Guevarra: Nothing illegal about political endorsements by groups tagged as communist
MANILA, Philippines — Everyone has a right to support a candidate or political party in the May polls, even if the endorsement comes from groups that the government is linking to the Communist Party of the Philippines or the New Peoples’ Army, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.
The justice secretary, in a message to reporters, explained that there is "nothing unlawful" for the groups associated with the CPP/NPA to express their support for any political party or aspirant in the 2022 elections.
Being an activist, a leftist, or a communist are all legal in the Philippines.
“It is when they commit acts of violence to sow terror and destabilize public order in the guise of exercising their political rights that will prompt the Anti-Terrorism Council to take action,” Guevarra added.
The ATC has designated the CPP-NPA and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, as well as what they said are underground groups, as terrorists. Their designation triggered the authority of the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze their assets.
But even with the Anti-Terrorism Act in effect — a law still being appealed at the Supreme Court — being an activist or leftists is not illegal in the country.
RELATED: 'Being leftist is far from being a terrorist,' Justice secretary stresses
Red-tagging of Robredo’s supporters
Allegations of communists "infiltrating" campaign caravans floated after Vice President Leni Robredo staged a mammoth rally in Cavite in March.
Robredo, who is seeking the presidency, won the endorsement of human rights defenders, lawyers, progressive groups and the Makabayan bloc — groups long accused by government agencies and officials of being "fronts" of the CPP/NPA/NDF.
Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla (Cavite) claimed that participants of a politician's campaign rally were paid P500 each. Although he did not name any candidate, this was a day after Robredo’s rally in Cavite, the bailiwick of the Remullas.
Remulla went as far as saying while the throngs of people were in pink, there were "a lot of students there and they looked like activists." He alleged that these were students trained by the NDF.
Shortly after, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, also a candidate for president, raised worries that a "coalition government with the CPP/NPA/NDF will set back the gains of the government’s efforts to end the country’s decades-old insurgency problem."
Af week later, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, through its spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, repeated the communist claims.
Red-tagging or the practice of linking activists groups to the communist armed struggle has been used by the government agencies. Red-tagged individuals has face threats, intimidates, arrests, and some were even killed.
Robredo and her People’s Council were swift to deny allegations that they are paid nor members of the CPP/NPA/NDF groups, but arrests were still made after the red-tagging accusations.
Members of the Anakpawis party-list, which is part of the Makabayan bloc, said their members in Cavite were arrested on March 10. The activists arrested in Bacoor have since been released.
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