Reds dub Robin’s rape probe ‘clownish diversion’
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) dubbed as “clownish antics” Senator Robinhood Padilla’s announcement of conducting an investigation into alleged cases of sexual harassment and rape in the Party and the New People’s Army (NPA).
CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said that Padilla’s so-called investigation is clearly a diversionary tactic to deflect attention from his recent controversial comments encouraging marital rape.
“He is desperate in his pretentions for a moral high ground in women’s issues,” Valbuena said in a quick reaction to Padilla’s filling of Resolution 1162 directing the Senate Committee on public information and mass media to investigate the CPP and the NPA.
Valbuena added that Padilla’s questions during a recent Senate investigation on marital rape revealed his backward and macho mindset on women as mere sexual objects who must willingly submit when their husbands and partners have sexual urges.
“Padilla will only further turn the Senate into a funhouse where he will be its clown, assisted by the NF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines that are experts in telling lies against the CPP and NPA,” Valbuena added.
The spokesperson also pointed that Padilla cannot let the Senate or the Manila government investigate the CPP and the NPA as the revolutionary organizations are not under their powers and jurisdiction.
“The CPP and the NPA have their own revolutionary system and laws. In many areas in the Philippines, it has its own courts to try complaints and try cases,” Valbuena explained.
Rapists punished
Valbuena said it is CPP and NPA policy that rapists are expelled and punished.
“Rapists are banned in the CPP and NPA, unlike the reactionary (Manila) government that elects them as presidents and legislators,” he said.
Valbuena explained that their revolutionary movement is very aware of its role to free women from misogynistic mindsets as well as feudal and bourgeois culture.
“This results in thousands of women becoming leaders and members of the Party and the Army—revolutionary organizations in all aspects,” he said.
“In the country’s revolutionary movement, women and men as well as gays, lesbians and other genders have equal rights in leadership and performance of duties in various aspects of the struggle, including as NPA commanders,” Valbuena added.
The action star and real guerillas
The CPP said it is sure that Padilla is well aware of how the Party, the NPA and their entire revolutionary movement strictly implement policies protecting women and people of all genders against discrimination, abuse and violence.
It recalled that the actor-politician once mingled with the NPA, referring to the time that he reportedly sought refuge with the revolutionary army when he was under threat of arrest after being convicted of felony in the 1990s.
The then troublemaking actor was involved in a hit-and-run incident in 1992 when he was also found to be in possession of unlicensed high-powered firearms with live ammunition.
The Third Division of the Supreme Court later said that Padilla’s so-called mission order authorizing him to posses the firearms were “fabricated”, upholding his conviction and penalty of up to 18 years imprisonment.
It was during this episode that Padilla asked the NPA’s help. But he later surrendered and was jailed in the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa until pardoned by former president Fidel Ramos in 1998. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
