Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Friday contradicted statement of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Ano that the city has declared members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as persona non grata.
“I never said this,” Belmonte told INQUIRER.net in a text message when asked if Quezon City issued such a declaration.
Año, in a statement, said that Quezon City is one of the nine Metro Manila local government units that passed a resolution declaring that CPP-NPA-NDF members are not welcome in their cities.
Other Metro Manila LGUs cited by the DILG are Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasig, Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, Caloocan and San Juan.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (file photo)
A total of 1,546 LGUs nationwide have declared members of the CPP-NPA-NDF as persona non grata, Ano said.
Belmonte, meanwhile, reiterated that Quezon City is an “inclusive city.”
“I make it clear every time that we are an inclusive city, where people are free to express their views, so long as we all follow the rule of law and behave ourselves accordingly.”
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
“Just spoke to Manny Borromeo our DILG local director, and he says nothing of this nature was said coming from the city level. He’s checking now with the DILG Central Office,” she added.