Despite insisting that he’s not connected to CPP-NPA-NDF, former Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño believes that the members of the said rebel group were not bad people.
During the senate hearing on red-tagging, Casiño described NPA as Filipinos who only wanted to bring change to the country.
He suggested that instead of using arms against them, the government should just engage with them peacefully.
“Hindi ho masasamang tao ang mga ito. Sila po ay kapwa Pilipino na nagnanais ng pagbabago… Sa halip po na kundinahin sila at ang kanilang pakikibaka, hindi ba mas mabuti na pakitunguhan o i-engage natin sila para sa paglutas sa suliranin ng ating bayan… Kaya napaka-importante sa amin ang peace talks,” Casiño said.
“Bakit nga ba nagiging NPA ang ibang aktibista? Ito po ang simpleng sagot: Nasi nilang lunasan ang mga problema at hinaing ng ating mamamayan at marahil hindi na sila nasasapatan sa kayang ibigay ng ksalukuyang sistema,” he added.
But according to some self-proclaimed former members of NPA, the rebel group already resorted to extortion and destroying private properties.
“Ka Eric” claimed that NPA also victimized telecommunication companies by asking them money in exchange for an assurance that they’re not going to disrupt their telecom towers.
Casiño is one of the personalities who were accused of being connected to the rebel group.
Meanwhile, Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago also denied that she’s connected to NPA.
“Inuulit ko… Hindi ako NPA. Hindi ako NPA recruiter. Hindi po bahagi o front ng CPP ang Kabataan Partlist. Hindi NPA recruiter ang Kabataan Partylist. Hindi rin ito nagre-recruit para maging NPA,” Elago said.
“Kung mayroon pong ilang naging NPA mula sa daan-daang libongmiyembro ng Kabataan Partylist sobrang illogical na sabihing nagre-recruit ang orgganisasyon namin dahil malayang nakakapagdesisyon ang mga miyembro ng landas na kanilang tatahakin sa buhay,” she added.
The post Former Bayan Muna Congressman to lawmakers: “Hindi masamang tao ang mga NPA” appeared first on Daily BNC NEWS.
Source: Daily BNC News
