Rebel taxes started in Bicol, says book

Across the Nation

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:57:00 01/05/2011
p. A7

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20110105-312735/Rebel-taxes-started-in-Bicol-says-book


Filed Under: State Budget & Taxes, Guerrilla activities, Armed conflict

NAGA CITY, Philippines—Taxation was introduced by communist underground leaders in Bicol as a way of raising funds to feed guerrillas following an extended period of disconnect with national communist leaders, according to a book by Filipino authors published in Switzerland.

The book, “Primed and Purposeful,” said guerrillas in Bicol were the first to collect so-called revolutionary taxes and permit-to-campaign fees, toll that is collected from politicians during elections.

It was published in Switzerland last April by the Small Arms Survey and written by Soliman M. Santos Jr. and Paz Verdades M. Santos in collaboration with Octavio Dinampo, Herman Kraft, Raymund Quilop and Kira Paredes.

Paz Santos, one of the authors, said revolutionary tax was devised by New People’s Army rebels in Bicol at a time when guerrillas in the region were cut off from the national leadership for long periods from March 1969 until the 1970s.

She said the national leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines once frowned upon revolutionary taxation but later adopted it everywhere NPA rebels operated.

“The group (NPA rebels) had been struggling to feed and arm its troops until it devised the system of charging ‘revolutionary taxes’ or ‘donations,’” said the book.

It said taxes started being collected from farm workers, fishermen, teachers, barangay officials, nongovernment organizations, businesses and landowners. Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon