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Espiritu, Panelo agree red-tagging must be stopped but differ on NTF-ELCAC views

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA—While from different political sides, senatorial candidates and lawyers Luke Espiritu and Salvador Panelo both expressed their disapproval of red-tagging.However, their views diverged over the existence of the government task force against the communist insurgency, as Espiritu lobbied for its abolition.The two candidates were the guests at the “RVote” online election forum on Thursday organized by the Rotary District 3830, which is made up of clubs in southern Metro Manila and Palawan.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ONGOING: Senatorial candidates Sal Panelo (PDP-Laban) &amp; Luke Espiritu (Partido Lakas ng Masa), both lawyers, lay out their platforms &amp; answer questions from Rotary Club members of Rotary District 3830 at an online forum. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Halalan2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Halalan2022</a> WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/viIvSKUYst">https://t.co/viIvSKUYst</a> <a href="https://t.co/va9tAIDHmK">pic.twitter.com/va9tAIDHmK</a>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/1504383283442126850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>Asked for their stance on red-tagging, the lawyer-activist candidate of Partido Lakas ng Masa said it was illegal.He said had also been tagged online as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples’ Army, considered a terror group by the government.“That is an evil that we must stamp out and we must stamp it out quickly,” Espiritu said.Panelo, a candidate under the administration’s PDP-Laban slate, agreed.He related his advice to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) after community pantry organizer Ana Patricia “Patreng” Non was red-tagged for her activist background in 2021.“I tell them, ‘Kung sa tingin niyo ’yan ay komunista na kasama sa underground, idemanda niyo. Hindi pwedeng i-red tag.’ I am against that. Kung mayroon kang pruweba, then sue,” Panelo said. Panelo came under fire in 2019 for releasing the so-called “narco-list” matrix of people tagged in an alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte, which included Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and TV host Gretchen Ho.But for the former Malacañang legal counsel and spokesperson, the NTF-ELCAC should not be abolished.“Nakausap ko ang mga LGU officials. Ang sinasabi nila gustong-gusto nila ’yong project na iyon sapagkat ’yon ang nagpatalo sa mga lokal na rebelde doon. Noong dumating ang mga pondong iyan, mayroon silang farm to market roads, maraming proyekto para sa bayan nila, kaya nawala ang mga rebelde roon sa kanila,” he said.Espiritu, however, countered by saying that could be done by other agencies.“Kung iyon ang purpose ng NTF-ELCAC, lalong dapat buwagin lalo. Superfluous ’yan e. Kung ang purpose ng NTF-ELCAC ay gagawa ng daan, gagawin ang civic duty nila, that’s already being done by the DSWD, DPWH. Alam nating ang purpose ng NTF-ELCAC ay maging Makapili,” he said.“We need to abolish NTF-ELCAC, walang redeeming value ’yan.”Other issues the senatorial bets also differed on were on whether the Philippines should return to the International Criminal Court, and the passage of a divorce law.Espiritu said the ICC was crucial to prosecuting state actors, in particular President Rodrigo Duterte, while Panelo said the ICC had no jurisdiction in the country.On divorce, Panelo said the country should loosen its requirements for annulment instead. Espiritu vows to push for divorce legalization.Meanwhile, Panelo said without explaining that he agreed with imposing tax on the richest Filipinos, such as the 20% wealth tax Espiritu’s party is espousing.The two also agreed the Philippines should maintain a non-aligned position in its handling of the West Philippine Sea dispute.<div>WORKING UNDER OPPOSING ADMINS</div>They were also asked how they would work as senators under administrations of their political rivals.If Leni Robredo becomes president, Panelo said he would support her programs as long as they benefitted Filipinos.He added that he would express policy disagreement directly to the president before going public with it.“If she becomes president and she has projects that will benefit the people, siyempre susuportahan ko ’yan,” Panelo said. “Kung sino bigyan ng mandate, igalang natin, tulungan natin, kahit anong ideology ka pa. Iisa lang pakay nila, maging maganda ang pamumuhay ng Pilipino, sa paraan lang nagkakaiba.”But for Espiritu, the lines are drawn against a president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should it become authoritarian.“Bongbong Marcos prides himself in saying that the rule of his father was the golden age. And if you do that ano’ng ibig mong sabihin? OK ang authoritarian rule ng tatay mo? And if you become president, would you also do the same thing?” he said.“This type of government that we see, we see this as a threat to our democratic institutions, to our human rights. “Whenever Bongbong Marcos invokes the memory of his father and does the same thing, I’m pretty sure, I’m gonna be certain, I’m gonna make a vow to Bongbong Marcos, I’m going to oppose him come what may, I’ll even give my life to fight that type of a tendency.”

While of different political colors, senatorial candidates Luke Espiritu and Salvador Panelo both expressed their disapproval of red-tagging.

Espiritu, Panelo agree red-tagging must be stopped but differ on NTF-ELCAC views

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Espiritu, Panelo agree red-tagging must be stopped but differ on NTF-ELCAC views

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 18, 2022 03:00 AM PHT

Read More:

Halalan 2022

2022 elections

senatorial elections

Sal Panelo

Luke Espiritu

Rotary Club

election forum

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