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Albayalde dares ACT to dissociate from ‘communist terrorists’


Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday called on members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers to dissociate themselves from the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army.

Albayalde issued the statement hours after he denied issuing an order for police operatives to gather information among public school teachers who are members of the ACT.

The PNP chief also presented an old video posted on YouTube in 2009. It showed CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison talking about the strategies of the CPP, NPA and the National Democratic Front and enumerating its allied organizations.

"As I've said, I did not specifically order gathering of information on ACT members. But I will be extremely surprised if our intelligence community has not done so on ACT and other front organisations of the Communist Party of the Philippines identified by Jose Ma. Sison," Albayalde said.

"It is the duty of the state to protect its citizens and its interests against the enemies of the state and its allies or front organisations enumerated by Jose Ma. Sison," he added.

In the video, Sison identified ACT as among the "legal democratic forces in the Philippines."

There was no mention of "front organizations" as Sison distinguished the legal organizations from the "forces of armed revolution."

"It is true that a minority class, especially the only party which represents it, cannot win the Philippine revolution all by itself," Sison said.

"At any rate, even while there are forces of armed revolution, there are the legal democratic forces in the Philippines," it added.

Sison in the dated video mentioned the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, GABRIELA, League of Filipino Students, Kadena and ACT.

"Now that Sison himself has identified ACT as a front organization of the CPP/NPA/NDF, the burden is now upon members of ACT to dissociate themselves from this terrorist organization and denounce its infiltration, manipulation, and use of the ranks of Filipino educators," Albayalde said.

Albayalde said intelligence gathering would "allow the state to distinguish genuine progressives from unrepentant communist  terrorists out to overthrow a duly elected government through violent means."

He also attributed to the communists acts of extortion, arson and looting of businesses. 

Intel officers relieved

Albayalde on Monday said he had ordered the relief of intelligence officers who allegedly leaked information on the supposed profiling of members of the ACT.

He said that the three relieved intelligence officers came from Manila City's Station 3, Quezon City's Station 6 and Zambales.

"I already ordered for all the intelligence officers to be relieved. Initially pina-relieve muna namin 'yung mga intel officers na 'to na nagleak pending investigation," Albayalde said.

"Kung ganong intel officer, hindi dapat nagli-leak 'yung trabaho mo, if really may utos na ganon. You have to do your job discreetly," he added.

DepEd recalls letter

The Department of Education (DepEd) has recalled the letter issued by one of its schools division office reiterating a purported memorandum from the PNP on the "profiling" of teachers who are members of ACT.

The DepEd said in a statement that it received communication from ACT regarding the matter.

"Based on available information, it is noted that the DepEd Central Office has not received any such request from the PNP," DepEd said.

"It is confirmed though that a letter addressed to school heads was issued by one SDO (schools division office) through an Acting Division Superintendent, forwarding a purported Memorandum from a PNP unit," it added.

The Education department said that based on its initial investigation, no other DepEd local unit has released a similar notice. —NB, GMA News

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