Esperon backs Parlade amid red tagging issues, names groups 'controlled' by Reds

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Wednesday expressed support for Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy despite their alleged red tagging of personalities and opposition lawmakers.

At a Laging Handa press briefing, Esperon, vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, explained that Parlade was just claiming that some groups are operating as legal fronts of and being "controlled" by "underground" organizations.

These groups include the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), League of Filipino Students, Anakbayan, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, and the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.

"Hindi ko dedepensahan si General Parlade at saka si Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy kung hindi susuportahan... Ano bang sinasabi ni General Parlade? Na ang CPP-NPA ay mayroong mga underground organizations na mayroong legal na front," Esperon said.

He claimed that ACT is being controlled by the Kalipunan ng mga Gurong Makabayan or Kaguma, which he said is an underground organization of the National Teachers Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

In the labor sector, Esperon claimed that the Confederation of Migrant Patriotic Filipinos is being fronted by Migrante, while the Kabataang Makabayan is the underground organization controlling the LFS, Anakbayan, Kabataan party-list and College Editors Guild of the Philippines "na mga magaganda at legal na organisasyon."

He claimed groups Gabriela and Courage are respectively being controlled by Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan and Makabayang Kawaning Pilipino.

In the field of law, Esperon claimed that Lupon ng Manananggol controls the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.

"Hindi natin sinasabi na 'yung National Union of Peoples' Lawyers ay members ng Communist Party pero may mga miyembro sa kanila na nagcocontrol sa organisasyon na kasapi sa Communist Party of the Philippines," he added.

Esperon also mentioned the Makabayan Bloc, the progressive group at the House of Representatives, accusing its members of recruiting in order to strengthen underground organizations.

"'Yan ang sinasabi ni General Parlade, kayo ay front organizations at kasama na diyan ang bayan o Makabayan Bloc dahil nasa parliamentary struggle na nga sila ngunit ang kanilang trabaho talaga ay upang mapalakas ang ibang organization o 'yung underground organizations sa kanilang pagrerecruit ng mga kasapi," Esperon said.

Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas has been quoted in earlier reports as saying that allegations of her group's ties with communist organizations have yet to be proven in court. GMA News Online is still trying to get comments from the other groups mentioned.

Despite criticisms, Esperon even praised Parlade and Badoy for voicing the agenda of communist groups.

"Sinusuportahan ko at sinasabi ko rin dinadagdagan ko 'yung sinasabi nila kung di pa nila nasabi. Napakagaling ni Lorraine at saka ni General Parlade, nasasabi nila lahat," Esperon said.

"Ngayon lang kasi nangyayari na mayroon tayong spokespersons na ganito na nagsasabi ng totoo at kailangan talaga magising na ang buong bayan. Palalawigin ba natin itong 52 years ng CPP-NPA na ginugulo tayo o gusto na nating wakasan ito," he added.

Parlade was highly-criticized for warning actress Liza Soberano against supporting Gabriela Women's Party. He believed that Soberano was being exploited by the group.

On the other hand, members of the Makabayan Bloc have called for the immediate resignation of Badoy following her social media post in which she called the opposition lawmakers as "high-ranking" members of the CPP. -MDM, GMA News