Jeffrey Celis is a liar. His inconsistent stories, fabricated facts and questionable track record as a drug personality and suspected mastermind in the extrajudicial killings of Leftist personalities make him a fake government “whistleblower”. His “coming out” is bound to backfire against the regime’s attempts to red-tag progressive groups, innocent civilians and personalities.

Among Celis’ lies, he says he was a member of the New People Army’s National Operational Command from 2002 until March 2015. For this incredible claim, I chastise not only Celis but moreso his handlers for being plain stupid. This is not only a blatant lie but downright impossible. The military structure of the NPA was entirely different prior to 2016, there was no NOC yet. How can Celis be a member of an entity that has not yet existed during the time period he claims? Celis’ handlers could not have overlooked this fact if only they had used their “intelligence” instead of plain stupidity.

Needless to say, Celis’ further claim that he “attended” an NOC plenum back in 2006 or 2007 in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur and New Bataan in Compostela Valley, where he allegedly personally met me and Ka Maria Malaya, is nothing but an outright lie. No such meeting of the NOC took place. Nonetheless, for the record, I will categorically stress that I have never met or seen this guy in any guerrilla zone. This is also the first time that I have heard his name or his supposed nom de guerre “Eric Almendras”.

My unsolicited advice, if I may, to Sen. Lacson and his Senate committee is to not easily trust so-called whistleblowers presented by Duterte’s military junta, especially by its main generals Lorenzana, Esperon, Ano and Parlade. Sen. Lacson, these operators will do anything to proscribe the CPP and NPA and vilify activists and progressives, regardless of repercussions. Trusting them and their incredible witnesses will also certainly affect your and your committee’s credibility.

Lastly, Celis gives himself too much credit when he says that the NPA is out to kill him. We have no interest whatsoever in him. He is inconsequential to the revolutionary movement. Should any harm befall him, as he fears, only his handlers and the Duterte regime are the most likely suspects for they alone will stand to benefit – either to get rid of a fake witness who failed his handlers’ purpose, or to be used as black propaganda against the NPA. Clearly, these are all still part of the NTF-ELCAC’s grand plan. ###