The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) criticized Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his recent signing of the Free Legal Assistance for Military and Uniformed Personnel Act, which will provide free legal services to military and police personnel facing criminal charges.
The proposal was first filed during Rodrigo Duterte’s regime, when he promised legal support for police involved in cases of extrajudicial killings and other crimes.
“When it comes to fascist repression, Marcos is no different from Duterte,” Marco Valbuena, a CPP information officer, said. “Like Duterte, Marcos is protecting soldiers and police, especially those who are criminal and corrupt within their ranks, from legal accountability.”
“This is a cover-up for crimes already committed and those that will be committed, as well as violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the AFP and PNP.”
The free legal service follows Marcos’s provision of an additional ₱200 to the daily subsistence allowance of soldiers. “Marcos is going all out in bribing and currying favor with the military and police to ensure their loyalty,” Valbuena said.
However, this will not save soldiers and police from revolutionary justice. “Even if they are acquitted by Marcos in reactionary courts, they will not escape the justice of the revolutionary movement,” Valbuena stated.
“Every crime against the people is recorded, every violation by soldiers, police, paramilitary, and their accomplice armed criminal groups against the rights of the people,” Valbuena added. “They will be held accountable to the people.”
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The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is the revolutionary united front organization of the Filipino people fighting for national freedom and for the democratic rights of the people. The NDFP seeks to develop and coordinate all progressive classes, sectors and forces in the Filipino people’s struggle to end the rule of US imperialism and its local allies of big landlords and compradors, and attain national and social liberation.