The Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division commander commended a special task for the filing of terrorism financing cases and the arrest of three persons in Negros Occidental allegedly linked to the “communist terrorist group (CTG)”.
The successful arrests of three individuals, based on warrants issued by RTC Branch 31 in Iloilo City, for violations of the Anti-Terrorism Financing Law, represent a crucial step in curbing the flow of funds and resources to the CTG, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison said in a statement on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Arrested on Friday were Dharyl Albañez, Federico Salvilla, and Perla Pavillar, development workers of the Paghidaet sa Kauswagan Development Group (PDG) Inc. in Negros.
The 3ID recognizes the insidious nature of this terrorist financing network, which operates through various front organizations disguised as legitimate entities, the Army statement said.
These groups, often masking their true intentions, 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, it said.
Sison said the arrests and subsequent prosecution of those involved in financing terrorism are vital steps towards establishing a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in Region 6.
“We stand firmly behind the STG-CCRG (Special Task Group on Countering CTG Resource Generation) move to expose and dismantle these terror-financing networks, ultimately depriving the CTG of the resources they need to recuperate and resurge after suffering major debacles,” he said.
“Let’s continue to work together and finish the fight against terrorism financing. By this, we can bring the CTG to its ultimate end”, Sison said.
ARREST SLAMMED
Kapatid, a group of families and friends of political prisoners, on Saturday called on the Commission on Human Rights and the concerned legislative committees to investigate “this insidious trend of arbitrary arrests and criminalization of development workers and to press their immediate release from unjust detention”.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Negros on Friday condemned the arrest of three development workers.
“These arrests are part of Marcos Jr’s escalating crackdown against progressive development workers and activists who tirelessly champion the rights of marginalized communities,” Bayan Negros in statement posted on its Facebook page said.*