COLONEL Eduardo del Rosario, chief of the Army's 1003rd Infantry Brigade, challenged militant leader Joel Virador to file electioneering charges against him.

This developed after he implicated progressive groups as part of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP/NDF) led by Jose Maria Sison.

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In Thursday's press conference, del Rosario said his information drive against progressive groups is not electioneering as he is just telling the truth.

Virador said their legal team will take charge of del Rosario's active campaign against progressive parties.

"On the local level, we will resist against his fascist attack. His hate campaign towards progressive parties and individuals will result to physical elimination whom Ed (del Rosario) and his amo (President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) are doing under Oplan Bantay Laya," Virador said.

Del Rosario said it was no less than Sison who divulged in one of his interviews in The Hague 10 years ago that militant groups like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), are part of the revolutionary group's struggle in the Philippines.

In the video clip showing Sison, the CPP-NDF chair named Bayan, Gabriela, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, among others, as part of their "legal struggle" to grab power.

Del Rosario said they got a copy of the video, which he said is authentic. This, del Rosario said, clearly shows that militant organizations now vying for the party-list election are part of the CPP-NDF with the New People's Army as its armed component.

But Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo said Sison's video clip presented by the military was "distorted."

"That's old hat, a discredited distortion of a speech of Joma in 1987 that the AFP and NSA Norberto Gonzales have used since 2002. Joma cited Bayan, KMU and KMP as part of the broad legal democratic mass movement, not the underground revolutionary movement. Gastadong linya na yan," Ocampo said.

Del Rosario said the video clip speaks for itself with no less than the chair of the communist group in the Philippines admitting the involvement of the so-called progressive groups in the revolutionary struggle.

"Now kung mag-file sila ng charges against us for telling the truth, we will present no less than Jose Maria Sison as our witness. Sya mismo nagsabi nun eh. Dapat kasuhan din nila si Joma," del Rosario said.

The colonel said the video clip was made ten years ago and from then on, several progressive groups have already surfaced. He said there are about nine party-list groups he identified to be affiliated with the CPP-NDF-NPA. These are Gabriela, Anakpawis, ACT, Courage, Kabataan Pinoy, Katribu, Anak Bata, Bayan and Migrante.

Del Rosario said it is high time for the CPP-NDF-NPA's grand master plan to grab power to be exposed especially so that the May 2010 is fast approaching.

"Thru the power of the ballot we can do something because each ballot counts to bring them down," del Rosario said.

He said for the 2010 elections, as per directive from Sison himself, the CPP-NDF will focus on their electoral struggle "with the primacy of the armed struggle complemented by the legal struggle in seizing state power."

Del Rosario said the launching of the Makabayan political party led by Bayan Muna Representative and senatoriable Satur Ocampo is one move of the CPP-NDF in achieving their plans for the 2010 elections.

The military said Makabayan will coalesce forces with existing political parties while strengthening its party-list groups for more seats to increase influence in law-making to fast track its strategic goals.

They will be also endorsing a presidential candidate and field three senatorial candidates next year.

"Gabriela plans to get 1.2 million votes for three seats in the House of Representatives while Lisa Masa will be their senatorial candidate. Bayan Muna will meanwhile launch campaign of Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino for senator and will assist in forming the campaign machineries for ACT and Courage. The nine affiliated party-list will also be fielded by the CPP-NDF-NPA," del Rosario said.

If left unexposed, del Rosario said there is a possibility that the communist group will be having 27 seats in the House of Representatives and three-member in the Senate by July 2010.

Ocampo and Virador did not give any reaction on the matter when sought by Sun.Star Davao Thursday. (BOT)