The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), through Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, has again claimed without proof that Vice President Leni Robredo conspired with communist groups, this time to target the youth sector.
Badoy, in a press statement posted on the task force’s Facebook page on May 22, pinned the reelection of progressive group Kabataan Partylist in the May polls on Robredo.
Badoy, who is one of NTF-ELCAC’s spokespersons, said:
We attribute these votes to the treachery of Leni Robredo who colluded with the CPP NPA NDF who have co-opted Robredo followers in the Youth Sector and are now being radicalized and targeted for recruitment into this communist terrorist organization.
Badoy has consistently red-tagged Robredo and the Makabayan bloc which includes the Kabataan Partylist.
Robredo has denied any allegiance to any communist group and belied claims that Communist Party of the Philippines founder Joma Sison is her adviser.
Sison has also refuted claims that he was advising the vice president.
Similar claims by Badoy and other government officials have been fact-checked by FactRakers.
Badoy is facing administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for red-tagging Robredo supporters, volunteers and other progressive groups.
In 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation declaring the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, as a terrorist organization under Republic Act No. 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act.
The Anti-Terrorism Council classified CPP-NPA-NDF as a terrorist organization under the ATC Resolution Nos. 12 and 21 in 2021.
As of writing, the statement posted on NTF-ELCAC’s official Facebook page garnered over 7,500 reactions, 1,100 comments and 2,600 shares. (JV)