Self-confessed former communist rebel Jeffrey Celiz stood firm on his claims linking several people and progressive groups to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
“There is no turning back for me. Nagapati ako nga akon misyon indi para sa gobyerno, mainly para sa mga pumuluyo,” Celiz said in interview on IMT Conversations.
“If I die for the cause of peace then so be it. I will not beg and cry kon patyon ko nila (CPP-NPA).Pero wala sang iban nga mapatay sa akon kundi sila,” he added.
Celiz, who identified himself as “Ka Eric Almendras”, disclosed that he was with the communist underground for more than 18 years until 2008.
“Narealize ko nga sa sulod sang 18 years and a half nga ara ako sa CPP-NPA, indi gali interes sang pumuluyo ang amon ginapakig-away, kundi interes sang idolohiya sang Marxismo, Leninismo kag Maoismo nga madugay na nga sikway sa bilog nga kalibutan,” the former chair of cause-oriented group BAYAN in Panay explained why he defected to the CPP-NPA.
“Isa ini ka maduguon kag mapintas nga idolohiya nga nagadulot sa kamatayon. Nagapakuno-kuno sya nga ga-advocate sya para sa katarungan kag kaayuhan sang mga mamumugon, mangunguma kag mga pumuluyo,” he added.
According to the 49-year-old star witness of the task force against communist rebels, he was recruited while he was in college. Celiz studied at the West Visayas State University (WVSU) in La Paz district, Iloilo City.
The former CPP-NPA member disclosed names of people in Panay allegedly involved in the communist movement.
“Ang nagagamit sang ligal nga organisasyon pero may katapo sang CPP-NPA no. 1 isa ka abogado ngalan niya Pet Melliza. Dapat imbestigahan ini ni Governor [Arthur] Defensor [Jr.].No 2 si Reyland Vergara nga duha na ka beses nag-attempt nga magvoluntary surrender kay nahadlok na sya sang sitwasyon nya. No. 3 si Fr. Marco Sulayao nga ginagamit niya pa ang simbahan. Pang-apat si Lean Porquia nga ginatudlo niya ko nga nagpatay sang iya tatay. Ang Panglima amo ni sya si Jobert Pahilga nga taga Anini-y, Antique kag naga-abugado sa mga NPA kag abugado sang CPP sa Metro Manila,” Celiz revealed.
Melliza, an Iloilo Provincial Capitol employee, and Pahilga, a founding member of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, both denied the accusations.
IMT Conversations host Rhod Tecson said the program is open to air the sides of the three other personalities mentioned by Celiz.
Vergara serves as Karapatan-Panay secretary-general while Fr. Sulayao is the chairperson of Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) Panay-Guimaras.
Lean, son of slain activist Jory Porquia, was a former regional chairperson of the League of Filipino Students.
Celiz was presented by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) to the public on October 30.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, he attended a hearing conducted by Senate committee on national defense and security chairperson Panfilo Lacson.
During the hearing, Celiz reiterated that Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño and other members of the Makabayan bloc are part of CPP-NPA, which he labeled as a terrorist organization.
“You cannot be there in Congress if you are not a hardcore CPP cadre. I attest with my blood, sweat and my physical danger put in line today,” he said.IMT
Photo from NTF-ELCAC Facebook page
