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Lived in the PI for 7 years. 4 of those years were spent in North Cotabato on Mindanao island; a haven for both the Muslim and Commie rebels.
Extortion and kidnapping were the norm - my missionary parents knew better than to take any trips within a few days of any local election. We even have a few Philippino friends who were kidnapped for ransom - all were returned safely though that isn't entirely typical.
My parents were forced to move to avoid their own threatened kidnapping or murder (because my father physically intervened and foiled a kidnapping of a friend). Though selfish, I feel much better now that they are retired and planting gardens instead of churches.
Bill Hyde (killed in a bombing at Davao airport) and Martin Burham (kidnapped by the Abu Sayyef, killed during rescue) were both personal friend of my parents. Bill was my choir teacher in high school in Manila.

Pray for our missionaries, business people, and our troops in the Philippines - it is a very dangerous place.

Fake rebels are out to fleece bets
Groups cashing in on NPA extort drive – governor

By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR. - Manila Bulletin

CEBU CITY — Cebu Gov. Pablo Garcia warned yesterday candidates in the May 10 elections that several people are roaming around pretending to be rebels and collecting "revolutionary taxes" or "permit-to-campaign" fees.

Garcia said several groups are allegedly taking advantage of reports that members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have started extorting money from candidates.

Garcia cited a case in Barili town where a man introduced himself as a rebel and demanded money, via telephone, from a woman whose husband is working abroad.

The woman asked for police assistance, and this led to the arrest of the man who was later found to be not a rebel but a mere extortionist.

The governor believed that the rebels are really asking money from candidates and that no one could stop the politicians from giving in to the rebels’ demands for the purpose of getting votes in the rebel-controlled areas.

But the governor warned that the candidates should not be hoodwinked that easy urging them to verify thoroughly, via the police and the military, if a man is a rebel or not. The midnorth areas in Cebu, traversing the boundaries of the third, fourth and fifth districts, are the places believed to be under the influence of the rebels.

Earlier, members of the Regional Intelligence and Coordinating Committee of the Police Region 7 Office (PRO 7) discussed information about politicians in Central Visayas who were giving "permit-to-campaign" (PTC) fees to the NPA.

PRO 7 Director Rolando Garcia said Camp Crame authorities have gotten hold of the names of politicians who have given PTCs and are now studying appropriate actions to be taken against these election bets as soon as it is confirmed that they have given financial aid to the rebel group.

The Central Command (Centcom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it already has a list of the names of Cebuano candidates who have been giving financial support to members of NPA in the form permit-to-campaign fees.

But Centcom spokesman Capt. Antonio Ruba said that the Army’s Intelligence Division has yet to conduct an investigation to verify the names in the list.

"Centcom will conduct confirmation based on the list," Ruba said. "We will make sure that these candidates really gave cash to NPA for their campaign."

Ruba said that they would immediately submit the list to the Commission on Elections as soon as they could confirm the illegal activities of the candidates.

Meanwhile, Director Garcia confirmed that Centcom is also monitoring politicians in Central Visayas to determine who among them are giving fees to the NPA.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had earlier ordered the military and the police to stop the collection by communist rebels of PTC fees from candidates.