Cozying Up To Left Not Speaker’s Job

Of all the things I hold in high regard, rules are not one of them. — House of Cards

Members of Congress wear coats of many colors and different shades.

And this is just fine with Ped Xing because this is the hallmark of a truly diverse, incIusive, and representative democracy.

The late, great British rocker Robert Palmer was right: “It takes every kind of people to make what life’s about/ Every kind of people to make the world go ’round.”

But draping yourself in ideological colors is also painting yourself into a political corner.

You just can’t wear a red star on your lapel and wave red banners while supposedly professing fidelity to the united colors of a rainbow coalition.

The President’s Die Hard Duterte Suporters did not like House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco aiding and abetting the Makabayan Bloc on the red-tagging issue despite the clear administration policy of ending the communist insurgency.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, organized by the President himself, , has identified the Makabayan Bloc at the House of Representatives as parrylist groups serving as communist front of the Communist Party, its political arm National Democratic Front, and its armed wing the New Peoples’ Army.

Youtube Banat Balita channel host-blogger Byron Cristobal of DDS said Velasco’s spirited defense of the congressional bloc is diametrically opposed to the position of the President.

“Kung talagang kay Pangulong Duterte ka sumunud ka sa kumpas ni Pangulong Dutert. Hindi naman sila mag aakusa nang walang ebidensya, sinasabi mong careless accusations ni (Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command chief and NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lt. Gen Antonio) Parlade, hindi sila careless, puno ng ebidensya… Yung Makabayan bloc meron ebidensya ang ating pamahalaan kaya wag ibahin ang usapan itigil ang pagtatanggol dyan” said Cristobal.

It may be recalled that Bayan Muna Rep Carlos Isagani Zarate and Act Tea(chers Partylist Rep. France Castro thanked Velasco profusely for his defense of their group against the alleged Red-tagging of Parlade, and the Makabayan Bloc itself has acknowledged that its members feel very safe by Velasco’s statements.

“Lubos naming pinasasalamatan si Speaker Velasco. Yung ginagawa nyang pagtatanggol sa kanyang kasamahan lalo na sya ay Speaker, ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng Speaker na ganto” Castro said.

In a statement, Velasco said he was affected by Parlade’s Antics.

“As Speaker of the House, I am duty-bound to protect them from potential harm due to these careless accusations” Velasco stated. reminding Parlade to be careful with the words that he is using against the House members.

“We may not agree with them on certain issues, but be mindful that these lawmakers are duly elected representatives of the people, and implicating them on issues that have yet to be substantiated Is uncalled for” Velasco added.

The DDS members said they were dismayed by Velasco’s gesture.

They said one cannot be a good House leader, a consensus builder if his statements do not align with or, worse, contradict the policies of the administration in ending the communist insurgency.

DDS also challenged Velasco to prove his avowed closeness and loyalty to the President.

It asked: How does Velasco reconcile his stance with Malacanang’s position that certain political organizations have ties to the communist movement?

The Palace on Tuesday said it cannot be denied that the CPP and the NPA have “legal fronts”.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Amnesty International urged the government to end the alleged practice of red-tagging and to publicly instruct government officials to refrain from harassing and intimidating activists.

Citing Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, Roque said military and police officials should refrain from tagging certain individuals as communists or terrorists without proper evidence.

Roque, however, explained that Lorenzana’s remark does not mean that the CPP-NPA does not have any legal fronts.

“The CPP-NPA really have a revolutionary armed struggle, that’s the NPA, and they have a political wing, and part of that political wing are alleged legal organizations because these don’t use arms,” he said.

He said it would be hypocrisy for the CPP-NPA to say they don’t have any.

“That cannot be denied. It is hypocrisy for the CPP-NPA to say that they don’t have what they call legal fronts,” he added.

In 2016 in his speech to the 1st Infantry Division in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, the Commander in Chief reportedly said some partylists have ties to the CPP and were funding the NPA.

A year later, the President signed a proclamation declaring the CPP and the NPA as terrorist organizations.

Anyone proven to be financing these groups would be held liable under the law, Roque said then.

“I quote the penultimate portion: ‘In this regard I hereby direct to publish the foregoing designation of the CPP-NPA and all other designated persons, organizations in accordance with Section 3 and 15 of RA 10168 and its implementing rules and regulations’,” he said.

Republic Act 10168 is Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, which has provisions on the financing of terrorist groups.

The proclamation of the CPP and NPA as terrorist groups is in accordance with the Human Security Act (RA 9372), Roque said.

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PSALM duns 2 deadbeat firms for P671M

Pay late but prepare to litigate.

If you borrow in huge numbers, make sure you keep your word – that is your commitment, your promise to pay on an agreed time/s or date/s – under pain of fines, penalties, and even lawsuits.

Two delinquent firms learned this lesson the hard, costly way.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. has sent out final letters of demand for payment to two firms with long overdue obligations of at least P671.16 million combined.

In the sent by PSALM president an chief executive officer Irene Besido Garcia and acting vice president for finance Manuel Marcos Villalon II, both firms were given seven calendar days from receipt to pay their arrears or face legal action.

These formal and final demand letters were sent to First Bay Power Corp. with long overdue financial obligations to PSALM amounting to P35.15 million, and Abra Electric Cooperative, Inc. with arrears of P599.13 million on its power account and another P36.89 million in unremitted Universal Charge collections plus all other unremitted UC collections for the months not covered by its submitted UC reports.

The separate final demand letters to FBPC and ABRECO were both dated Aug. 24, 2020.

Garcia and Villalon told the two firms that PSALM “shall be constrained to avail of all appropriate legal remedies to protect PSALM and the Government’s interest, including the filing of criminal, civil and administrative cases” against them “as well as against your officers and directors for the extreme prejudice you have caused PSALM and the Philippine government”.

Copies of the separate letters were furnished Finance Sec. and PSALM chairman Carlos Dominguez III and Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi.

In 2016 in his speech to the 1st Infantry Division in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, the Commander in Chief said some partylists have ties to the CPP and have been funding the NPA.