Across Asia: Philippines

Rebels rich from extortion

Leftist guerrillas in the Philippines have collected more than 1 billion pesos ($22 million) through extortion in the past 13 years and plan to squeeze more money from candidates ahead of general elections this spring, the military said yesterday.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the 120,000-strong Philippine military to defeat the 40-year-old insurgency by the end of her term in June.