Haresco’s aide facing charges for violation of Terrorism Financing Act

KALIBO, Aklan- A top aide of Aklan 2nd District Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. is facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10168, or the “Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012,” for allegedly providing food and money to the terror group New People’s Army (NPA).

Benjie Tocol, Haresco’s right-hand man, has been accused of violating Sections 4 and 8 (ii) of RA 10168, based on the charges submitted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Aklan Provincial Field Unit (CIDG-PFU), represented by PMSG Bella Ladera.

Ladera filed the complaint against Haresco’s aide, Rosanna Inaudito, alias Ka Dayan/Ann-Ann, and Jose Edwin Guillen, who was identified as an officer of the NPA’s Coronacion Chiva “Waling-Waling” Command in the Panay Region, before the Department of Justice (DOJ) central office in Manila.

The complaint alleged that Brince Gegodas, an arrested NPA member, disclosed that Haresco’s aide allegedly directed him to deliver groceries and cash to Guillen at the Ceres Terminal in Kalibo, Aklan, in April 2023.

During an entrapment operation leading to Gegodas’ arrest, operatives spotted Haresco’s staff nearby. When approached by authorities, Tocol identified himself as Haresco’s staff and sought permission to leave the area.

After agreeing to a plea bargaining agreement, Gegodas showed authorities the call logs of his conversations with Haresco’s aide and Guillen to back up his claim.

Haresco earlier denied his involvement in the said charges. Tocol on the other hand told the Boracay Island News Network that he has already submitted his counter affidavit at the doJ.

“I believed that this charges is oly a political harassment,” he said.