Army denies hand in tarpaulins ‘red-tagging’ militant group leaders

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Did you see the tarpaulins bearing the names of leaders of militant groups tagged as New People’s Army (NPA) allies?

These are not the handiwork of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, the military unit said.

In a statement, the 3rd ID denied any involvement in the tarpaulins displayed in several parts of Iloilo City.

Written on the tarpaulins were, “mga myembro sang terorista nga CPP-NPA nga kwalipikado sa program nga E-CLIP.”

E-CLIP or Enhanced Comprehensive and Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) is a government program that aims to help the rebel members of CPP-NPA-NDF and Militia ng Bayan to restore their allegiance to the Philippine government.

Through this program, they can be reintegrated back to the community, be with their families, and start over with their new, normal lives.

The tarpaulins also bore the names of Lean Porquia; Bryan Bosque of BAYAN-Muna Panay; Teofisto Melliza and Jobert Pahilga of the National Union of People’s Lawyers; Lucy Francisco and Irish Inoceto of Gabriela – Panay; John Ian Alenciaga of Altermidya-Panay; and Maura Abellon of KADAMAY – Panay.

The personalities in the tarpaulin accused the military of red-tagging once more.

Major Cenon Pancito III, 3rd ID spokesperson, said that it is malicious for “John Allenciaga and Bryan Bosque to easily conclude without presenting evidence that it was the Army’s doing.”

“I challenge them that if indeed they are fully convinced that it was the Army who did it, they should file appropriate complaint on appropriate offices,” he said.

Pancito said it is quite ironic for these individuals, who have been crying not to malign their names without proof, to easily point fingers at the military without any basis.

“Such attitude contradicts what they are trying to project to the people,” he said.

The 3rd ID spokesman also stressed the personalities’ hypocrisy in calling out opinions of people who may have a different view from them.

“They are known personalities to have been shouting at the top of their voices on different issues but cannot take a simple tarpaulin expressing a dissenting opinion,” he said.

Pancito added that “we in the Army is also confused on the red tagging issue so much that we don’t know its definition. But if red tagging means the association of some groups to the communist party of the Philippines new people’s army, then they should blame the brains behind the CPP NPA who divulged his grand design that in order for him to advance the armed revolution is the need to build alliances which for him are Bayan, Gabriela, LFS, Anakbayan etc.”

Pancito said if these people are threatened by being associated with the CPP NPA, logic dictates that they should sue Jose Maria Sison.

“We believe on such scheme because it came from no less than the author himself. Who are we to argue?” Pancito said.

Earlier, several individuals who were tagged as NPA allies claimed that the Regional Task Force-to End Local Communist Armed Conflict VI (RTF-ELCAC-6) is behind the said scheme.

Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City has already ordered the removal of such tarpaulins.

Treñas dubbed such move as a “scare tactic” for those individuals named in the tarpaulin.

He added that it should not be tolerated in a democratic kind of government.