Leftist groups should stop lying about their membership in the local communist party and renounce the use of violence by the armed rebels, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque issued the challenge after defending President Duterte's decision to "expose the lies" of the front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).
According to Roque, mere membership to the communist party is not a crime but the front groups must still denounce the atrocities committed by the NPA fighters.
"First and foremost, let's be honest. Tigil na 'yan na nagsisinungaling sila na red-tagging eh Red naman talaga sila sabi ni Presidente. Totoo naman yan eh. Ang hinihingi lang natin (Stop lying about red-tagging. They are really Reds according to the President. That's the truth. What we're asking for) you can be a red without necessarily endorsing the use of arms," he said during a televised press conference.
"Since the time of Cory (Aquino), na-decriminalize na nga yung paging member ng CPP. Come out with it, admit 'Oo member kami ng CPP," he added.
Roque however asked why the front organizations were reluctant to renounce the NPA’s use of violence even as they already won in the party-list elections. He claimed the rebels were committing the crime of rebellion by "taking up arms against the government, killing civilians and soldiers."
"Magagaling sa parliamentary politics, na-eelect sila sa party list groups. Bakit hindi pa nila ni-rerenounce yung use of arms. 'Yun lang hinihingi. Habang hindi nila ni-renounce at habang sila nakikibahagi pa dito sa paggamit ng dahas at sandata laban sa Republika (They are good in parliamentary politics. They are always elected as party-list groups. So why not renounce the use of arms? That's what we're asking for. While they don't renounce this and they continue to be part of the use of arms against the Republic)," he said.
Asked if sedition charges will be filed against the front groups of the communist party, Roque said the government could not pursue such complaint since the subversion has already been decriminalized.
"I agree that na mere membership alone should not be criminal pero yun nga ho, hindi ko maintindihan nanalo na nga sa eleksyon bakit hindi pa renounce ang violence. Yun lang ang hinihingi ng presidente. Renounce it kasi hindi po tama na Pilipino pumapatay ng kapwa Pilipino (But what I don't understand is they already won in the elections so why not renounce violence. That's what the President is asking for. Renounce it because it is not right that a Filipino kills another Filipino)," he said.
The President earlier identified the Makabayan bloc as among legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in his televised address. Duterte, in his remarks Monday night, alleged that groups like Bayan and Gabriela were part of a "grand conspiracy" to bring down the government.