Bayan Muna: Duterte ‘endangering’ lives with his ‘red-baiting’
The “red-baiting” being made by President Rodrigo Duterte “gravely endangers” the lives and safety of members of progressive groups and their leaders, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate warned on Tuesday.
“This red-baiting unjustly and dangerously blurs the distinction between legal personalities critical of government policies and armed members of the rebel movement, making progressives and activists vulnerable to attacks and harm,” Zarate said in a statement.
The opposition lawmaker was reacting to the President’s statement saying he supports the arrest of former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and 16 others on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.
READ: Satur Ocampo, 17 others post bail on child abuse case
The Chief Executive also accused Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s Party of being “fronts” of the communist party.
“Satur Ocampo is fronting Bayan (Muna), Bayan is a front of the Communist Party of the Philippines bakit pa tayo magdrama,” he said in an interview in Malacañang, Monday.
“Alam natin na KMU (Kilusang Mayo Uno), ‘yan Gabriela they are all communists fronts or being used by the communists alam niyo lahat ‘yan,” he added.
READ: Duterte backs arrest of Satur Ocampo, et al.; tags Bayan Muna as NPA-front
Zarate said past administrations had also attempted to vilify Bayan Muna and Bayan as alleged fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army but when challenged to prove this in court, he said, “no credible evidence has ever been presented.”
“It was true then, it is still true now. Thus, we will hold the Duterte administration fully responsible when attacks are made against our members because of this highly irresponsible statements, ” the progressive solon said.
Being a legal party-list organization duly elected to the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna has a proven track record of “serving the interest of the poor and marginalized,” according to Zarate.
“From stopping unjustified power rate hikes, to abolishing DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) and the pork barrel system, to pushing for a national minimum wage and ending endo and the TRAIN law, Bayan Muna has been at the forefront of these issues for the betterment of the Filipino people,” the human rights lawyer turned solon said. /muf
