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MANILA, Philippines – Far from being a provider of fake news on Facebook, the government’s chief intelligence chief said Sunday that the posts on his social media account were “artistic expressions” and “inspiring, entertaining or informative.”
“The reason I share posts on my FB [Facebook] Personal account is no different from all FB account holders. It’s because I find the publication inspiring, entertaining or informative, “said Paul Alex Monteagudo, head of the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA).
He did not provide details to support his claims in his statement, but he lashed out at lawmakers from the list of parties belonging to the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives for calling its communist members and accusing them of blocking the budget of the agencies involved in the search. of an agreement. end of the 51-year-old communist insurgency.
The bloc is led by the representative of Bayan Muna, Carlos Isagani Zárate.
Monteagudo said that his Facebook posts were “artistic expressions of our people similar to the sentiments of former rebels, indigenous people, victims and parents who have finally gained the courage to stand up and reveal the truth about the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines who are now in Congress “.
Deferred deliberations
During the House deliberations on Nica’s proposed P850.8 million budget last Tuesday, lawmakers, particularly Makabayan members, questioned Monteagudo for his allegedly misleading Facebook posts, saying his sources and veracity were dubious.
The Chamber postponed the deliberations on Nica’s budget, as well as those of the National Security Council (NSC), headed by Hermogenes Esperon Jr., former head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, after they failed to provide the framework for national peace. being wanted by Makabayan legislators.
Representative Gabriela, Arlene Brosas, had previously questioned Muntinlupa’s representative, Ruffy Biazon, who defends the agencies’ budget, about the national peace framework provided by Executive Order No. 70. She said that the Makabayan bloc had asked agencies the 2019 National Peace Framework, but had not yet received a copy.
“The representatives of the Makabayan bloc are members of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) / New People’s Army (NPA), which has been declared a terrorist group by the Philippine government and included in the list of terrorist organizations by five other countries, including States United and the European Union, “said the intelligence chief.
Judicial proceedings
The banning of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group remains pending in a Manila court. But according to Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former head of the Philippine National Police, the proceedings should be moved to a division of the Court of Appeals under the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Act, which he sponsored.
Monteagudo accused the Makabayan bloc of blocking the budget of his agency, the Office of Presidential Communications Operations and the NSC to undermine the efforts of the national task force to end the local communist armed conflict.
“We will not be intimidated by Congressman Zarate and the rest of the representatives of the Makabayan bloc so that they do not expose their true color as representatives of the communist terrorist group,” he emphasized.
“We have been exploited by this group (CPP-NPA) for more than 51 years. Enough is enough. Let’s get this over with. Let’s not allow them to deceive and murder our people for another 50 years and this is the reason why I am sharing with our people the truth about communist terrorist groups, “urged Monteagudo, adding:” If telling the truth is now a crime . Then I will gladly go to prison. “
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