DQ PROTEST. Anti-Reds groups led by the League of Parents of the Philippines hold a rally in front of the Commission on Elections main office in Intramuros, Manila on Monday (June 6, 2022). They called again for the delisting of communist affiliated party-list groups. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Parents’ groups and multi-sectoral organizations on Monday renewed their call to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to delist the party-list organizations affiliated with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Members of the League of Parents of the Philippines (LPP), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Makabagong Alyansa (MK) staged a protest rally in front of the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila to ask anew for the disqualification of party-list groups Kabataan, Anakpawis, Act Teachers and Bayan Muna for being front organizations of communist terrorist groups.
Remy Rosadio, LPP president, asked the Comelec to listen to the cries of mothers who lost their children because of communist recruitment.
“Sila ay hayag-hayagang pumapanig sa CPP-NPA. Tama na ang pikit-mata at pagbibingi-bingihan. Tingnan natin ang ebidensya laban sa kanila, ang mga testimonya ng mga nanay na hanggang ngayon ay umiiyak dahil ang kanilang mga anak ay hawak pa rin ng mga grupong ito (They are openly siding with CPP-NPA. Stop playing blind and deaf. Look at the evidence against them, the testimonies of mothers who are crying until now because their children are being held by these groups),” Rosadio said during the rally.
Rosadio said the Comelec should realize that “these party-lists don’t deserve seats in Congress as they are only fixated in toppling the government” under the orders of exiled CPP founding chair Jose Maria "Joma" Sison.
Nolan Tiongco, MK secretary general, said despite their strong warning and constant reminders for the public to be critical of and vigilant against the party-list organizations that have links with the CPP-NPA-NDF, many still “fell prey to their lies”.
“Nakakalungkot lang isipin na marami pa rin ang na-recruit at marami pa rin ang bomoto sa mga party-list na ito sa kabila na ang mga nalantad na ang mga ebidensya. Kaya hinihiling natin sa Comelec na i-delist na po ang mga party-list na ito (It’s sad that still many people have been recruited and many still voted for these party-list despite clear evidence. That’s why we are asking the Comelec to delist these party-lists),” Tiongco said.
The anti-communist groups have appealed to the Comelec several times before to disqualify the alleged communist legal fronts.
They called for a public boycott of party-lists belonging to the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) bloc that include Kabataan, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, ACT Teachers, and Gabriela Women’s Party, noting that they have been “using the government funds to push underground operations for the CPP-NPA-NDF”.
During the rally, the protesters burned effigies of Sison and the Makabayan bloc representatives.
The Makabayan bloc previously countered that its members have been subjected to "disinformation campaign and red-tagging” by the government and its anti-insurgency task force, especially before the May 9 polls.
Rosadio said there was no red-tagging when it was Sison himself and former NPA rebels who confirmed the party-list groups are communist allies.
"Pakinggan na lang natin ang testimonya ng mga nagbalik-loob sa gobyerno. Maririnig niyong binabanggit nila ang pangalan ng mga progresibong grupong ito na nire-recruit ang ating mga anak, tinatago at dinadala sa kanayunan para mamundok at mag-alsa alsa sa ngalan ng armadong pakikibaka (Let's just listen to the testimonies of former rebels returned to the government. They mentioned these progressive groups recruiting our children, hiding them, and bringing them to the mountains in the name of armed revolution)," she added.
Rosadio said the mass recruitment of minors to the communist armed revolution will be halted only if "these communist-affiliated progressive organizations" will be delisted by the Comelec.
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 separate part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)
