An official of the government’s anti-communist task force denounced on Monday, March 21, Vice President Leni Robredo, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero because of their supposed ties or sympathy to the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

In a string of posts on social media, Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson for sectoral concerns, blamed the government officials for the continued operations of the CPP-NPA despite the government’s efforts to eliminate communist insurgency.

Badoy wondered why Robredo, who is running for the presidency in the upcoming elections, could not publicly declare her opposition to the Left-leaning partylist organizations such as Kabataan, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and GABRIELA. The organizations were tagged by Badoy as “urban operatives” of the CPP-NPA, a claim rejected by the groups.

Last week, Badoy accused Robredo of conniving with the CPP-NPA after she alleged that the partylist organizations have expressed their support to the candidacy of Robredo in behalf of the CPP-NPA.

Badoy then challenged Robredo to publicly denounce the partylist groups and the CPP-NPA to prove that she is not conniving with them.

“It has been a week since the NTF-ELCAC has asked the Vice President to stand with us in our shared ground of love for country by publicly condemning the terrorist CPP NPA NDF – and to disprove what we’ve alleged: that she knowingly made concessions with the terrorist CPP-NPA NDF to earn their endorsement,” Badoy said.

“That she cannot do such a simple act is cause for concern,” she added.

The camp of Robredo dismissed Badoy’s allegations as they insisted that the burden of proof to substantiate the “baseless” accusation lies on the NTF-ELCAC exec’s shoulders.

Tarpaulins, doubts

Meanwhile, Badoy also accused the top local chief executive of Baguio City of supporting communist groups for banning tarpaulins which link youth activist groups to the CPP-NPA.

Mayor Magalong met with members of the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) last week to air their concern about their safety after campaign paraphernalia sprouted in the city which explicitly link them to the CPP-NPA. The CPA is composed of community organizations such as youth activists and sectoral federations in the Cordillera region.

Magalong then directed the Baguio City Police Office to remove tarpaulins and other campaign paraphernalia which red-tags activist groups as he reiterated his instruction that red-tagging in the city is strictly prohibited.

Badoy said Magalong’s orders were “in direct violation of our President ’s directive” to end the communist insurgency as she accused the group of being connected to the Kabataan Partylist and the CPP-NPA.

“The fight continues on so many levels – including with those we thought were pillars of the Task Force,” Badoy said.

Magalong has yet to issue a response to Badoy’s statements.

The NTF-ELCAC spokesperson also questioned Sorsogon Governor Escudero’s intention after the latter dismissed the allegations linking VP Robredo to the communist movement.

Escudero expressed doubts on the allegations of the NTF-ELCAC that Robredo has forged an alliance with the CPP-NPA, saying their claim was “far-fetched and incredulous.”

“We would like to know on what the good Senator bases his opinions,” Badoy said.

She then challenged Escudero to prove that he is not also sympathizing with the CPP-NPA by publicly condemning the communist group like Robredo.