THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has warned the public against President Rodrigo Duterte’s “false flag operations” following claims that the communist group was working on something to cause chaos during the May 2022 national elections.
“The tyrant Duterte has joined in chorus with Senator Panfilo Lacson in whipping up the bogey of ‘disruption during the elections’ and fabricating stories of ‘intelligence reports,’ ‘a communist plot’ and ‘alliance with the opposition,’” CPP spokesperson Marco Valbuena said in a statement.
“Their duet grates on the Filipino people's ears. Duterte is now singing a tune from the Marcos songbook. His statements echo warnings and scenario-building of Ferdinand Marcos made 50 years ago prior to the declaration of martial law in September 21, 1972,” he added.
Valbuena said Duterte is rushing to build such a scenario amid the “increasing political isolation of the ruling regime and growing mass movement against the Marcos-Duterte tandem.”
He was referring to the team-up of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the eldest daughter of the President.
Valbuena said the anti-Marcos-Duterte movement is developing around the election campaign of the opposition bets Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan.
“The Filipino people must stay alert and guard against Duterte's false flag operations. His vague words of the possibility of ‘one, two or three’ incidents may indicate plans to carry out some form of violent attacks (bombings or assassinations) which can then lay the blame on the CPP and NPA, and set the stage for mass arrests of members of patriotic and democratic mass organizations and opposition parties, or an open declaration of martial law,” he said.
He urged the public to continue to mount mass actions to protest against the Duterte regime, noting that plans to disrupt the elections through violent means “will most likely” be the handiwork of the President himself.
“Duterte is not a stranger to bloody tactics as evidenced by the drug war killings, the bombing of Marawi, the aerial bombing drive and cold-blooded murder of revolutionaries and activists,” said Valbuena.
In an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on Saturday, March 12, Duterte said he cannot promise a peaceful, safe and clean election amid alarming reports that the communist terrorist group is tying up with certain groups to hold violent attacks during the polls.
He particularly made mention of the “dilawans,” the term being used to refer to the opposition or the members and supporters of the Liberal Party of the Philippines.
Among the 10 presidential aspirants, Vice President Leni Robredo is a member of the Liberal Party but she is running as an independent candidate. Her vice presidential running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, is also a member of the opposition party.
Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson also warned Robredo last week over reports that her campaign activities are being infiltrated by members of the terrorist group.
Robredo denied these claims linking her to the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front of the Philippines. (SunStar Philippines)