The chairman of the Senate national defense committee on Wednesday that he would agree with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) that there is communist infiltration within the ranks in the Senate employee’s union ‘’but not totally.’’
(Joseph Vidal / Senate PRIB / FILE PHOTO)
Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, committee chairman, was reacting to a NICA director-general Alex Monteagudo's Facabook post which accuses the Senate employees’ union of being the ‘’eyes and ears’’ of the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) in the chamber.
Monteagudo said the Sandigagan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon (SENADO) is affiliated with Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) which is also being tagged as a communist terrorist front.
Lacson said not all the members of the Senate employees' union are the "eyes and ears" of COURAGE.
He, however, said he knows of communist infiltration within the ranks of SENADO.
‘’As chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts, I have had on many occasions taken the cudgels for them in terms of the Senate employees' benefits and additional allowances, always listening to their plight and concerns in spite of my knowledge of the infiltration within their ranks,’’ he pointed out.
‘’I don't think the Senate leadership should take action, drastic or otherwise. As long as their grievances are legitimate, reasonable and properly brought to our attention, we will listen and take the necessary and appropriate action,’’ he added.