Senator Legarda wrong about Leftist rebels:

WE have high regard for Sen. Loren Legarda, a champion of environmental

causes and cottage industries. But we cannot support her position on
Leftist rebels, which our columnist Rigoberto Tiglao described as naïve and
dangerous.

First, Senator Legarda is wrong about the aim of those insurgents. They do
not merely want "social justice," as she said during the Senate plenary.
Instead, the rebels want to supplant the democratically elected
government, even if that requires violence.

They are not interested in peace, but the senator and others claim the
rebels are. That was evident when they squandered many opportunities
offered by the previous Duterte administration. The former president did
more than his predecessors to accommodate former rebels in his Cabinet
and to compromise during peace talks with the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) and their
military wing, the New People's Army (NPA).

Second, Senator Legarda was not on point when she argued that harboring
Leftist ideologies does not make one a subversive. Of course, Filipinos are
free to believe in whatever political ideology that they want. It is not a crime
to be merely a communist. But taking up arms against the government
because of political or religious beliefs is unlawful. Lawmakers should know
the difference.

Clearly, the CPP, the NDF and the NPA are not harmless organizations
clinging on to some discredited ideology. They were declared as foreign
terrorist organizations long before the enactment of Republic Act 11479 or
the "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020," which Senator Legarda wants to review.

In 2002, the CPP and the NPA were added to the list of foreign terrorist
organizations by the United States, the European Union, Australia and New
Zealand. The United Kingdom reaffirmed that listing in 2020, when Canada
also identified those groups as terrorists.
The "terrorist" designation became official in the Philippines after the Anti-
Terrorism Act went into effect. Incidentally, that law was challenged in the
Supreme Court, which essentially upheld it, except the parts about Red-
tagging.

We concede that Red-tagging is wrong, even counter-productive in the

campaign for peace and order. As pointed out by others, including then-
Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra, it would be better to file cases in
court against alleged terrorists and their agents. Such charges are best
settled in courtrooms, rather than in the so-called court of public opinion.

Wrong portrayal

We also disagree with Senator Legarda's portrayal of Dr. Jose Rizal, whom
she likened to some Leftist rebels fighting for supposedly worthy causes.
But in fairness to the senator, she is not the first to make that false
comparison.

Dr. Rizal became a National Hero because he opposed a colonial power

that came to this country to exploit people and natural resources. The
natives who were already here had no say in the matter. And it should be
noted that Dr. Rizal used nonviolent means to fight for his cause, mainly
writing and lobbying.

In contrast, the CPP-NDF-NPA is an armed group, and it has been fighting

governments that were legitimately elected by Filipinos. Incidentally,
Senator Legarda's remarks sounded more insensitive as they were made
days after the anniversary of the Plaza Miranda bombing that killed nine
people and injured 95 others. That 1971 terrorist act was ordered by Jose
Ma. Sison, founder of the CPP, according to revelations made by Victor
Corpus. He was the military officer who defected to the rebels and became
an NPA commander. Later in life, Mr. Corpus became a rebel-returnee.

The Leftist rebels have been carrying out similar attacks for generations.
Just in 2021, college student Kieth Absalon and his uncle were the latest
victims of a landmine planted by the NPA. Note that landmines have been
banned under international humanitarian law since 1999, precisely because
they indiscriminately kill and maim. Senators should instead be demanding
justice for the Absalon family.
Of course, Senator Legarda has a right to her own opinion. As a person,
she means well. We still believe that. But as a senator of the Republic and
a military reservist to boot, she should see the real intent of any armed
group that disregards the rule of law.