The Iligan City regional trial court (RTC) has convicted a cashier of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR) as an accessory in 55 counts of violations of Republic Act No. 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
In a statement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that convicted was Angeline Z. Magdua “one of two cashiers of RMP-NMR, a non-government organization which obtained donations from unsuspecting foreign organizations to finance the operations of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army), a terrorist organization as designated by the United States Department of State, the European Union, New Zealand, and the Philippine Government.”
A copy of the decision was not released by the DOJ which said the ruling was handed down on March 16, 2023.
The DOJ said the RTC’s decision is the first-ever conviction 11 years after RA 10168 was enacted into law.
“Despite the first conviction coming 11 years after the enactment of the law, this landmark decision will serve as the foundation and will pave the way for future prosecutions under the law,” the DOJ said.
It said that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla called the decision one of the biggest victories of the department.
“Terrorism only leads to more violence and suffering, and we must break this cycle and work towards peace,” Remulla said.
He assured that the government will continue to fight until the country is rid of terrorism. “Terrorism has no place in any society, and we must stand together to defeat it,” he said.
In a statement issued in August 2022, the DOJ said that 16 persons – one of them was Magdua –were charged with violations of RA 10168 for involvement in the financing of CPP-NPA.
Aside from Magdua, also charged were Sr. Emma Teresita E. Cupin, Sr. Susan M. Dejolde, Ma. Fatima Napoles Somogod, Sr. Augustina C. Juntilla, Sr. Mary Jane C. Caspillo, Melissa Amado Comiso, Czarina Golda Selim Musni, Maridel Solomon Fano, Jhona Ignilan Stokes, Hanelyn Caibigan Cespedes, Emilio Gabales, Mary Louise Dumas, Aileen Manipol Villarosa, Evelyn Lumapas Naguio, and Aldeem Abroguena Yanez.
The DOJ said those accused were charged with violations of Section 8(ii) of RA 10168. Section 8(ii) makes any person an accomplice in financing terrorism if he or she “makes available any property or funds, or financial services or other related services to a designated and/or identified person, organization, association, or group of persons….”
Violators under the law “shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its maximum period to reclusion perpetua and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000) nor more than One million pesos (P1,000,000).”
In the case of Magdua, she was convicted by the RTC of violation of Section 7 of RA 10168 as an accessory, the DOJ said.
The DOJ said that the charges were filed in court after a preliminary investigation on the complaints filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
It said the complaints were filed after AMLC probed the accounts of RMP-NMR based on the sworn statements of two former members of the CPP-NPA.
It said: “According to the witnesses, the RMP-NMR, through its officers 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 RMP/RMP-NMR.”
Upon receipt of the money, the DOJ said that RMP-NMR allotted 40 percent to proposed projects and 60 percent “will be channeled to the CPP-NPA as support for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, etc. in the conduct of tactical offensives.”
It said that on Feb. 11, 2020, the Court of Appeals (CA) granted AMLC’s petition to freeze the accounts for 20 days and on Feb. 21, 2020 the appellate court issued a resolution that extended the freeze order.
The DOJ said it will pursue the prosecution of the 15 other accused and will work hard for their conviction.