Various multi-sectoral organizations advocating peace and the preservation of democracy have condemned the accusations of Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon (SENADO) against National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Alex Monteagudo.
Liga Independencia Pilipinas, League of Parents of the Philippines, Duterte Youth Party-list, and Youth Power Against Destabilization and Terrorism declared this in a joint statement Saturday.
“We condemn the baseless accusation against Director General Alex Monteagudo that he is red-tagging the entire members of SENADO, an association affiliated with COURAGE when he said this group was infiltrated by communist elements and serves as the eyes and ears of the CPP-NPA-NDF in order to hijack government plans and programs,” they said.
The group said it was the mandate of the Director General as the head of NICA “to inform and raise the public’s level of consciousness on the infiltration operations of the communists inside government institutions.”
Liga Independencia Pilipinas Secretary General Jose Antonio “Ka Pep” Goitia stressed that COURAGE is affiliated with Bayan and Bayan Muna, which had been publicly named by Communist Party of the Philippines founder and chairman Jose Ma. Sison as legal fronts of the CPP and the New People’s Army.
“The Director General’s assertions are morally correct since over a period of time, NICA amassed countless records and personal accounts describing COURAGE (which is the umbrella organization of public sector unions and employee associations) as acting on behalf of the communist organization,” Goitia said.
“The Senate should not view this issue as red-tagging but must take the evidence seriously in order to preserve the integrity of the Legislative institution. There is no intention to malign the honor of the Senate, its employees, and SENADO,” he added.
“We all should appreciate the efforts of Director General Monteagudo since he swore to protect and serve the government with the best of his abilities,” the groups said.