COA urged to audit funds of leftist Makabayan Bloc, too

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 23, 2021): COA urged to audit funds of leftist Makabayan Bloc, too (By Marita Moaje)

Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, former CPP-NPA cadre (Screengrab)

A former cadre of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has challenged the Commission on Audit (COA) to audit the funds received from the national government by the House of Representatives’ Makabayan Bloc.

Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, in SMNI program "Laban Kasama ang Bayan" on Aug. 20, said Makabayan party-list groups receive millions yearly from the government but they are used to advance the programs of the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front).

“We are challenging, and calling, and appealing to the Commission on Audit. Make a very credible and incisive audit kung saan napunta ang pondo ng mamamayan at ng taong bayan na nilulustay at inaabuso ng CPP-NPA-NDF gamit ang kanilang Kamatayan Bloc na mga partylist (on where the funds of the people are being spent on by the Death Bloc and being used by the CPP-NPA-NDF),” Celiz said.

He issued the call amid the COA report on alleged deficiencies on the budget of the Department of Health and other government agencies.

The Makabayan Bloc, composed of Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, and ACT Teachers party-list groups, is receiving a budget of not less than PHP70 million every year from the national government.

“Ibig nating ipaabot sa COA na kung mayron kayong dapat i-audit ngayon, at kung mayron kayong dapat busisiin sa pag abuso sa pondo, walang iba kundi itong Kamatayan Bloc ng CPP-NPA-NDF na gumagamit ng pondo, bilyon bilyon, in the last 20 years (We would like to call on COA, if there are funds that you should look into, this is no other than those of the Kamatayan Bloc of the CPP-NPA-NDF, which have spent billions of government funds for the last 20 years),” 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.

The NDF has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and separate part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Chair Greco Belgica also supported Celiz' call.

“Especially may mga allegation na their funds are being used to fund terrorist activities or mga NPA, dapat po talagang ma-audit ng COA ‘yan para maging official 'yung audit report at masampahan ng ka-ukulang kaso kung sino man ang may sala (there are allegations that their funds are being used to fund terrorist activities and the NPA. They should be audited by COA for it to be official and so that proper charges may be filed),” Belgica said in the same forum.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1151348