Duterte backs Badoy, links Makabayan bloc to communists

By Gabriel Pabico Lalu / Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte linked party-list groups belonging to the Makabayan bloc to the communist movement again during his weekly taped “Talk to the People” briefing that aired late on Tuesday.

Right at the start of the briefing, he echoed the claim of Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), saying it was actually true.

Duterte referred to party-list groups Kabataan, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and Gabriela.

“I’d like to say something about the government’s effort to end the communist insurgency,” Duterte said, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino. “You know, they are — it’s true. They were able to get into Congress, and no doubt about it, they have used the party list. As you know, whoever did that was bright.”

“But in particular, I’ll tell you that Lorraine Badoy is right,” he said, proceeding to name the five groups.