Article by:
Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – A retired military officer who played a key role in the 1986 Edsa Revolution has echoed the concerns of Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson against a "coalition government" with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CCP).
Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Hector Tarrazona made the warning in a letter to 1Sambayan convenor and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, after seeing "known communists, whose ultimate goal is to overthrow the government" in the coalition.
"While I was very hopeful to see the coalition of different political groups, I was greatly disappointed to see known communists, whose ultimate goal is to overthrow the government, in the coalition," he said in his letter to Carpio dated March 19 and made public on Friday, referring to a Zoom webinar of the coalition which he attended.
Tarrazona, who persuaded the PAF's 15th Strike Wing to support the 1986 Edsa Revolution, said there is no place for communists in the coalition.
Tarrazona, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1968, refuted the claim of ex-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that he saw no communist in the campaign team of Vice President Leni Robredo. Trillanes is part of Robredo's senatorial slate.
In his letter, Tarrazona said the insurgency, which has gone on for at least 51 years, has killed up to 60,000 soldiers, insurgents and civilians.
"You may have pleased a few thousand communists but you will be losing the support of millions among the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel and their families, businessmen, farmers, and other Filipinos who have been victims of their terrorism, atrocities, and revolutionary taxation. I hope you would correct this big political blunder," he told Carpio.
Lacson earlier voiced concern that operatives of the CPP, New People's Army, and National Democratic Front may have infiltrated Robredo's campaign, citing information from ex-NPA cadre Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz that jibed with the information from his intelligence sources. (PNA)
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