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Blame Joma for 'Red tag', AFP tells Karapatan

By Priam Nepomuceno

April 5, 2019, 3:58 pm

MANILA -- Militant group, Karapatan, should blame Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder, Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, instead of the government, for their red-tagging.

"To Karapatan -- don't blame (the) government for your being tagged as 'Red'. You have always been Red by the way you respond to situations. Your name is all over the Red websites. Joma's face turns red every time we mention the CPP revolutionary websites, the ILPS (International League of Peoples Struggles') websites, the ILPS of which Joma is also chair," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military operations, Major Gen. Antonio Parlade, told reporters Friday.

Parlade made the statement after Karapatan scored the government for identifying them as one of the front organizations of the CPP-New People's Army (NPA), which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union (EU). 

"It's because he feels guilty for dragging you into this Red network. Unfortunately, he cannot take it off the web, as your red fingerprints are all over already, every time there is a captured CPP-NPA, every time a Red child warrior is captured. So did we Red-tag you?" Parlade said.

He also challenged the group to dispute government allegations by presenting concrete pieces of evidence, such as documents.

"By the way, our challenge stays. Prove us wrong with your documents, here in the country you have been trying to destroy all those years, with your fake advocacy. Don't bring the matter to UN (United Nations), which you have deceived with your fake reports. Do you know that they were unable to explain the 27,000 killed 'allegedly' from the police drug war? By the way, that figure of killed in EJK (extra-judicial killing) was already raised by Joma to 30,000 in a span of one month, since we went to UN to ask where those killings happened so the government can respond. Can anybody explain where the additional 3,000 were killed in the past 30 days?" Parlade added.

He also scored the group anew for duping EU and Belgium for donations through the fabrication of reports claiming that the government is behind the killing of "Bakwit" (evacuees) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

"What about EU and Belgium which you have duped, again with your fake reports of Bakwit and IP killings, in order to ask them for donations through the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), Solidagro, Viva Salud, Kiyo, and many more foreign NGOs (non-government organizations)? Same foreign NGOs support ACT, ALCADEV communist school, Salugpungan School for Child Warriors, Gabriela, ANAKPAWIS, etc. So what's the common denominator here? If they all celebrate the CPP-NPA anniversary in the streets and temporary rebel resting places, what should we call you? Pink Panthers?" he said.

ACT stands for Alliance of Concerned Teachers while ALCADEV is Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development.

The government, he said, is ready to provide protection to those who will come forward to corroborate claims against communist-front organizations.

"To Ibon and Karapatan, RMP sisters, let's all face the challenge, this time without hiding under the robes. And please remember, the government (is) the real human rights defenders. We will protect you should you decide to come out, as we have always protected you, even as you accuse us of threatening activists. Many of your colleagues have already spoken against you. None of you were harassed, unless you believe your lies again. Just take the challenge," Parlade said.

“Don't evade the government by bringing the matter abroad to justify your actions to your donors who are about to cancel your funding,” he added. (PNA)

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