Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson (PNA File photo)
MANILA – While there is nothing wrong with compassionate persons and groups banding together to help people severely affected by the economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), a ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) said it is their duty to inform the public of dubious groups attempting to hijack the initiative.
"Informing the Filipino people to be careful about dubious organizations and individuals is our job," NTF ELCAC spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr. said in a statement forwarded to the Philippine News Agency Tuesday night.
He clarified that warning the public about dubious groups with links to communist terrorist organizations is not red-tagging.
"It is not us red-tagging them because red-tagging doesn’t exist in the first place. Our courts have been very clear about this. They have declared that there is no danger to life, liberty, and security when you are identified as members of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front)," Parlade said.
Earlier, the NTF ELCAC spokesperson expressed concern over how organizers of community pantries seem to be spreading "propaganda" about the government's failure to address people's needs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He added that they are checking the backgrounds of the organizers but not red-tagging them.
"And that red-tagging is an invention of the CPP-NPA-NDF to silence those who tell the truth about them - and to raise funds from hapless Filipinos and foreigners. And their other nefarious activities like human trafficking and the kidnapping of minors," he said.
Fulfillment of duty
Parlade, who is also Armed Forces of the Philippines' Southern Luzon Command chief, said they are merely fulfilling their duty and obligation to the Filipino people when they exposed and identify communist terrorists because the deceitful nature of these individuals has caused so much death and destruction to the country and the Filipinos in their more than 50 years of existence.
"When they show their clear links to the Reds, they identify themselves as Red, then they become defensive," he added.
He cited the case of "Ang Dating Daan" who had been doing community grocery programs for a long time without creating any controversy.
"They have more than 2,000 stations nationwide and even abroad - even in Sydney (Australia) Malaysia, Brazil but they were never in trouble nor did they create any controversy. Just the simple desire to be of help to those who need it. No other ulterior motive," he added.
The same can be said for a community pantry along Matiyaga Street, Quezon City those organizers feed the hungry and destitute without attracting attention to themselves.
"The same can be said for a community pantry along Matiyaga Street that peacefully feeds the hungry and they do so without calling attention to themselves. And again, it can be traced to the sincere desire to be of help, pakikipagkapwa-tao (friendship) with no hidden agenda to denigrate the honest work of government," Parlade said.
There are noisy groups who pretend to help and yet while doing so continue to attack the government for perceived shortcomings, he added.
"And on the other hand, the noisy groups who are complaining have posters that declare #StopKillingFarmers and even #OUSTDU30," he added.
Agitate to hate
These groups, he said, continue to agitate people to hate government at this time of a pandemic when unity is of prime importance in our survival as a people:
"They distribute food, and with it is the poison of hate and mistrust towards a government that is ceaseless and faithful in its service to the Filipino people. This is simply not right and in defense of our people and State, must be corrected," he added.
Meanwhile, Parlade, in an interview with One News' The Chiefs, clarified that not everyone who is organizing community pantries has ties with the communist terrorists.
However, the deceptive nature of the CPP-NPA, is causing concern to many that these charitable endeavors are being infiltrated by these groups.
He said these prompted netizens to report to the NTF ELCAC some actions by these community pantries.
"We all know how the CPP works, I'm not saying na lahat itong nag-organize nitong community pantry are part of that organization but yung deception nila, yung mga pamamaraan nila ay alam na natin eh , sabi ko nga kanina , andami actually ng nagpopost sa amin, please take a look at this community pantry dito sa aming lugar, ba't sila merong nakapaskil na ganito, may picture sila then pinadala sa amin, nasa social media, napakaraming nagpopost ngayon sa social media," Parlade said, referring to anti-government posters.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
