Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo (File photo)
MANILA – Presidential candidate, Vice President Leni Robredo, on Thursday, said she would not ally with anyone using violence to push their agenda.
Robredo made the statement amid alleged efforts to red-tag her and her supporters.
"Hindi ako makikipag-alyado sa kahit sinong gumagamit ng dahas para magsulong ng anumang agenda (will never forge an alliance with anyone using force to advance any agenda),” Robredo said in a statement.
She said such accusations claiming she is in an alliance with communist rebels were only meant to stop the momentum of her campaign for the May elections.
"Malinaw ang motibasyon ng walang-tigil na pangre-redtag sa akin at sa mga volunteers natin: Ang pigilan ang momentum ng ating People's Campaign (The motivation for the continuous red-tagging on me and our volunteers is clear: To stop the momentum of our People's Campaign)," Robredo said.
Robredo assured that her team would defend her supporters and volunteers against harassment due to the red-tagging efforts.
“Nandito ako at ang buong campaign team, lalo na ang ating mga volunteer lawyers, para ipagtanggol kayo sa pangha-harass na maaaring maidulot ng laganap na red-tagging laban sa ating mga volunteers (I am here and the entire campaign team, especially our volunteer lawyers, to defend you against any harassment brought about by the widespread red-tagging of our volunteers)," she said.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson for Sectoral Concerns and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy earlier said Robredo has formed a “tactical alliance” with communist terrorists that is “mutually beneficial to the both of them.”
Citing Robredo’s March 4 campaign sortie in Cavite, Badoy said the Vice President even shared the stage with communist “operatives.”
Badoy said Robredo’s camp should stop denying the deal with members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), noting that CPP founder, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison even tweeted his official endorsement of her candidacy.
“VP Leni Robredo’s camp should stop insulting the intelligence of the Filipino people by pretending they have not made a pact with the devil, the communist terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF,” she said.
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.
The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the NDF as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)
