Trillanes to Duterte: Kick out communist leaders in Cabinet

Senator Antonio Trillanes. AFP FILE PHOTO

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to “kick out communist leaders” in the Cabinet as the chief executive ordered the military to go after the New People’s Army (NPA).

“Now that President Duterte has ordered the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to go after the NPA, I am now calling on him to kick out the communist leaders in his cabinet,” Trillanes said, referring to Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo and Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano.

They were both appointed by Duterte upon the recommendation of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Last week, Duterte said that he is no longer interested in pursuing peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) following the NPA’s attack of a Presidential Security Group (PSG) convoy in Arakan, North Cotabato.

He said the AFP will “reorient” and target the NPA after defeating terrorists in Marawi City “because they owe us a lot.”

Citing military sources, Trillanes claimed that hundreds of CPP-NPA members are now working in different government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

“Because based on my AFP sources, hundreds of CPP-NPA cadres are now officially employed by the DSWD, DAR, DOLE, NAPC and HUDCC. Moreover, these communists are using the resources from these government offices to stockpile arms and ammunition, which they would use later on against our soldiers,” Trillanes said.