By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA
MANILA — A coalition of anti-communist organizations on Wednesday staged a “pro-democracy” rally in Manila to denounce the atrocities as well as the “failed” rebellion waged by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as the leftist movement celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Mario Ludades, a native of Cordillera and spokesperson of the No To Communist Terrorist Groups Coalition (NTCC), said thousands of Filipinos have already suffered and perished in the name of the communist struggle.
“Imbis sa landas ng pambansang demokrasyang tagumpay, libu-libong Pilipino ang nagbuwis ng buhay sa ngalan ng digmaang bayan(Instead of leading the Filipinos toward the path of a democratic victory, thousands died for the revolution they waged),” he said.
“Itong rally ay para maiparating natin sa karamihan… na sa halip mag-pasko maiparinig itong masamang ginagawa ng NPA (This rally is to let everyone know the cruel acts of the NPA),” he added, citing the Reds’ continuous collection of revolutionary taxes in rural areas and the inhumane purge against suspected informants within their ranks.
More than a hundred rallyists joined the picket, most of them coming from the nearby cities, and a few from the countryside like the Cordillera, chanting in unison “the CPP-NPA are terrorists.”
Ludades claimed that the CPP uses legal fronts to advance its ideology into the youth and other marginalized sectors.
“Bukod sa kabataan, patuloy din ang panloloko sa mga miyembro ng urban poor, maralitang magsasaka, manggagawa at iba’t ibangmarginalized sectors (Aside from the youth, they also continuously deceive members of the urban poor, peasants, laborers and various members of the marginalized sectors),” he said.
Meanwhile, Nolan Tiongco of the Liga Independencia Filipinas, another anti-communist organization, said the CPP existed for five decades and has yet to deliver its promise of social justice for the Filipinos.
“Fifty years na silang nag-e-exist wala naman silang naabot. ‘Yong sinasabi nilang social justice mas marami yung mga napahamak at namatay (They’ve been existing for 50 years and yet they haven’t achieved anything. There were even more deaths in the pursuit of social justice that they are claiming),” he said in an interview.
“Siyempre dapat may due process lilitisin kung talagang nagtaksil sa kanila. Kahit sabihin nating ganoon, sa pag-e-exist ng CPP-NPA-NDF [National Democratic Front] wala namang naging kabutihan na dulot (A due process should’ve been followed if they suspect betrayal from within. Even so, there isn’t any benefit in their existence),” he added.
Tiongco was referring to the victims of the so-called purging where suspected spies, whether indigenous people, youth, peasants, were not spared.
“Ang tingin namin, ang totoong terorista ay sila (What we think of them is that they are the true terrorists),” Tiongco said.
Tiongco and Ludades said they were both involved in the communist movement in the past but decided to quit because of injustices they have witnessed.
