NATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who is also the vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), warned candidates that they face disqualification if they collaborate with Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) by paying the so-called Permit to Win (PTW) and Permit to Campaign (PTC) fees.

Esperon said that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) usually impose such 'fees' on candidates. The practice has been declared illegal by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).