Joma Sison denies linking orgs as legal fronts of CPP, says military ‘spliced’ his video

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on Wednesday strongly denied that he had identified some progressive groups as legal fronts of the CPP.

In a television interview, Sison accused the military of "splicing" the video to make it appear that he red-tagged some groups including Gabriela, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, League of Filipino Students and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers.

"I spoke in Belgium, in Brussels in 1988 and the Philippine military was able to get hold of the video. They spliced the video to make it appear that I said that the legal democratic organizations are fronts in the sense that they are façades. I never used that kind of language," Sison told ANC.

"As a matter of fact, I differentiated the legal forces of the national democratic movement from the armed revolutionary movement. It's stupid of the military to splice this. I used to call them military morons but I call them idiots," Sison added.

The military has since denied the red-tagging accusations against them, insisting that it was Sison who had named these alleged legal fronts.

GMA News Online has reached out to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for comment on Sison's latest remarks but has yet to reply as of posting time.

'Liars'

In the same interview, the Netherlands-based communist leader also branded National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. as liars, adding that the Philippine military was supposedly the reason for the bankruptcy of the government.

"Parlade and the other military psywar experts up to the level of Esperon are all liars. You know they get a lot of public money. As a matter of fact this military overspending is a major cause of the bankruptcy of the Philippine government," Sison said.

He said government forces are utilizing the money for fake surrenders, witnesses, encounters and projects. Sison added that the military is engaged in extortion activities by "intimidating" the public.

Sison also denied the allegation of confessed former communist rebel Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz that he is benefiting from the alleged extortion activities of the movement. He noted that he has been dependent on the assistance of his relatives and friends.

"I don't have to depend on funds that belong to the revolutionary government," Sison said. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News