Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy claimed, without proof, that communist groups brought the supporters that flocked to the campaign rally of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo.
In a Facebook post on March 9, Badoy said:
Ang CPP NPA NDF ang nagdala ng hakot sa Leni Kiko rally pero ang pinagbintangan ng marami ay ang team ng VP (It was the CPP-NPA-NDF who brought troops of supporters in the Leni-Kiko rally but it was the VP team that was blamed).
In her post, Badoy also said the statement of the University of the Philippines condemning the killing of alumnus Chad Booc, a volunteer teacher in the Save Our Schools Network, came “straight out” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA) and National Democratic Front (NDF).
The PCOO undersecretary did not substantiate her claim that the “hakot” at Robredo’s rally was the handiwork of the communist movement.
Robredo’s camp has denied allegations that CPP-NPA-NDF members were present in their campaign rally.
In a statement published March 6, the Robredo People’s Council (RPC)–Cavite said the estimated 47,000 attendees in Robredo’s campaign rally in Gen.Trias on March 4 were all organic volunteers from different sectors. It also condemned the allegations that the youth and student supporters were leftist and sympathizers of NDF as irresponsible and dangerous.
The baseless red-tagging of Robredo’s Cavite supporters was first made by Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla over DZRH Radio on March 6.
Remulla, who has promised a huge win for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Cavite, said the students who attended the rally in his province were trained by NDF. “Ang CPP NPA NDF at pink magkakampi na (The CPP NPA NDF and pink are now a team),” he said, but offered no proof.
Pink is Robredo's campaign color.
Robredo said during the Kandidatalks Go Negosyo Forum on March 7 that the red-tagging and paid-attendance allegations were an insult to Caviteños.
Meanwhile, senatorial bet Antonio Trillanes said the support of former high-ranking police and military officials belies the insinuations that Robredo’s candidacy is backed by communist rebels. He also said Robredo and her whole party will not allow communist infiltration.
Last year, the Anti-Terrorism Council tagged the CPP-NPA-NDF as terrorist organizations under ATC Resolution Nos. 12 and 21.
Badoy’s post garnered more than 2,000 reactions and has been shared 456 times as of March 10. (KC)