Delfin Lorenzana, Makabayan face off at House

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday defended in Congress the inclusion of several militant organizations among targets of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

Confronted by party-list lawmakers belonging to the Makabayan bloc during the hearing on the budget of the Department of National Defense, Lorenzana turned the tables and challenged them to condemn the terroristic acts of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

The DND chief stressed that only then will the government stop from tagging the left-leaning party-list groups as communist fronts.

“When (the NPA) burn down equipment, you remain silent. How can we now dissociate you from this communist group?” Lorenzana asked.

“Condemn the CPP-NPA, stop these atrocities. Condemn yung armed struggle and we will also stop what we’re doing,” he said.

Lorenzana made the challenge after Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate slammed the Armed Forced for red-tagging their groups. Aside from the Bayan Muna, the party-list groups Gabriela, Kabataan, and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) have been linked by the government to the CPP-NPA.

“These statements are very dangerous, Mr. Chair, because when we go to our constituents in the regions, because authorities have been spreading rumors that the Bayan Muna and Makabayan bloc are terrorists, we are vulnerable even if we are members of this House,” Zarate said in Filipino.

While the government’s move seeking to classify communist rebels as terrorists is still pending before a local court, Zarate challenged Lorenzana to present evidence to support defense and security officials’ claims that members of the Makabayan bloc have been stirring up trouble in anti-government rallies.

“When are you going to stop this? We are responsible members of this House. Have you seen us cause any trouble?” Zarate argued.

In response, Lorenzana clarified that it was the exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison who first identified the left-leaning groups as the front organizations and “backbone” of the CPP-NPA.

He also revealed that his agency has evidence that the Makabayan groups are being used by the CPP-NPA to strengthen their ranks.

Members of the Makabayan bloc did not respond to Lorenzana’s claims during the hearing, which was cut short as DND officials were invited to a luncheon with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.