THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted 16 individuals, including members of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), for allegedly making funds available to the communist rebel movement in Northern Mindanao.
In a briefer provided by the DOJ, the National Prosecution Service charged the respondents before the Iligan City Regional Trial Court for violation of Section 8 (ii) of Republic Act 10168, or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
Indicted are Mary Louise Dumas, Maridel Solomon Fano, Hanelyn Caibigan Cespedes, Emilio Gabales, Ma. Fatima Napoles Somogod, Evelyn Lumapas Naguio, Jhona Ignilan Stokes, Melissa Amado Comiso, Aldeem Abroguena Yanez, Aileen Manipol Villarosa, Czarina Gold Selim Musni, Angelie Magdua, Sister Augustina Juntilla, Sister Maryjane Caspillo, Sister Emma Teresita Cupin and Sister Susan Dejolde for “making funds available to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New Peoples’ Army.”
“Musni, Fano, Dumas and Villarosa, who are members of the CPP-NPA were made payees in several checks issued by Somogod, Musni and Fano under the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao region’s BPI bank account,” the DOJ said.
“Cespedes and Magdua, as cashiers and acting upon the orders of Gabales, distributed the funds according to the 60-40 scheme. Cespedes provided the 60 percent to Fano by issuing checks. Fano gave (the) funds to Yanez, who is one of the officers of the CPP-NPA,” it added.
The briefer indicated that Cupin, Dejolde, Comiso and Juntilla were members of the board of trustees of the RMP. Likewise, Cupin, Dejolde and Comiso were the group’s president, secretary and finance officer, respectively.
The DOJ said the nuns held general supervision and control over the operations of the RMP in Northern Mindanao.
In particular, the DOJ said “they (the nuns) authorized Musni, Fano, Somogod and Stokes to issue checks under the RMP-Northern Mindanao region’s bank accounts to be received by Dumas, Villarosa, Naguio and Yanez, who are members of the CPP-NPA.”
The RMP is a church-based national organization comprised of priests, nuns and lay persons who have been serving poor communities in the country for more than 50 years already. It was established in August 1969 as a mission partner of the Association of Major Religious Superiors.
Acting DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said the prosecutors “recommended no bail for the accused.”
If found guilty by the court, they face the maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than P500, 000 but not more than P1 million.
The indictment stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Anti-Money Laundering Council on the bank accounts of RMP-Northern Mindanao on the basis of the sworn statements of two former NPA members.
One of the witnesses, according to the DOJ, was a member of the NPA, later becoming a finance officer of “various CPP-NPA non-governmental organization fronts, including the RMP.”
“According to the witness, the RMP-Northern Mindanao, through its offices and staff, prepare project proposals to be presented to foreign funders. Once the proposed projects are approved, these foreign funders will wire money to the bank accounts of the RMP. Upon receipt of the money, RMP will allot the money as follows: 40 percent for the proposed projects, and 60 percent will be channeled to the CPP-NPA as support for purchase of firearms, ammunition, and other equipment in the conduct of tactical offensives,” the DOJ alleged.
The AMLC has previously directed the Bank of the Philippine Islands to freeze the RMP-Northern Mindanao accounts for 20 days, which was later extended to six months by the Court of Appeals in a resolution dated February 21, 2020, upon finding out that the bank accounts were being used to finance terrorism-related activities.
Clavano said the respondents failed to submit their respective counter-affidavits during the preliminary investigation on alleged terror financing.