Urban poor groups led by the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) picketed in front of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) in Quezon City on June 20. They condemned and called out the shamelessness of the National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac, which is based at NICA, towards the urban poor.

The groups reported that in recent days, open Red-tagging has been relentless in the Payatas community in Quezon City for standing for their rights. They said that one of the NTF-Elcac’s tactics is targeting members of mass organizations and bribing them with money and grocery packs to “confess” and join the Marcos regime’s fake surrender program.

NTF-Elcac and the Marcos regime constantly implicate Kadamay and other democratic groups and sectors with the armed revolutionary movement of the New People’s Army, which is led by the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Using the people’s money, NTF-Elcac and their paid agents spread terror, deception, and use the name of our organization and our Vice Chairperson Ka Inday in Payatas, Quezon City,” Kadamay secretary general and former Makabayan Coalition senatorial candidate Ka Mimi Doringo said.

Doringo emphasized that the widespread problems faced by the poor, which the government does not address, drive the sector to join rallies, speak out, and criticize. “Intimidation and bribery will not resolve this,” she said.

The urban poor leader added that the urban poor does not demand palliative aid. Their call is for assurance of livelihood, housing, education, health, and rights, which are the state’s duties to its people.

Doringo said they know as poor people that the armed conflict in the Philippines between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the NPA can only be resolved by implementing land distribution to farmers, providing living wages to workers, and ensuring the basic rights of the people.

Pinagkaisang Lakas ng Mamamayan and the cultural group Sikad joined Kadamay in the picket.