AMID RED-TAGGING PROBE

Parents' groups vs. alleged NPA recruitment protest in front of Senate

At least two parents' groups protested against alleged communist recruitment in front of the Senate building in Pasay City on Tuesday amid an ongoing inquiry into the alleged red-tagging perpetrated by the military.

Members of the League of Parents of the Philippines and the Liga Independencia Pilipinas in the picket line claimed that student activists in the country were being recruited to take up arms under the New People's Army.

Meanwhile, members of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, for their part, denied ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines during the hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security.

Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago refuted claims that her group recruits NPA members.

"Hindi ako NPA. Hindi ako NPA 'recruiter.' Hindi po bahagi o 'front' ng CPP ang Kabataan Party-list. Hindi NPA Recruiter ang Kabataan Party-list. Hindi rin ito nagre-recruit para maging NPA," she said.

"Kung meron pong ilang naging NPA mula sa daan-daang libong naging miyembro ng Kabataan Party-list, sobrang illogical pong sabihin na nagre-recruit na ang organisasyon namin ng NPA," she added.

Instead of red-tagging, Elago said the government should focus on solving the root causes of why some Filipinos resort to taking up arms.

"Mas mabuting pag-usapan natin at tugunan ang mga ugat at dahilan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay mayroon tayong mga kababayan na nag-armas at lumalaban, kagaya ng karanasan sa MNLF, MILF at iba pang nagsusulong ng liberation movement sa bansa. Kailangan po nating pag-usapan at tugunan ang kanilang mga hinaing," she said.

The Senate probe into the red-tagging issue has an end view of crafting proper guidelines that will "prevent misunderstanding between the public and the military" and ensure the protection of the Constitutional rights of the people. —KG, GMA News