Ex-rebel solon mulls bill tagging CPP-NPA a terror group

A party-list representative in the House of Representative who was once a hardcore member of the communist rebel group is contemplating on filing a bill in Congress seeking the labeling of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as a terrorist organization.

Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy Rep. Pastor Alcover bared his plan as he addressed more than 2,000 farmers, students, village officials and local chief executives in Siaton and Sta. Catalina towns in Negros Oriental province Saturday during an indignation rally against the “ills of communism.”

Noting that the CPP-NPA has already been tagged as a foreign terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, Alcover said there is no reason for it not to be labeled the same by the Philippine government.

Alcover, also a noted journalist in Cebu, reiterated his challenge to members of party-list groups in Congress, whom, he said, espouses the communist ideology, to renounce the CPP-NPA if indeed they are not members of the rebel organization.

He said at least nine party-list groups, including Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Kabataan and Gabriela, espouses communism.

He then cautioned the public against electing party-list congressmen who are eyeing higher positions in government. Alcover identified these lawmakers as Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna, Liza Masa of Gabriela, and Riza Hontiveros, whom said are planning to run for the Senate in the polls next year.

Alcover said during his almost 10 years as a hardcore follower of the communist movement, he and other members of the rebel group considered Mao Tse Tung as their “God,” and that they were told to kill the “enemy” to preserve themselves.

But when he was in the mountains of Samar, he said he found out the real purpose and objective of the movement, which is to wage a protracted war by “using” the farmers.

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental Rep. Pryde Henry Teves said he supports Alcover’s plan and will actively campaign against party-list groups or organizations that use violence to promote their cause.

Teves said if the CPP-NPA is internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, they should not be given a chance to participate in the country’s democracy.

He said party-list groups who are allied with the CPP-NPA must first renounce their membership in the rebel organization before being allowed to be a member of Congress because if not, they will just be utilizing government resources to destroy the government itself.

Teves moreover said party-list lawmakers tagged by Alcover as members of the communist organization do not deserve the title of “honorable gentlemen or ladies” of Congress. –PNA