THE NONSENSE is back. While everyone’s attention is now fixed on “Le Affair Duterte,” the pseudo-communists in universities have once again made their presence felt. A lightning rally was recently staged at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, complete with placards declaring “Revolution not Elections,” in commemoration of the 56th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army.
These pseudo-communists appear emboldened by the strategic alliance between their congressional front — the Makabayan bloc — and the so-called Ayuda bloc.
Adding fuel to the fire is a Commission on Elections (Comelec) that seems partial to their favorite defense mechanism and victim card: “red tagging.”
And this is how that absurdity began. One day, while filming an episode of Ang Probinsyano, actor Coco Martin came across some red bananas for sale by the roadside. It was the first time in his life he had seen them.
He exclaimed, “Uy, red tagging!”
As is public knowledge, he speaks with a bit of a lisp, and — by some bizarre twist of fate — the banana vendor happened to be a closet supporter of the CPP-NPA-NDF. And so, the legend of “red tagging” was born.
“Red tagging” has since become a catch-all defense every time government security forces identify someone as a militant subversive plotting to overthrow the state through armed conflict. In other words, it’s their version of the “victim card.”
Ironically, the very people who invented the term “red tagging” are often the first to accuse others of doing it. What’s laughable is that being a communist in the Philippines isn’t even illegal — yet those who dread being called one are the loudest in announcing they’re being labeled as such.
Go to Plaza Miranda or Plaza Libertad and scream to the heavens that you’re a communist — no one will arrest you. People will probably just think you’re a bit unhinged.
The government isn’t “red tagging” anyone. It’s identifying individuals and groups who seek to topple the legitimate government through violence and armed struggle.
The CPP-NPA-NDF continues to operate through various front organizations — party-list groups, media and legal associations, student and labor groups, and coalitions of noisy, disruptive personalities.
Of course, these fronts would be ineffective if their true motives were exposed. Hence, the “red tagging” victim narrative.
Let’s be clear: poverty isn’t the root cause of insurgency. It’s the other way around — insurgency breeds poverty.
That’s why the remaining members of the Makabayan bloc in Congress, now emboldened by their alliance with the Ayuda bloc, are once again pushing for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The reason? NTF-ELCAC has dealt the CPP-NPA-NDF its most devastating blows to date. After 56 years of terrorizing the countryside, the NPA is now a shadow of its former self.
Focused military and police operations, combined with targeted socio-economic investments, have dismantled nearly all its guerrilla fronts.
NTF-ELCAC’s anti-terror grooming and radicalization program has severely disrupted the CPP-NPA-NDF’s recruitment efforts in schools and universities.
Its multi-pronged strategy — integrating precision military actions, legal crackdowns, and transformative socio-economic programs like the Barangay Development Program — has brought the insurgency to the brink of collapse.
That’s why Gabriela Women’s Partylist, clearly exploiting the current political environment, is desperately trying to drag NTF-ELCAC into the spotlight. Why? Because it’s beating them at their own game.
On another note, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was heavily influenced by leftist and progressive NGOs under the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. The clue is right there: “leftist and progressive NGOs.”
By the way, back in 2019, the Philippine National Police requested Interpol to issue a “red notice” against CPP-NPA-NDF figurehead Joma Sison. Unsurprisingly, the request was denied.
So, is “Le Affair Duterte” a result of the Makabayan bloc’s alliance with the Ayuda bloc? Your guess is as good as mine. But the pieces seem to fit, don’t they?/PN
