As of Friday, May 10, the PNP said there are 880 election watch list areas that represent an average of 53.86% of the total number of towns and cities of the areas. 

The PNP also said that as of Friday, there are still 41 active Private Armed Groups (PAGs), down from the initial estimate of 50 in February 2013. These active PAGs have 682 members and are in possession of 2,351 firearms. – Rappler.com