Labor group assails ‘fake’ NPA surrenderees, red-tagging

A militant labor group on Wednesday questioned the legitimacy of the surrender ceremony held by the police for 30 supposed New People’s Army (NPA) members at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

In a statement, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) expressed doubts over police claims that the surrenderees came from the “labor sector.”

The alleged members of the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), recited the oath of allegiance during the presentation of surrenderees on Tuesday.

“This is a total fraud! How did a worker spending 8 hours and more for almost a full week in production become a NPA?,” KMU chairperson Elmer Labog said.

Citing the information received by KMU, Labog said the surrenderees were “intimidated and harrassed” by the police using its own watchlist so they would “report and clear” their names.

He alleged that those who surrendered to the police were “deceived” to be given security and protection by authorities.

Labog added the police is only using the “fake” surrenderee program to profit from the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Livelihood Integration Program or E-CLIP.

E-CLIP allows former rebels to avail of benefits such as livelihood, medical, education, housing, and even legal help.

The labor group disputed the police’s claim that the surrenderees were NPA members by asserting this was like the case of the previous surrenderees who were actually unionists at Coca-Cola in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Musahamat Farm in Compostela Valley.

Labog said these acts of the police are meant to impinge on workers’ rights to voice out their concerns on their welfare.