DOJ hails conviction of RMP cashier on terrorist financing

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday hailed a “landmark decision” by an Iligan City court finding a cashier of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) guilty of being an accessory to terrorist financing for allegedly helping funnel international donations to the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

In a statement on Monday night, the DOJ said Angeline Magdua was convicted of 55 counts of violations of Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, by the Regional Trial Court of Iligan City on March 16.

No copy of the ruling was made available and the DOJ statement did not mention what penalties were imposed on Magdua.

“Despite the first conviction coming 11 years after enactment of the law, this landmark decision will serve as the foundation and will pave the way for future prosecutions under this law,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.

According to the DOJ, Magdua was one of two cashiers of the RMP/RMP-Northern Mindanao Region (NMR) who was responsible for distributing funds to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA.

The DOJ earlier filed criminal charges against Magdua and 15 others, including four nuns, who were allegedly part of a conspiracy to divert money from foreign sources to local nongovernmental organizations used as fronts by the CPP-NPA and its allied groups.

The RMP has denied the charges and accused government authorities of threatening witnesses into implicating its officers and members in the activities of the rebels. INQ