Thursday, September 26, 2019

NTF ELCAC exec: Makabayan bloc’s Resolution 374 hypocrisy

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 26, 2019): NTF ELCAC exec: Makabayan bloc’s Resolution 374 hypocrisy



Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations (PNA File photo)

A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) on Thursday described as “the height of hypocrisy” House Resolution No. 374 introduced by Gabriela Women’s Party-list and other members of the Makabayan bloc that directs the House Committee on Human Rights and Committee on the Welfare of Children to conduct an investigation on the documented cases of grave child rights violations under the current administration.

"This is the height of Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc's hypocrisy. This is a perfect example of the revolutionary dual tactics and CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) propaganda, which all Filipinos should clearly be able to discern now. This is what the NTF ELCAC and the government have been saying about the duplicity of Jose Maria Sison's stooges in the Kamatayan bloc," Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr. said in a statement forwarded to the Philippine News Agency.

Parlade, who is also Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, said he finds it ironic that all the abuses cited in Resolution No. 374 are the same as those being raised by the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) against the CPP and its allies, which include the New People's Army (NPA).

"Resolution No. 374 cites UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) and other provisions on the protection of children, exploitation of IPs, and closure of their schools. It identified alleged violations committed in 1989. Ironically, the abuses they cited are the same complaints the IPs have now against the CPP, except for the alleged bombings. But why use these incidents in 1989 to vilify the current administration? This is clearly very cheap propaganda," he added.

He also scored Gabriela, Kaparatan, Bayan Muna, Kabataan, National Union of Peoples' Lawyers and other front organizations of the CPP for doing nothing on the issues being raised against them, including the abuses committed by the communist rebels against the IPs.

Parlade cited as an example the resolution filed by the Makabayan bloc in April this year calling for an investigation into the Salugpungan schools which the AFP complied with and expressed willingness, to tell the truth.

"(In) April this year, the Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc also filed a resolution calling for an investigation on Salugpungan schools. The AFP obliged and went to all three scheduled community consultations in Davao Oriental, Surigao, and Bukidnon. The Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc never showed up and even denied being informed of the public consultation. Of course, the reason was that the truth will expose them," he added.

Inaction on missing students

He added that another example of CPP inaction on complaints raised against them and their allies in the case of the missing students who were reportedly recruited by communist rebel front organizations and afterward deployed to the NPA ranks.

"For several weeks now, many parents have been crying to Anakbayan, LFS (League of Filipino Students) and Kabataan for the return of their young children who have been recruited into the ranks of the CPP-NPA. The case of the missing Alicia Lucena and her recruited schoolmates – Lorevie Caalaman, Trishia Antoniano, Louvaine Espina, Ghemarie Labsan, Queenilyn Gorneo, and Lloyd Lopez – are documented cases of minor children exploited, brainwashed, and radicalized to serve the purpose of the armed struggle. There are 8,735 children, aged 13-16, recruited by Anakbayan and some eventually into the NPA, and they have managed to present only two in a press conference," Parlade added.

He added that Resolution No. 374 is also ironic for condemning the use of armed children in conflicts as Salugpungan schools continue to churn out child warriors.

"ALCADEV, TRIPFSS, CLANS, MISFI, etc are all CPP-fronts and learning centers that convert young children to be NPA child warriors. Some of them went to the UN in Geneva this month to bravely tell the story. Does Kamatayan (Makabayan) really think the people are that stupid not to decipher facts from propaganda?" he added.

Parlade also cited the case of NPA rebel Alexa Pacalda who only wanted to surrender and have a chance for a better life but can't due to the fact that her surrender will greatly damage the CPP-NPA.


TRAINING WITH COMMUNISTS. Alexandrea “Alexa” Pacalda (middle) is seen undergoing weapons training with the New People's Army, in this undated photo recovered from communist rebels in an encounter with military troops in Quezon Province. Pacalde, 24, surrendered to authorities in General Luna town, Quezon on Sept. 14. (Contributed photo)

"There is this case of Alexa (Alexandrea) Pacalda who wanted to surrender, so she will have a new lease at life. But the CPP-NPA won’t let her because she will surely damage the NPA. But how desperate can Karapatan and NUPL be? After being allowed to see the condition of the surrenderer, these fake human rights defenders, in bad faith, convinced Alexa to recant her statement with a video surreptitiously taken with Alexa now saying she was maltreated and was forced to sign documents," he added.

With this development, he said, how can these two organizations claim to be defenders of the vulnerable and oppressed sectors as they themselves tricked Alexa into recanting her statement, opening to charges as mandated by the law.

"Now Alexa faces numerous non-bailable charges and the CPP cries foul about government harassment. NUPL and Karapatan are happy the girl obliged to their wishes but look who is suffering in jail?" Parlade said.

Glaring Reds duplicity

Despite putting Alexa into more trouble, he said CPP-NPA front organizations continue to profit from her misery by describing her a human rights worker even with pictures showing the minor handling firearms.

"Are these the kind of organizations who are sincere in achieving justice and peace in the land? Now they claim Alexa is a human rights defender, too? What with all those pictures of Alexa doing training and maneuver with NPAs, with her AK47? What with all those pieces of evidence captured from her?" he added.

Parlade said these progressive organizations continue to peddle lies in the international fora to destroy the image of the country.

"How can they lie in our face about the exploitation of our IPs when the IP-victims of their atrocities are themselves out there in the open, risking their lives to tell the world the truth? How can they talk of abuse of these people, when these IPs, former rebels like Asenad Bago, are the very people talking of how they were trained as NPA at the age of 5, raped, and molested by the CPP-NPA in their Salugpungan schools? What about the plight of Datu Nestor Apas and Datu James Binayao?" he said.

The communists, he said, have grown callous and insensitive through the years hence, their skillful use of propaganda.

"How is this CPP propaganda happening at all? We will tell you why. 50 years of duplicity and lying have made them too callous to even think about whether more lies will matter or not," he said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1081600

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