The Legal Advocates and Defenders for Leni (Leni LEAD) asked Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy, spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), to take down Facebook posts red-tagging Vice President Leni Robredo or face legal actions.
The group called the posts, which alleged that Robredo is in coalition with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), National Democratic Front (NDF), and New People's Army (NPA) due to the endorsement she received from the leftist Makabayan bloc, "malicious" and questioned the sources and evidence of the accusations.
"Considering the foregoing, we demand that, within 24 hours from receipt of this letter, you immediately take down the posts entitled 'NTF-ELCAC Statement on Vice President Leni Robredo' and 'NTF ELCAC Response to Senator Chiz Escudero' in NTF ELCAC's Facebook page and website and cease and desist from posting statement(s) of similar nature, import, and purpose," the demand letter said.
"In the event you fail to do so within the said period, we shall be constrained to file all the appropriate criminal, civil and administrative actions against you," it added.
Makabayan bloc, composed of KABAG-KABATAAN, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, ACT, and Gabriela, backed the presidential bid of Robredo.
Badoy said this equates to an endorsement from the CPP-NDF-NPA despite the latter clarifying that it has not endorsed anyone's candidacy.
READ: Youth leaders, activists file complaints vs Badoy for red-tagging Robredo
The group reminded the controversial spokesperson, who once endorsed Robredo's vice-presidential bid, that her baseless accusations violate Section 4 of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct of Ethical Standards for Public Officials.
The law demands that public officials practice professionalism, justness and sincerity, and political neutrality in performing their duties.
"Your accusation, however, that Vice President Robredo struck a deal with CPP NPA NDF in consideration of their endorsement reeks of actual malice because you merely relied on inadmissible hearsay allegations, second-hand information, opinion, and speculation of so-called 'personal testimonies of former cadres,'" the letter said.
"Put differently, other than surmises and conjectures, you have absolutely no credible and competent evidence to shore up your patently false, malicious, and ludicrous accusation that Vice President Rodredo' knowingly made concessions with the terrorist CPP-NPA NDF to earn their endorsement'," it added.
READ: 'Vicious, high-handed, abusive of power': Group slams Badoy for red-tagging
This is not the first time that Badoy red-tagged Robredo and leftist groups. She was particularly miffed about the Vice President's criticisms of the controversial agency that accused even community pantry organizations of being in cahoots with communists.