MANILA -- Members of Hands Off our Children and League of Parents in the Philippines (LPP) on Monday appealed to the House of Representatives to look into ethical violations and moral culpability of the Makabayan bloc for its involvement in the alleged communists’ recruitment of minors.
In a letter addressed to House Committee on Welfare of Children chairperson Yedda Marie Romualdez and other concerned committees, parents of the missing minors denounced the progressive bloc for stalling efforts to find their children.
“It is our hope that the House leadership takes action in assisting us by addressing our concerns and grievances and determining, among others, any ethical violations and moral culpability of the Makabayan bloc,” the groups said.
They also urged Congress to investigate Makabayan bloc’s alleged support to the New People’s Army, an armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) listed as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Makabayan bloc is composed of party-list representatives from Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan.
The parents said their children’s involvement with the leftist groups led them to leave their homes and drop out of schools.
“Since they left us, we have not seen nor heard from them and were never given the chance to celebrate the season as a complete family,” they said.
The groups also condemned the Makabayan bloc’s move to prevent their children from going home to have normal lives.
“At the height of our appeal for assistance for our children to be reunited with us, the solons from the Makabayan bloc even held a press conference and had the gall to present Alicia Jasper Lucena—one of the recruited youths/students--at the House of Representatives to mislead public perception and justify her absence instead of delivering her to her family, which is an outright insult to the parents,” they said.
“If found liable for serious offenses, we appeal that the Makabayan bloc be expelled from Congress, or be given formal disciplinary and other legal sanctions on account of their actions,” the groups added.
The Philippine News Agency has reached out to Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro, and Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao to get their side but no response was received as of posting time. (PNA)
