Esperon: Gov't monitoring Makabayan bloc for acts vs. nat'l security

The government is monitoring members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representative due to suspected inimical acts against national security, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said on Tuesday.

Esperon, however, denied that the leftist party-list groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Kabataan were under surveillance as disclosed by National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr.

“I am confirming that we are monitoring them because we are very sure that many of their acts are inimical to national security and national well-being. Nararapat lang na i-monitor natin sila,” Esperon said in a live briefing.

The lawmakers have cried foul over Parlade's statement they were under surveillance along with Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares.

In an ANC interview on Monday, Parlade said Colmenares and the Makabayan bloc were under surveillance for being "card-bearing" members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

However, Esperon, the NTF-ELCAC vice-chairman, denied that they were conducting technical surveillance as this required a court order.

“Pagka pumunta tayo sa salitang surveillance ay maaring sumunod ‘yan kung mailagay na natin sa lugar ‘yung ating Implementing Rules and Regulations tungkol sa Anti-Terrorism Act at kami po ay pupunta doon, dahil kailangan munang i-proscribe ‘yung kanilang organisasyon na CPP-NPA,” Esperon said.

“Upang tayo ay mabigyan ng authority ng court to conduct surveillance on them. In other words, hindi kami nag su-surveillance ng automatic… Puwede kaming mag surveillance ng manual, ‘yung tao namin, dahil part ‘yung ng monitoring. Pero kung technical surveillance, ‘yun po ay may pahintulot dapat ng Regional Trial Court,” he added.

Red-tagging

Esperon denied that security officials attended the Senate inquiry on Tuesday to red-tag individuals.

This was in response to a letter released by the Makabayan bloc saying that the Senate should not be a venue to spur further "red-tagging" remarks.

“We can only say that we did not go to the Senate to red-tag anybody. As explained in our briefings, we do not have to red-tag them. Because all along, the people who have been red-tagging them are Joma Sison, himself, and themselves, and their actions,” Esperon said.

Members of the bloc earlier skipped a Senate committee's hearing on the alleged red-tagging being perpetrated by the military.

Among those who attended the hearing were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, Armed Forces chief General Gilbert Gapay, Parlade, Esperon, and Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy.

'No news'

Esperon criticized members of the Makabayan bloc for skipping the hearing.

“Eh, lagi niyo sinasabi na fake news kami. Eh, kayo, hindi lang kayo fake news, no news pa kayo. No show pala. Eh, anong mas mahirap? ‘Yung no show o ‘yung talagang gustong magpakita doon,” Esperon said in a briefing.

During the hearing, the bloc was represented by Atty. Maneeka Sarza as its legal counsel. She said the lawmakers were conducting relief missions for the victims of Super Typhoon Rolly.

However, Esperon said he was taking their statement as a “natural denial of things that are contrary to reality.”

“Ay dahil sa pag hindi niyo pag punta kanina ay nagkakaroon ako ng hinala na kaunti na lang gusto niyo na aminin kung sino talaga kayo. Kung hindi niyo maamin, okay lang sa amin,” he said.

Colmenares, the chairman of Bayan Muna, sent a letter reply to the invitation of the Senate committee on national defense stating that he would not make it to the hearing as he was "out with his family in view of the Undas."

He did not mention any specific location.

Esperon said Colmenares was seen in Quezon City.

"May nagpadala ng picture sa akin, nasa Quezon City sir. Nandito lang si Mr. Colmenares, nasa Quezon City. May nagmagandang loob na nagbigay ng picture sa akin," Esperon said. -with Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News