MANILA: The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday said it found compelling evidence to indict two members of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army (CPP-NPA) responsible for collecting revolutionary funds and financing terrorism. Following information gathered by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), accused Leonor Taguinod Dumlao and Valentin Cruz Tolentino will be charged with violation of Section 8 of R.A. No. 10168, known as "The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012." The charges will be filed before the Batangas City regional trial court, the DOJ said in a statement. The two were originally arrested under Oplan Paglalansag in Mindoro Oriental and Rizal in August 2023. According to reports, the two accused possessed firearms and ammunition with no definite source of income or apparent purpose, prompting authorities to initiate background checks and collaborate with intelligence counterparts from the National Bur eau of Investigation (NBI) and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) to ask the court's issuance of search warrants against the two. Authorities discovered firearms, ammunition, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), IED components, and a significant sum of money. Dumlao and Tolentino, the DOJ said, are alleged members of the National Finance Commission (NFC) of the CPP/NPA which had direct involvement in demanding money from construction firms, telecommunication companies, bus companies, mining companies, and businessmen in the guise of "revolutionary taxes." The two were also allegedly responsible for the creation of the National Economic Striking Force (NESF) of the CPP/NPA, which serves as security of the 'Rebolusyonaryong Buwis sa Kaaway na Uri' or the RBKU. 'We will never let even an inch of terrorism's tyranny sow fear among our citizens, much more let the cowards behind this menace run free. This is a time when we Filipinos should fortify our resolve and show our resili ence in fighting this evil,' Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said. 'If proven guilty, we will not let them go unpunished.' Source: Philippines News Agency