• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A ranking Philippine Army official in the Visayas called for a united effort to finish the fight against terrorism financing in the region, following the arrest of three suspects in Negros Occidental on Jan. 2.
“Let’s continue to work together and finish the fight against terrorism financing. By this, we can bring the communist-terrorist group (CTG) to its ultimate end. Through our continued cooperation, collaboration and resolute dedication, we can put an end to this menace and establish a stable internal peace and security environment in this region,” Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said in a statement over the weekend.
On the other hand, Bayan Negros and Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN) came to the defense of the three individuals they claimed to be community workers, who were separately arrested in Negros Occidental by virtue of warrants of arrest for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10168 or the Terrorism and Financing Prevention and Suppression Act.
The accused were identified as Federico Salvilla, Perla Pavillar and Dharyll Albanez.
Albanez and Salvilla were charged with two counts of violation of Section 8 of RA 10168 while Pavillar, three counts of the same case, according to HRAN.
Sison commended the Special Task Group on Countering CTG Resource Generation for Western Visayas in filing terrorism financing cases against CTG-affiliated organizations in the region.
The arrest of the three individuals, based on the warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 31 in Iloilo City, represents a crucial step in curbing the flow of funds and resources to the CTG, he said.
Sison said that the 3ID recognizes the insidious nature of such terrorist financing network, which operates through various front organizations disguised as legitimate entities.
These groups exploit both international and local sources to provide vital material, financial, and logistical support to sustain the CTG’s terroristic activities and exploitation of communities in far-flung areas, he added. | GB
