Bayan Muna: Activist’s arrest is ‘harassment’ vs opposition, based on trumped-up charges

MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Bayan Muna has claimed that the arrest of a progressive leader in Panay Island is only meant to harass the opposition, adding that the arrest order is based on trumped-up charges.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate on Tuesday denounced the arrest of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary-general Elmer Forro, saying that this is just a ploy of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as the election season nears.

“Gamit na gamit na ang modus na ito ng kapulisan at ng NTF-ELCAC para pilayan ang oposisyon lalo pa ang kanilang mga hinuhuli at hinaharas ay nasa gitna ng kampanya para sa darating na eleksyon para maipanalo ang Leni-Kiko tandem at mga progresibo,” Zarate said.

(This modus operandi has been used over and over again by the police and NTF-ELCAC to impede the opposition, especially as the people they are arresting and harassing are involved in the campaign for the upcoming election to push for the Leni-Kiko tandem and other progressives.)

Forro’s arrest was mentioned in a press statement issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in time for the 53rd anniversary of the communist armed group New People’s Army (NPA), saying that operations against the group would continue.

This was used as an example of the police’s implementation of the operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and NPA.

However, the statement from the PNP claimed that Forro was part of Bayan Muna, and not Bayan. While both groups belong to the Makabayan coalition, they are different organizations.

“Forro is the subject of Warrants of Arrest issued by Hon. Gemalyn Faunillo-Tarol, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 76 of Janiuay, Iloilo in Criminal Case No. 21-0908 for Attempted Murder and Criminal Case No. 21-0909 for the crime of Murder with no bail recommended,” PNP said in a statement issued earlier.

READ: On NPA’s 53rd anniversary, PNP vows continuous anti-terrorism ops vs rebels

Zarate vowed to bring Forro’s case to the courts, claiming that the activist leader who allegedly had standing arrest orders for murder was only helping COVID-19 response efforts.

“Nagsampa na din sa Comelec ang aming mga kasamahan sa electioneering at redtagging na ginagawa ng mga opisyal ng Duterte admin lalo na ng NTF-ELCAC. Base sa mga report ay abala sa Covid response efforts si Elmer habang nangyayari ang sinasabi ng pulis na aksyon daw ng NPA, pero sinampahan pa din sya ng kaso,” Zarate said.

(Our colleagues have filed complaints before the Comelec regarding electioneering and the red-tagging being done by Duterte administration officials, especially the NTF-ELCAC.  Based on reports, Elmer was busy with the Covid response efforts while the NPA action being pointed to by cops happened, but he was still charged for this case.)

“Malinaw na harassment ang ginagawa ng kapulisan at marapat itong kondenahin at imbestigahan,” he added.

(It is a clear case of harassment by the police and it is only proper that this is investigated and condemned.)

Bayan and Bayan Muna, along with other left-leaning groups, have been accused of helping or financing the armed insurgency being waged by the NPA.  However, the groups in the past have maintained that they are not part of the communist movement, as they are only being red-tagged or linked to NPA.

Recently, groups have started to push back against red-tagging, filing complaints against government officials especially those from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

READ: Red-tagging: It’s like ‘living with a target on your head’

je