NUPL questioning of gov’t anti-Covid 19 measures odd

MANILA – Southern Luzon Command chief, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., finds it odd for the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) to have time to set up a bulletin to dispute ongoing government efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and yet remains quiet on reported Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPPNPA) during a unilateral ceasefire.

“In the enforcement of Enhanced Community Quarantine for Covid-19, the NUPL issued their own Bulletin for Common Q & A regarding the government clampdown to totally control the spread of the virus,” he said in a statement to Philippine News Agency Friday.

The move is a great one propaganda-wise for the NUPL as it will help them justify their existence and funding from abroad, Parlade said.

“Great propaganda effort there for NUPL, at least to justify your existence and funding from foreign organizations as a member of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) whose Chair Emeritus is (Communist Party of the Philippines chair) Jose Maria “Joma” Sison. As a legal front organization of the CPP they can’t help but cite the 1987 Constitution as a reference,” he added.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

“(While) the underground members amongst them, the members of the “Lupon ng Manananggal ng Bayan (Lumaban)” cannot because they swore before the CPP Constitution. In fact, they refuse to respect its provisions, even as they raise the constitutionality of many government policies. That’s the classic duplicity of these stooges of Sison,” he said.

And to illustrate the group’s classic revolutionary dual tactics, he said this legal organization will continue to be silent on many issues especially on the ones dealing with the NPA atrocities and abuses.

“Today, March 20, the NPAs in Surigao hacked to death a farmer identified as Zaldy Ibañez, 52, in Purok 7, Sitio Inadan. The rebels also killed Datu Bernandino Montenegro Astudillo, 73, tribal chieftain of Magroyong,” Parlade said.

He also asked Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate, human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares and NUPL president Edre Olalia whether they are willing to add this question to their bulletin.

“Q - Is it a crime for the NPA to murder civilians and IP tribal leaders, especially during SOMO when the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is focused on assisting our countrymen to fight and survive this Covid-19?” he asked. “And whether the NUPL and justification for these are “Q13” for the NUPL bulletin.”