National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Ronald Cardema on Thursday denied red-tagging accusation, saying it was the former New People’s Army (NPA) members who claimed they were former members of legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA).
In an interview with ANC’s Early Edition, Cardema said a CPA-NPA leader, who surrendered to the government, revealed two weeks ago that he was a former Bayan Muna member while his wife was with Gabriela.
“After 23 years, he surrendered to government. Pinaliwanag talaga nya sa amin na sila talaga ay nagrerecruit gamit ang mga (He explained to us that they really recruit using) legal fronts,” said Cardema without naming the former CPP-NPA leader.
“Kaya hindi ito red-tagging kung ang mga sumusukong NPA na ang nagsasabi na sila'y miyembro dati ng Bayan Muna at mga legal fronts ngayon (So this is not red-tagging if those NPA members who surrendered have identified themselves as former members of Bayan Muna and its legal fronts)," he said.
Cardema also denied accusation that he is threatening the left-leaning personalities and groups in his Facebook post.
"We want peace and order in this country and we want everybody to enjoin us. Hindi naman po natin sinasabi na lahat papatayin. Ang sinasabi natin kung kailangang may makulong, ikukulong natin iyan (I did not say kill them all. What I mean is that if there is a need to incarcerate people, we should incarcerate them)," he explained.
Cardema said there is nothing wrong with dissenting and criticizing the President and his administration but it should not be through an armed struggle.
While he commends Bayan Muna for not being corrupt, Cardema questioned the group’s support to the CPP-NPA which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
"Ang mali lang po talaga sumusuporta kayo sa CPP-NPA (What is wrong is you're supporting CPP-NPA). We have proof. The government has proof," he said.
In the same interview, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate denied the accusations and said their organization is a legitimate party-list group.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1069327
"Red-tagging" = "truth-telling" pure and simple. The government and the Filipino people should no longer accept the lies and deception perpetrated by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front groups on Philippine society. It is time to call these groups what they are and end this anachronistic and hopeless communist insurgency that has gone on for more than 50 years and cost so many innocent lives.
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