BJMP urged to retract memorandum based on Parlade’s claim linking LDPs to communists

Kapatid, a support group for political prisoners and their families, on Monday asked the Bureau of Prison Management and Penology (BJMP) to withdraw a directive ordering “close monitoring of suspected members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).” in prisons,” saying it is based on a contaminated source.

Kapatid was referring to the January 10, 2025 BJMP document that emerged from a January 9, 2025 memo by BJMP intelligence director Roland Cael that cited retired Gen. Antonio Parlade’s Facebook post accusing the deputy leader of the minority of the House of Representatives, France Castro, of frequenting prison facilities to solicit funds from drug traffickers. traffickers for his group, allegedly with the help of political prisoners suspected of joining the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“Since when is fake news spread by a notorious red-tagger a source of evidence that the BJMP should order guards to act accordingly?” This is stated in a statement by Kapatid spokesperson, Fides Lim.

“Kapatid calls on BJMP chief General Ruel Rivera to retract this dangerous memorandum, which not only puts the lives and safety of political prisoners at greater risk, but also sets a dangerous precedent for the use of unfounded accusations. and politically motivated as a basis for official action,” he added. .

Lim cited that in 2021, several groups, including the Senate, recommended Parlade’s dismissal as spokesperson for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) after he accused lawmakers, bishops, journalists, celebrities and prominent governments. critics of supporting the CPP.

Parlade eventually resigned from his position amid questions about the legality of his appointment to a civilian position while still on active military service.

From Lima part 2?

Lim later said unfounded allegations linking then-senator Leila de Lima to drug lords were also used to justify her wrongful imprisonment for nearly seven years.

“In an election year, the memorandum issued by the BJMP regional director is a clear case of political partisanship and electoralism, disguised as a security measure,” he said.

“And now, the BJMP is complicit in a similar pattern of attacking government critics without evidence. The BJMP must focus on its core mandate of defending the rights and safety of all detainees, not serving as a tool for persecution politics,” he added. .

In a separate statement, Castro echoed Kapatid’s call for the BJMP to retract the memorandum.

“This is a dangerous and malicious act of red-tagging by the BJMP. They are using an unverified social media post from a discredited source to justify surveillance and monitoring of a sitting Congress member and political prisoners,” Castro said.

Former ACT Teachers party representative Antonio Tinio, for his part, reminded the BJMP that labeling or linking people with communist rebels is illegal.

“BJMP officials can be held criminally, administratively and civilly liable for relying on the allegations of Parlade, who, along with Lorraine Badoy, was found guilty by the Ombudsman in March 2023 for conduct prejudicial to public service due to red tags,” Tinio said.

Castro then demanded an immediate retraction of the memorandum and a formal public apology from the BJMP.

“This memo demonstrates how red-tagging endangers lives and violates human rights. The BJMP must be held accountable for this irresponsible action that puts my safety and that of political prisoners at risk,” he said.

“If the BJMP does not retract this memorandum and make a public apology, we will not hesitate to file appropriate charges, including administrative cases and claims for damages,” he added.

GMA News Online has contacted BJMP for comment and will publish it as soon as it is available.

In April 2021, then-national security advisor HermogenesEsperan also ordered Parlade and Badoy to stop making comments about community pantries providing aid to people amid the COVID-19 pandemic after linking organizers to communist rebels.

At the time, Parlade compared the organizer of the community pantry, Patrica Non, to Satan offering an apple to Eva, while Badoy accused Non of not having the competence to properly account for the donation worth one billion pesos to the Maginhawa Community Pantry. —AOL, GMA Integrated News