Sever ties with Reds, Left told

Former military chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has challenged Rep. Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna party-list and other left-leaning politicians to be transparent on their ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines and denounce the attacks perpetrated by the New People’s Army.

Esperon, outgoing director-general of the Presidential Management Staff, said Ocampo should not cheat the voting public by pretending to uphold the democratic institutions of the country while “continuing to gain power through the barrel of a gun of the NPA.”

Ocampo over the weekend questioned the motive of Esperon in seeking a congressional seat in Pangasinan’s 6th district, asking voters to reject him and many other former military officers now running for elective positions.

“Why is he depriving me of my right to seek public office? This only shows Ocampo and his colleagues do not really have faith in our democracy. They have already received so much space, and they actually owe this to former generals,” Esperon said.

Esperon cited the repeal of the anti-subversion law which was made possible by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, a former general, during the time of former president Fidel Ramos, who is also a former general.

“Satur should first condemn the attacks being done by the NPA, and the mass graves in Leyte, and the extrajudicial killings being committed by communist rebels before he starts questioning my motive for running and wanting to serve our people,” Esperon said.

Ocampo, who is running for senator, said Esperon and other retired military officials “have a different mind-set as opposed to civilian officials who are consultative.”

Apart from Esperon, other retired generals running in the local elections in Pangasinan are former police director Leopoldo Bataoil for the second congressional district, and former Admiral Virgilio Marcelo for mayor of San Manuel town. –Joyce Pangco Pañares, Manila Standard Today