Leaders of NGOs in Negros Oriental have posted bail Friday amounting to P200,000 each after the Department of Justice charged them for violation of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
The NGOs in Negros Oriental belong to the Community Empowerment Resource Network Inc. whose top officers sit in the CERNet Board.
All in all, a total of 37 individuals have been charged of the crime.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the 302nd Brigade, said the CERNet is a Communist Terrorist-created Group, and uses NGOs under its umbrella to raise funds for the CTG.
The NGOs operating in Negros Oriental include the Negros Oriental Network of NGOs (NegOrNet) which is a partner of the Provincial government; the Silliman University Center for Extension & Development, the Tuburan for Rural Women Empowerment & Development Inc., the Pinaghugpong sa Gagmyang Grupo sa Oriental (Pagbag-o), the Central Visayas Farmers Development Center . “There are a total of 10 NGOs,” Escanillas disclosed.
The Department of Justice, on May 10, officially filed a case against the CERNet after finding probable cause, based on the evidence submitted by the Visayas Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the JTG Cebu under the 302nd Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
The Army official said that based on their investigations, CERNet’s officers managed funds in a way that a substantial portion is directed to the finance officers of the CTG.
These funds have supported violent activities, including assaults on civilians, and the destruction of heavy equipment in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, in 2013.
This incident is just one example of many similar atrocities across the Visayas region, employing the same operational tactics, the Army said.
According to the DOJ, the case build-ups indicate clear evidence of terrorism -financing linked to the CTG and CERNet. The staff involved are implicated in the extensive destruction of lives and properties, highlighting the urgent need to address terrorism in the Region, it added.
The DOJ said the filing of charges against the NGOs aims to protect genuine development workers from exploitation by terror groups, and to combat terrorism, particularly the CTG’s acts of terror, lies, and deception.
In a press conference in Dumaguete, Escanillas clarified that it does not mean that the leaders of all the NGOS named in this case can be automatically considered Party members, but membership in the Board (of CERNet) automatically makes them a party to this case.
“This is part of the scheme of the CERNet to have members or NGOs that will protect them from their hidden agenda or modus,” he said.
He said the Silliman Center for Extension & Development is not affiliated with CTGs, while Tuburan was “just recruited”. (PR)
