By Armando Fenequito Jr.
DAVAO CITY — Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has warned all local candidates here running under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago - Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod alliance against paying the New People’s Army’s (NPA) permit-to-campaign or they will be junked by the party.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Duterte said the alliance will outrightly junk candidates who will be giving into the demands of the NPA, a terrorist organization behind countless of horrendous crimes against the people.
"That it requires candidates to pay in exchange for access to campaign in far-flung areas exposes the NPAs perverted views of democracy," she said.
She said the election ensures that people freely exercise their right to choose their leaders — and the NPA extortion scheme is an absolute travesty of the essence of the election.