The Philippine National Police welcomed on Sunday the move of the European Union to conduct an investigation to determine if the funds they have been providing to non-government organizations ended up in the hands of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army.

"This is a positive development," said PNP spokesman Colonel Bernard Banac in an interview over dwIZ.

If EU would stop funding the NGOs believed to be fronts of the Maoist group, he said this would be a big boost in attaining lasting peace in the country.

EU has decided to conduct financial audit of its aid to NGOs after National Security Adviser and vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict Hermogenes Esperon Jr. wrote to EU to immediately cease from funding the groups allegedly acting as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA.

Esperon has said that EU funds were being used to sustain terrorist activities of the communist rebels.

He listed the three Belgian NGOs which have "indirectly and unwittingly partnered" with various NGOs in the Philippines that act as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA, namely the Solidagro, Viva Salud, and Kiyo.

Among the listed Philippine NGOs were the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development; IBON Foundation; Karapatan; Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc.; the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines; the Salugpungan Ta'tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center, Inc.; the Alliance of Health Workers; the Kilusang Mayo Uno; Gabriela; and ACT.

EU has tagged the CPP-NPA as terrorist groups since 2005.

The Duterte administration has terminated the formal peace talks with the Reds since November 2017 for alleged continuous violence and extortion activities despite the peace talks. Celerina Monte/DMS