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Badoy to resign if Makabayan solons condemn CPP-NPA-NDF

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

September 11, 2020, 9:55 pm

<p>PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy. <em>(File photo)</em></p>

PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy. (File photo)

MANILA – Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy said Friday she would heed the calls of Makabayan lawmakers to resign if they would publicly condemn the atrocities of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

In a statement, Badoy said she would step down if the progressive lawmakers condemn the acts of violence of the CPP-NPA-NDF to prove that they are not part of the communist rebel movement, and stand together with the government in its fight to end the communist insurgency.

"Isapubliko ninyo ang pagkondena na ito sa mga karahasan ng CPP-NPA-NDF bilang patunay na hindi kayo CPP-NPA-NDF (You should publicly condemn the atrocities of the CPP-NPA-NDF as proof that you are not members of the CPP-NPA-NDF)," Badoy said.

"Mangangakong magmula ngayon, maninindigan kayo kasama ng gobyerno at bayan at magtatrabaho kayo para mawala na ang salot at pahirap sa bayan natin na CPP-NPA-NDF (Pledge that from now on, you would stand with the government and the country and fight to scourge and burden that CPP-NPA-NDF brings to the country)," she added.

Another part of Badoy’s conditions is for the lawmakers to call on CPP founder Jose Maria Sison and his comrades to surrender and face their cases in the country.

"Manawagan na mag-surrender sila Joma Sison at mga kasama nila na may mga warrants of arrest at harapin ang mga kaso nila dito. Tutal ang sabi nyo wala naman kayong koneksyon sa founder ng teroristang CPP-NPA -NDF (Urge Joma Sison and their comrades that have warrants of arrest to surrender and face the charges here since you've all been claiming that you have no connection with the founder of the terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF)," she said.

She cited the various atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF, such as the Rano Massacre in 1989, the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971, the Inopacan Massacre, the “internal purging” that killed more than 2,000 of its members, the recruitment of thousands of youths, the murder of tribal leaders, and the inhumane killing of members of the indigenous communities.

Badoy also mentioned the destruction of government and private properties worth billions of pesos, besmirching the country’s image internationally to get funding, economic sabotage, and the killings of soldiers in charge of distributing cash aid during the pandemic.

Wala pang isang minuto na ginawa nyo yan, iaabot ko ang sulat ng pagbibitiw ko sa aking appointing officer, ang ating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte, bilang Undersecretary ng Presidential Communications Operations Office (In less than a minute that you do those [conditions], I would tender my letter of resignation as Undersecretary of the PCOO to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte),” she added.

Badoy said she would publicly apologize for her red-tagging remarks and remove her posts accusing the lawmakers as “high-ranking officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army - National Democratic Front.”

The Makabayan bloc, composed of Representatives France Castro, Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, Arlene Brosas, Sarah Elago, and Eufemia Cullamat, has called for the immediate resignation of Badoy after she allegedly red-tagged them in a social media post over the weekend.

Earlier this week, the budget hearing for PCOO at the House of Representatives was deferred due to her earlier statements. (PNA)

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