Two politicians among signatories of multi-million checks recovered from Maute hideout

The shocking discovery conducted by the government forces during the clearing operations in Marawi city might finally prove the claims of the Duterte administration that some narco-politicians are allegedly funding the Maute group to fuel their terror activities in Mindanao.

This is after members of the Philippine Marines last Monday recovered multi-million checks and cash inside a vault from an abandoned house used to be a sniper position of the rebel group in Mapandi area.

Davao Breaking News, a local news outlet based in Mindanao disclosed that at least two ex-mayors of Lanao del Sur were among the signatories of the recovered checks and cash worth P79 million from the Maute group.

Their reliable sources has already identified the two politicians who signed the recovered cheques, but the news outlet opted not to reveal the names involved for now pending investigation by the authorities.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that the money from illegal drug trade became the source of funds in the continued proliferation of terrorism activities in the southern part of country.

Hinayaan kasi natin ang droga (We let drugs to proliferate). So there was a time and until now that the terrorism activities in the Philippines is funded and fueled by drug money," Duterte said. 

If proven that the two politicians colluded with the terrorist group and funded their attacks against the government troops, they can be penalized for violating the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

According to the law, any person “who, directly or indirectly, willfully and without lawful excuse, possesses, provides, collects or uses property or funds or makes available property, funds or financial service or other related services, by any means, with the unlawful and willful intention that they should be used or with the knowledge that they are to be used, in full or in part: (a) to carry out or facilitate the commission of any terrorist act; (b) by a terrorist organization, association or group; or (c) by an individual terrorist, shall be guilty of the crime of financing of terrorism and 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 (Php500,000.00) nor more than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00).”

“Any person who organizes or directs others to commit financing of terrorism under the immediately preceding paragraph shall likewise be guilty of an offense and shall suffer the same penalty as herein prescribed.”

Source: Davao Breaking News