Esperon to EU office: Grants used to fund terror, child warriors

Malacañang on Friday called on the European Union (EU) to stop funding groups that the Duterte administration has tagged as fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo issued the statement after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. wrote EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles De Kerchove on March 26.

He said EU funds were being used to "propagate terrorism" and the finance the recruitment of child warriors.

"The EU should because the funding will be used in destabilizing the government. If these are legal fronts and their main purpose is to break down the government then the EU whose funding [them] should reconsider," Panelo said at a news conference.

Esperon in his letter alleged that EU funds were being used for the recruitment and exploitation of vulnerable sectors such as indigenous peoples, "the systematic destruction of the latter's culture and value system, and the murder of their leaders."

He said Belgian non-government organizations SOLIDAGRO, Viva Salud, and KIYO have "indirectly and unwittingly partnered" with Philippine NGOs accused of communist ties.

Among the Philippine NGOs identified by Esperon were the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV); Ibon Foundation; Karapatan; Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc.; the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines; the Salugpungan Ta’tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center, Inc.; the Alliance of Health Workers; the Kilusang Mayo Uno; Gabriela; and ACT.

Ibon denied on March 14 being a conduit for funding of the New People's Army. The research group also said they had filed a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights in protest of the government's accusation. —NB, GMA News