The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today called on the people to expose and condemn units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for its outright partisan activities in campaigning for the Marcos-Duterte tandem especially in far-flung communities in several provinces.

According to CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena, “we have received several reports indicating that some units of the AFP are actively involved in partisan activities and using threat and intimidation to compel people to vote for Marcos-Duterte, who are seen as more inclined with the counterinsurgency doctrine of the AFP and the National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac.”

“The involvement of some AFP units in the campaign for the Marcos-Duterte tandem clearly shows how counterinsurgency operations are being melded into partisan activities,” said Valbuena.

According to the CPP, residents of some communities in Sorsogon, Northern Samar and Negros Occidental reported that soldiers are rounding up civilians to “encourage” them to support the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

Last April 20, a unit of 94th IB campaigned for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte while providing “security” for a mayoral candidate in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental. This is according to the National Democratic Front-Negros Island who received the reports from residents.

“Botohon si BBM-Sara kay kung si Leni ang inyo pagabotohon, magkalamatay kita nga tanan kay gisuportahan sang NPA si Leni (Vote for BMM-Sara because if you will vote for Leni, we will all die because she is being supported by the NPA.),” one officer from 94IB’s Bravo Company said as quoted by a resident.

Similar activities perpetrated by the 31st IB were reported in some villages of Donsol town in Sorsogon. Residents said armed soldiers went from one barangay to another to campaign for the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

Last March, the NDF-Eastern Visayas also reported similar incidents in Northern Samar.

“In several barangays in Northern Samar, fascist troops conducting Retooled Community Support Program called barrio folks for a meeting where they campaigned to vote for Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as president and Sara Duterte-Carpio as vice-president in the upcoming reactionary elections. They also told barangay councils that they will camp within the barrios until May 2022,” Fr. Santiago “Ka Sanny” Salas, spokesperson for the NDF-EV said. (CPP Information Bureau)