Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Ferdinand Gaite is confident that the House of Representatives under Speaker Lord Allan Velasco won't hold any inquiry on the alleged links between the Makabayan bloc and communist groups.
(Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdie Gaite Facebook / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gaite said Velasco’s “good judgement” will protect members of Congress against government agencies' red-tagging of Makabayan congressmen, who include nominees from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, and ACT Teachers.
“Clearly there is pressure on the House to join the communist witch hunt of the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Community Armed Conflict), but we believe Speaker Velasco will remain judicious and will not allow the House to be used as a venue for peddling baseless accusations against its members,” he explained.
The NTF-ELCAC has claimed that the Makabayan, which is composed of six solons, is affiliated with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). The Philippine government has branded the CPP-NPA as terrorists.
It was late October when Velasco called out NTF-ELCAC spokesman, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., for his "careless accusations" against the militant solons. He also challenged Parlade to produce proof, which Parlade did when he revealed details of his claim in a series of columns in another broadsheet newspaper. President Duterte himself stressed that he and Parlade are not red-tagging the Makabayan bloc, but are in fact identifying them as communist front organizations.
“General Parlade should be more circumspect and cautious in issuing statements against House members whose lives he may place at great risk and danger sans strong evidence...I hope he will refrain from issuing unrestrained statements that also carry serious repercussions,” said Velasco.
The Marinduque lawmaker added that as Speaker, he is duty-bound to protect his colleagues from potential harm so that they may carry their legal and constitutional mandate as members of Congress.
The Senate hosted earlier this month a hearing on red-tagging, which was attended by representatives of NTF-ELCAC and leftist lawmakers and ex-lawmakers. The hearing came on the heels of a November 28 encounter in Surigao del Sur wherein Bayan Muna Rep. Eufemia Cullamat’s youngest daughter, Jevilyn, died fighting on the side of the NPA.
Jevilyn, 22, was allegedly an NPA medic. Makabayan members have argued that this doesn't substantiate the NTF-ELCAC's claims against them and that joining the NPA was Jevilyn's personal decision.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said in a December 1 press briefing that Velasco was among the colleagues who "expressed support" for them in the aftermath of Jevilyn's killing.
Meanwhile, Kabataan Party-List Rep. Sarah Elago said there is no basis for a House inquiry on the red-tagging of Makabayan bloc since the NTF-ELCAC's main aim is to oust them from the legislature.
The Makabayan is part of the Minority bloc in the 300-member House.