By CPP Information Bureau
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) belied claims by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that the New People's Army (NPA) is fielding candidates in the upcoming barangay (village) elections and denounced it as Red baiting.
The CPP expressed concern that because of such Red baiting, more progressive and pro-people candidates and officials as well as social activists at the barangay level will become targets of extrajudicial killings and other fascist terrorist actions by reactionary politicos and their military and private armed auxiliaries.
The CPP said that the armed revolutionary movement builds its own truly democratic people's government in the revolutionary areas, conducts its own elections and does not participate in the reactionary elections.
"Such elections generally reflect the rotten rule and system, and are used by reactionary politicos to extend their power down to the barangay level," said the CPP.
"But while reactionary state power continues to hold sway and has not yet been replaced by democratic revolutionary rule in the entire country, the revolutionary movement does not oppose efforts by the people to support their progressive and pro-people elements vying in the reactionary elections."
The CPP said that at the barangay level, progressive and pro-people officials are able to achieve immediate benefits for their constituencies within the constraints set by the rotten, reactionary, puppet nature of the entire government and system.
"In their own barangays, progressive and pro-people candidates and officials may be able to immediately marshall closer grassroots support for causes such as protection of human rights; promotion of agrarian reform; provision of more livelihood, infrastructure, education, health and other services; and advancement of other pro-people concerns."
The CPP warned, however, that because of this (Red-baiting), the progressive candidates become even more open targets of local reactionaries and their armed minions.