MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirant Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday called presidential hopeful and Vice President Leni Robredo’s stand on the government’s anti-communist taskforce “ideal,” even saying that its components geared towards development in rural areas “good.”
It can be recalled that Robredo said that she supports the mandate and functions of the National Taskforce to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), backpedalling her stance as she once called for its abolition.
“Palagay ko ang gustong sabihin ni VP dito is kung siya ay mauupo sa puwesto, kukuhanin niya ‘yung mga magagandang components nung programa, at tatanggalin ‘yung mga nakakasamang components,” Trillanes, who is running under Robredo’s senatorial slate, said over radio DZXL. “So, hindi ba iyon ang ideal na gagawin?”
(I think what VP’s trying to say is, if she wins the presidency, she will retain the good components of the program, and remove the bad components. Isn’t that the ideal thing to do?)
Robredo’s stance had been put under a firestorm of criticism from different groups. NTF-Elcac officials, however, said they were grateful for Robredo’s remarks.
Trillanes also pointed out that while NTF-Elcac has good components, its “witch-hunting” and “red-tagging” destroyed the taskforce’s reputation.
“Nasira ang reputation nitong NTF-Elcac dahil sa iilang personalities doon na nag-subject sa witch-hunting, red-tagging, ito ‘yung kinatakutan ng mga mamamayan,” Trillanes added, pointing out that there were times that even those who are not communists were being subjected to arrests and even killed.
(The reputation of NTF-Elcac was destroyed due to some of its personalities resorting to witch-hunting and red-tagging, which sowed fear among the people.)
The former senator also took a jab at President Rodrigo Duterte, whom he said to have fostered close ties with the communists, only to respond with “extreme” measures once their relationship soured.
“Maraming mga commander, na pag-upo ni Duterte, pinakawalan niya. At ito din ulit yung mga pumapatay sa sundalo, tapos nagpapanggap siya na gusto niya ngayong ubusin. Eh teka, pinalakas mo eh, binigyan mo ng tatlong Cabinet secretaries yung CPP-NPA nung naupo siya, kaya nakapagpasok ng madaming cadre sa hanay ng gobyerno,” Trillanes claimed.
(Duterte released many communist commanders during his term, and these commanders killed soldiers, then now he pretends that he wants them wiped out. But wait, you strengthened them, you even gave them three Cabinet positions for CPP-NPA members, that’s why so many cadres entered the government.)
“Tapos ngayong noong nagkahiwalayan na sila, ito naman ngayon, extreme naman ang ginawa, itong NTF Elcac na, while merong development component which is good, pero itong witch hunting and red-tagging component, ‘yan ‘yung nakasira,” he went on.
(Then now that they have parted ways, he has resorted to extreme measures, this NTF-Elcac, while it has a development component which is good, this witch hunting and red-tagging component, this destroyed their reputation.)
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