Ping denies ‘red-tagging’
Remulla alleged that some of the students who joined the crowd looked like activists and were ‘trained by the NDF’
Following the controversial allegations of a solon that some political candidates are associating themselves with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson denied that he is red-tagging candidates.
The senator stressed that he was simply warning those concerned to be wary of a possible coalition with the CPP-NPA-NDF ahead of the 2022 national and local elections.
“I never red-tagged anybody, I was simply warning those concerned to be wary of a possible coalition government with a movement whose sole objective is to seize power,” Ping said on Twitter on Monday. “Insurgency, like corruption must end if we want peace and prosperity.”
This comes after Ping over the weekend expressed concern that a coalition government will “set back the gains of the government’s efforts to end the country’s decades-old insurgency problem.”
The senator did not provide further details but the tweet was accompanied with a link for a news item quoting Representative Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla who accused attendees of Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign sortie in General Trias, Cavite of receiving P500 each.
Remulla also alleged that some of the students who joined the crowd looked like activists and were “trained by the NDF”.
“This is worrisome. A coalition government with the CPP/NPA/ NDF will set back the gains of the government’s efforts to end the country’s decades-old insurgency problem,” Ping’s tweet reads.
Leni’s supporters, on the other hand, denied claims that they were paid to attend Leni’s grand rally.
The Robredo People’s Council (RPC)-Cavite — the organizers of the event — denounced the allegations of Remulla, which they described as “destructive, irresponsible and baseless.”
“First of all, no one was brought and received P500 in exchange of attending the rally. Caviteños joined the rally due to their overwhelming desire for change,” RPC said. “This is pure ‘volunteerism’ — without asking for payment or anything in exchange but only hope for upright, effective and transparent governance.”
“This allegation is minimizing the ability Caviteños to pick the right leader,” the group added.
Meantime, Leni is hoping that sexist political culture in which women leaders are belittled would end soon and that there would come a time when Filipino voters would no longer reject women running for public office just because of their gender.
“We are working to achieve a world where we no longer have to defend ourselves and we no longer have to present proof that we are strong and capable,” she told her supporters who gathered at the Leni-Kiko volunteer center in Quezon City.
“We are hoping that there will come a time that people will no longer say that they won’t vote for women or that they won’t give a task to women,” she added.