Statement on COMELEC Resolution outlawing the Payment of Permit to Win and Permit to Campaign fees

NTF-ELCAC Statement on COMELEC Resolution No. 22-0179 which outlaws the Payment of Permit to Win (PTW) and Permit to Campaign (PTC) Fees to the CPP-NPA-NDF and its Allied Organizations

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict Welcomes the Recommendation of the Commission on Elections in an en banc Meeting categorically declaring that the payment of permit to win and permit to campaign fees to the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations constitute violations of Section 261 (a) and (e) of the Omnibus Election Code.

In addition, the COMELEC also opined that the above-mentioned acts constitute separate violations of Section 4 of R.A. No. 10168 or the Anti Terror Financing Act of 2012 and R.A. 11479, Section 12 of the Anti -Terror Act of 2020.

The COMELEC also declared that the commission of such acts based on substantial evidence are grounds for the disqualification of a candidate pursuant to Section 68 (a) and (b) of the Omnibus Election Code.

The COMELEC en banc state that the act of paying the PTW and the PTC fees to the CPP-NPA-NDF and its allied front organizations is an act of vote-buying on the part of the candidate and is an act of vote-selling on the part of the CPP-NPA-NDF and their front organizations. Said acts are also considered by the CPP-NPA-NDF as acts of extortion tantamount to acts of terrorism punishable as an election offense.

In relation thereto, the COMELEC, in the exercise of sound judgment considered the payment of PTW and PTC to the CPP-NPA-NDF as acts that constitute financing of terrorism and acts providing material support to terrorists.

As a consequence of the payment of PTW and PTC, the COMELEC states that any candidate who has committed acts of terrorism to enhance his or her candidacy, including providing support to the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations, may be disqualified from continuing as a candidate.

If such candidate has been elected, the COMELEC states that the elected candidate may be disqualified from holding office. Prior conviction of the offenses is not necessary to disqualify a candidate from continuing as such or from holding office.

The COMELEC has spoken.

The PTW and PTC extortion schemes of the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations are prohibited, outlawed, and are illegal.

The commission of these acts is a ground for disqualification.

The NTF-ELCAC strongly declares that any candidate in the national and local elections who shall pay the PTW and the PTC to the CPP-NPA-NDF and their front organizations commit the highest form of betrayal against the Filipino people.

It is a betrayal of the public trust, a betrayal of our constitution, and tarnishes the memory of all those who have perished in the struggle of the Filipino people against the reign of terror and violence waged by the CPP-NPA-NDF against our people.

The CPP-NPA-NDF has no place in our electoral processes.

These terrorists must not be allowed to interfere in the Filipino people's right to suffrage.

In fact, the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations must not be allowed to capitalize on the elections in order to sabotage the government from within.

The CPP-NPA-NDF masquerade and their deceptive, exploitative, and self-serving presence in the government institutions thru their allied front organizations must end.

In fact, we believe that the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations are coming to an end.

Those who remain fanatically loyal to the quixotic so-called "armed struggle" perpetrated by the CPP-NPA-NDF terrorist organization are struggling to keep themselves afloat in the light of the Filipino people's awakening from the 53 year-old nightmare that is the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied front organizations.

We salute the COMELEC en banc for keeping our elections clean, honest, and peaceful by keeping the CPP-NPA-NDF from interfering in the electoral processes.

Rest assured, we are one with the COMELEC Education and Information Department and the CBFSC-Task Force Kontra Bigay in disseminating this information to the Filipino people.

We, the men and women of the NTF-ELCAC, reiterate our commitment to uphold the rule of law;

promote a clean, honest, peaceful, and CTG Free Elections;

and to Win the Peace by ending the local communist armed conflict.

Secretary Hermogenes C Esperon, Jr. National Security Adviser Vice-Chairperson, NTF-ELCAC