Political parties ‘infiltrated’ by communists: Duterte

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 22, 2022): Political parties ‘infiltrated’ by communists: Duterte (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (File photo)

The communist movement has been able to “infiltrate” various political parties led by a presidential aspirant, President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday.

Duterte made the revelation in his prerecorded Talk to the People aired Tuesday morning on PTV-4.

While he refused to name the presidential candidate, Duterte said the political parties working with communist terrorists come from the opposition.

“At this time, I am not ready to mention the names or name but mayroon tayong mga partido (we have parties) headed by someone running for the presidency and yet they are also playing into the hands of the communists mismo. I think they have been infiltrated,” Duterte said.

He warned the public to stay wary of the possible coalition between the communist and the opposition.

He gave the warning, as he admitted that he is “worried” over the alleged alliance of the opposition with the communist party.

“Inuudyok ko lahat na huwag kayong sumali diyan sa mga rebelde na kasabwat ‘yung mga miyembro ng mga political parties sa kabila (I am encouraging everyone not to join the rebels conniving with members of the political parties of the opposition),” he said.

In a taped interview with SMNI on March 12, Duterte said the government is monitoring several members of the opposition and communist rebels who might be colluding to disrupt the May 9, 2022 national and local elections.

Duterte, citing an intelligence report, bared the supposed “groupings” of the communist insurgents and opposition members who belong to “Yellow”, the color associated with the opposition Liberal Party.

In a virtual presser on Tuesday, Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte will ensure a “clean, honest, and credible elections.”

Andanar’s statement came after Duterte’s ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) formally endorsed the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170406