Makabayan bloc files election complaint vs. Lorenzana, AFP generals

Members of the progressive Makabayan Bloc on Wednesday filed a complaint against defense officials before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for allegedly engaging in partisan political activity despite being prohibited by law.

In a nine-page complaint, all seven members of the coalition, along with senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares, accused Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and several generals personnel of coercion, threats, intimidation and terrorism, and use of public funds for election campaign.

Also named in the complaint were Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Brig. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, AFP Civil Relations Service Commander Maj. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin, and other officials.

GMA News Online has reached out to Lorenzana and the AFP for comment but has yet to receive a comment as of posting time.

The complaint stemmed from the e-poster published on the official Facebook page of the AFP Civil Relations Service which branded the Makabayan Bloc as the "legal front" of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army.

The bloc is supposedly part of the revolutionary movement's tactic to exploit Congress.

The e-poster also seems to urge the public "not to return" representatives of the member-parties of the Makabayan Bloc in Congress in the May 13 elections.

The Makabayan Bloc said the posting of the e-poster violates Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits any public officer to coerce, intimidate any subordinate to aid, vote or campaign for or any candidate in the elections.

The said provision also disallows the use of public funds for any election campaign or any partisan political activity.

"By labeling the Makabayan party-lists as 'CPP-NPA-NDF House fronts' and telling the public to 'Junk CPP-NPA-NDF House fronts,' the Respondents, who are military officials, employees of the government, and heads of the military—an institution constitutionally- mandated to be non-partisan—are campaigning against the candidates of the Makabayan Coalition," the Makabayan Bloc's complaint read.

At the same time, the said poster hinders the campaign activities of the Makabayan Bloc, the complaint read, and also threatens the safety of their campaign personnel.

"It seeks to cripple and thus sabotage the campaign and election of the Makabayan in the Lower House and the Senate with the dirty and dangerous tactic of red-baiting," it added.

The Makabayan Bloc is calling on the Comelec to conduct an investigation into the incident and file the appropriate charges against the respondent defense officials. —NB, GMA News