A Facebook page falsely claimed that certain partylists running in the 2022 election support the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), even though none of the partylists have publicly declared support for the latter.
It also alleged that the CPP-NPA-NDF supports several senatorial candidates, mostly members of presidential bet Leni Robredo’s senatorial slate. The CPP-NPA-NDF did not endorse any candidate for this year’s election.
Facebook page “DSWD 4ps Update” posted the false claim on May 9, discouraging people from voting the following partylists due to alleged links to the communist party: Gabriela Women’s Partylist, ACT Partylist, Kabataan Partylist, Pamilyang Magsasaka Partylist, Magsasaka Partylist, Bayan Muna Partylist, Akbayan Partylist, Damayan Partylist, and Anakpawis Partylist. Five of these are part of the Makabayan bloc
As for the senators mentioned, the list included: Neri Colmenares, Leila de Lima, Chel Diokno, Chiz Escudero, Luke Espiritu, Richard Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Elmer Labog, and Antonio Trillanes.
The post reads:
WE STRONGLY SUPPORTS ANTI-TERROR LAW. Please Say No To COMMUNIST-TERRORIST-GROUPS (CTGs) like CPP-NPA-NDF or The COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES (CPP), NEW PEOPLES ARMY (NPA), AND THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT (NDF).
LET US SAVE OUR CHILDRENS FROM DECEPTIONS AND FROM THE RECRUITMENTS OF THE CPP-NPA-NDF TO MAKE OUR CHILDRENS AS THEIR CHILD WARRIORS.
Request conduct discreet texblast to our men in uniformed (sic) for the following Makabayan blocks (sic) or CPP-NPA-NDF allied organizations...
The Anti-Terror Law refers to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 which grants the police and the military sweeping powers to tackle security threats and to identify any person or entity involved in ‘terrorist acts’ as ‘terrorists.’ The Anti-Terrorism Council designated the CPP-NPA-NDF as terrorist groups on Jan. 26.
All partylists are duly registered by the Commission on Elections. This means that they abide by the provisions in RA 7941 or the Party-List System Act, one of which disqualifies any organization that “advocates violence or unlawful means to seek its goal.”
Excluding Makabayan bloc senate bets Colmenares and Labog and Partido Lakas ng Masa’s senatorial candidate Espiritu, all candidates mentioned in the claim are part of the Robredo-Pangilinan senatorial slate. On Mar. 17, Robredo denied that her camp is working with the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Trillanes, who was mentioned in the post, also belied allegations that Robredo’s team is linked with the communist party in a tweet on Mar. 13.
The post has garnered 175 reactions and 39 shares. The message was reposted by several Facebook and Twitter accounts. Others posted screenshots of the claim sent as messages in Messenger personal message and group chats. (AB)