Law group urges Guevarra: Withdraw petition for terror tag on Reds

POLITIKO reports: “Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has been urged to withdraw the petition seeking to declare as terrorists the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA). The Public Interest Law Center (PILC) made the call after the Manila regional trial court (RTC) handling the petition declared as non-parties Bayan Muna representatative and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Rafael Baylosis, UN Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz and lawyer Jose Melencio Molintas. ‘The court order is proof that the case, where allegations have been recycled countless times, reeks with ill motive and red-tagging,’ said lawyer Rachel Pastores, managing counsel of PILC which lawyers for both Ocampo and Baylosis.”