Makabayan bloc lawmakers on Tuesday maintained that they are pushing for legitimate concerns and interests of the people and that claims that they are part of the armed communist movement are "lies."

Bayan Muna Party-List Representatives Carlos Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat and Ferdinand Gaite; Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas; ACT Teachers' Partylist Rep. France Castro;  and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago stood by the Makabayan coalition's long-standing "track-record" in advancing the needs and interest of the public such as the lack of jobs and livelihood and "inhumane" conditions for workers, abuse of women, children and other concerns of the indigent sectors.

"Simula nang pumasok ang Makabayan sa Kongreso, pinaglaban at pinagwagi nito ang mga konkretong tagumpay na nagpabuti sa buhay ng milyong mga Pilipino gaya ng pagtaas ng sahod, pensyon, at benepisyo, libreng edukasyon, at mas mababang singil sa tubig at kuryente, at iba pa. 

(Since the Makabayan bloc entered Congress, we have fought and succeeded in pushing for concrete reforms that improved the lives of millions of Filipinos like the increase in wages, pension, and benefits, as well as free education and lower charges for water and power consumption)," they said in a joint statement read by their legal counsel Maneeka Asistol Sarza during the Senate hearing on the supposed red-tagging of celebrities and progressive groups by defense and military officials.

"Naninindigan kami na hindi mayuyurakan ng anumang bintang at kasinungalingan ang kredibilidad ng Makabayan. Hindi kailanman mapapawi ng anumang red-tagging ang track record ng mga militanteng organisasyon ng mamamayan (We maintain that claims and lies against will not destroy the credibility of the Makabayan. Any red-tagging attempts cannot set aside the track record of militant organizations)," they added.

The lawmakers called on the Senate not to allow the chamber to be used for "red-tagging" and "terrorist-tagging" by government officials.

"Hindi dapat magamit ang Senado sa paninirang puri na sa kabuuan ay nagsasapanganib sa buhay at kaligtasan ng mga lider at miyembro ng mga progresibong organisasyon (The Senate should not be used in any attempts to slander leaders and members of progressive organizations that could put their live and safety in danger)," they added.

The Makabayan bloc were not able to attend the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation's oversight inquiry on the red-tagging activities of military officials.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, committee chairman, said the panel made "extraordinary efforts" to invite their counterparts to the hearing to no avail.

Former Bayan Muna congressman Neri Colmenares also begged off from attending the hearing, telling Lacson that military officials will only use such public forums "to red tag us further even if they have no evidence".

Colmenares requested for another hearing when he can attend without the presence of military officials.

"Sa kalagitnaan ng pagragasa ng krisis pangkalusugan at sa ekonomiya dulot ng pamdemiya ng COVID-19, sinalanta pa ng super bagyong Rolly ang Rehiyon ng Bikol at marami pang rehiyon sa bansa. Nararapat na ituon nating lahat ang atensyon sa pagtugon sa mga kagyat na pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayang biktima ng pandemya at kalamidad, hindi sa pulitikal na pananakot at pagpapalaganap ng kasinungalingan," the Makabayan bloc said.

During the hearing, national security and intelligence officials stood firm on their claim that the Makabayan bloc lawmakers partylists were part of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New Peoples' Army (NPA) presenting spliced video clips of the lawmakers and CPP founder Joma Sison.

They also renewed the allegation that their groups were recruiting and "brainwashing" youths into joining the armed communist movement.

In opening the hearing, Lacson reminded officials that the CPP-NPA-NDF, while listed by foreign jurisdictions as a terrorist organization, is still not part of the UN Security Council's list of terror groups.

He also noted that the declaration of the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations is still pending before a Manila court.

Recently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently scrapped the kidnapping charges against Sison, Elago, Colmenares and others over the recruitment of a student by the progressive group Anakbayan in 2018.