NICA gov't watchdog vs. nat’l security threats: group

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 10, 2021): NICA gov't watchdog vs. nat’l security threats: group (By Lade Jean Kabagani)

A multi-sectoral organization Peace for Development (P4D) said the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) is the "primary watchdog" of the government to identify threats involving national security.

"To serve as the focal point for the government’s counterintelligence activities and operation. Its mission is to take the lead in directing, coordinating, and integrating all government activities involving national intelligence," said Denpaul Toledo, P4D secretary-general, citing NICA's six-fold mandate.

In exposing the truth behind the labor group Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)'s connection with communist terrorist groups, Toledo said NICA Director-General Alex Paul Monteagudo is just compliant with his mandate and mission to protect national security.

"The COURAGE as a legal front of the CPP-NPA-NDF whose primary goal is to infiltrate and radicalize the views of government employees to discredit and destroy our democratic institutions from within the bureaucracy," he said in a statement Saturday.

Toledo lauded NICA for remaining firm in its mandate to secure the countries versus national threats.

"Despite the protestations of COURAGE, the Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon (SENADO) and some Senators, NICA has gathered credible information of individuals who were able to infiltrate the government agencies," he said.

Joma's 'red-tagging'

Toledo said Communist Party of Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria "Joma" Sison himself has publicly admitted that BAYAN and COURAGE are legal fronts and allied organizations of the CPP and its armed wing, New People's Army (NPA).

He further linked the connection of COURAGE to the CPP-NPA.

"The former head of COURAGE, Ferdinand Gaite is a Bayan Muna representative. The Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP) even cut its ties with COURAGE because the group is espousing the agenda related to the CPP NPA NDF," he said.

Toledo said the "Senate must understand that the threat of communist revolution is not confined in the mountains or far-flung areas."

"The tactics these violent criminals employ have evolved and are more sophisticated and sinister and their main objective is to ultimately destroy our democratic processes and replace it with a communist form of government," he added.

The passage of the Anti-Terrorism law, he said, will somehow halt the atrocities and violence of the communist rebels.

"It has been decided through the passing of the anti-terrorism law that the eradication of these violent groups is of the utmost importance to the security of our people and yet it is being undermined by petty condemnations of red-tagging," he added.

Not scrutiny

The warning made by NICA, he said, should not be interpreted as scrutiny against the government legislative body.

"The actions of NICA are not to vilify or condemn the legislative branch but to protect the institution itself, the Senators, and its employees," he added. "The Senate should be discerning and must give our enforcement agencies the ultimate trust and confidence to carry out their mandate to serve our country."

Toledo called on the legislators to be part of the solution to end the local insurgency.

"We stand by NICA and Director-General Monteagudo in our fight to end the communist insurgency once and for all! We call on our Legislators to work closely with our enforcement agencies to ensure the success of ending the communist threat once and for all," he 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.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1136368