The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) released on Thursday (May 13) a list of individuals who are considered terrorists, among then the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
ATC Resolution No. 17 classified 19 members of the CPP Central Committee as terrorists, including CPP-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) founder Jose Maria Sison and his wife Julieta Sison.
The list also includes NDF peace consultants Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Tiamzon, Rafael Baylosis, and Vicente Ladlad.
The ATC said it found “probable cause” for describing these individuals as terrorists.
“Based on verified and validated information, the ATC found probable cause, as defined in the ATA [Anti-Terrorism Act], warranting the designation of the [19] Central Committee members of CPP for violations of Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the ATA, for planning, preparing, facilitating, conspiring, and inciting the commission of terrorism and recruitment to and membership in a terrorist organization or a group organized for the purpose of engaging in terrorism.”
The resolution was signed on April 20 by Executive Secretary and ATC Chairperson Salvador Medialdea and ATC Vice Chairperson Hermogenes Esperon.
In a separate resolution, the ATC also tagged 10 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and the Dawlah Islamiyah as terrorists.
In a statement on May 12, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said, “On our part, we are just simply informing the public. This is what we would call now as ‘truth tagging’.”
Report from Kenneth Paciente/NGS-jlo
