Duterte tirade vs. Makabayan a diversionary tactic, says Zarate

The House Makabayan Bloc on Tuesday maintained that they are not communist rebels out to destabilize the government, and accused President Rodrigo Duterte of resorting to diversionary tactic to mask his administration's alleged inefficiencies.

The progressive lawmakers made the remark after Duterte stated in a televised briefing Monday night that the Makabayan Bloc, Bayan and Gabriela are front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its negotiating arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, as well as its armed wing, the New People's Army.

"Muli, pinabubulaanan namin, sa Makabayan Bloc and personally, na kami ay front ng Communist Party of the Philippines, ng NPA, at ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines," said Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate in a press conference.

"Kami ay mga lehitimong, mga rehistradong mga party-list groups na lumalahok sa parliamentary arena at ngayon nga ay nakaupo kami hanggang ngayon sa 18th Congress." 

By directly linking the progressive groups to CPP-NPA-NDFP  and accusing them of having a hand in a plot to oust the government, Duterte gave weight to the claim of the military.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is very correct. You are being identified as the members of the communist para alam namin. ‘Yon ang totoo, hindi red-tagging,” Duterte had said.

Diversionary tactic

Zarate saidthe President's tirade was meant to divert attention from the incompetence of his administration to address the problems of the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent calamities.

"Itong lahat ay sa tingin namin ay pagtatakip lamang sa incompetence at sa malubhang problema pa rin sa ating bayan ngayon at pilit kaming pinipilayan to silence us especially in our active role bilang mga mambabatas sa loob ng Kongreso. Yan ay aming matinding kinukundena," he said.

At the same time, Zarate said he believes the continued red-tagging and terrorist-tagging of progressive lawmakers like him even without basis is a way to disqualify them in the 2022 elections or remove them from their positions in Congress.

"Ang pinakamasahol nito ay magkaroon ng designation sa amin bilang mga terorista dahil pilit kaming dinidikit doon sa terorismo at gagamitin nilang kasangkapan, they will weaponize itong masahol na terror law," he said.

Zarate admitted that he is an activist and that he is an officer of Bayan Muna party-list. But pushing for the similar advocacies of the underground movement does not necessarily make them members of the said group, he said.

"Kung sasabihin nila, e bakit pareho kayo ng advocacy ng underground movement? Is that a crime?" he said.

"Kung sabihin nila na nananawagan sila ng land reform, agrarian reform at kami ay nananawagan din, ipso facto, kami ay mga komunista na rin, kami ay miyembro na agad ng Communist Party of the Philippines?" he added.

'King of red-taggers'

For her part, ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro said Duterte's remark against them only showed that he is the "king of red-taggers."

"Siya yung talagang nagpapalakas ng loob dito sa militar, sa PNP at iba pang sektor ng national security forces para doon sa ginagawa nila ngayon na patuloy na red-tagging sa Makabayan Bloc, sa Bayan, sa mga progressive organizations," she said.

"Itong mga statements ni President Duterte, hindi namin ididignify ito pero dahil sa mga walang basehan, parang lasing na nagsasalita na kung anu-ano lang ang pinagsasabi na walang basehan," she added.

Meanwhile, Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago dismissed Duterte's statements as "trying too hard" to tarnish their reputation as lawmakers.

"They are trying too hard to intimidate the youth, to discredit our work attention away from legitimate issues and concerns represented by young people and students amid the pandemic and the onslaught of strong typhoons and flooding," she said.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite has earlier denied that there is a grand conspiracy to remove Duterte from his seat.

"This grand conspiracy exists only in the President's head. Walang ganun, sir. But we cannot deny that there is great dissatisfaction among the people especially after their perceived sluggish efforts to assist the typhoon victims, the prolonged lockdown and continuing pandemic, the high unemployment rate and bad economy," Gaite said.

"Ito ang patong-patong na usapin na dapat hinaharap ng Pangulo, na kung hinaharap niya sana ay hindi na siya nag-aalala sa tatag ng kanyang pamumuno," he added. --KBK, GMA News