Prepare to be sued, General

FIRST, the good news, dear readers.

Former Bureau of Customs commissioner, former PhilHealth president, former GRP chief peace negotiator and well-respected human rights lawyer, Atty. Alexander ‘Alex’ Padilla, is very “much alive,” yeheyy!

I am emphasizing this point because, Comm. Alex’s name was among those in the list of UP alumni who, according to the AFP, were/are members of the CPP-NPA recruited by the party while students at our premier state university.

Atty. Alex was among the guests yesterday at the regular Friday media forum via Zoom of the National Press Club (NPC) and yes, we are glad (and relieved) to see and hear him “alive.”

If the AFP believes that releasing their list would help bolster the decision by DND secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, to terminate the 1989 ‘UP-DND Agreement’ effective last January 15, those “eager beavers” there at our defense establishment just committed an “unpardonable lapse,” according to Sec. Lorenzana himself.

For as Atty. Alex described the list, it was some “40 years old,” huwahh!

Saang “baul” ba ninyo “hinukay” ‘yang “listahan” na ‘yan, mga bosing, hehehe!

And for Atty. Alex to be ‘tagged’ by the AFP as a “communist” is, to be mild about it, truly stupid.

Are those keeping such list just sitting on their fat assess all these times and not making any ‘update’ at all over the list of names the AFP believes are ‘enemies of the state?’

Atty. Alex was the country’s chief peace negotiator with the CPP-NPA-NDF for three years (2010-2013), under the Noynoy Aquino administration. And this “belated revelation” by the AFP not only brings into question his personal integrity and patriotism but also makes ridiculous the government’s commitment to the peace process.

Eh, saan ka ba naman nakakita ng sitwasyon na kung saan, ayon sa militar, ang “punong negosyador” ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas sa mga komunista eh, komunista rin pala, nyeh!

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I support the revelation of Atty. Alex that when he was head of the GRP panel, he earned the ire of the CPP panel, then headed by Luis Jalandoni and Joma Sison. As he puts it, “pinagmumura nila ako,” but no longer sounding bitter about that episode in his life.

And why would not the CPP badmouth Atty. Alex? Because he took his job as peace negotiator representing government interests seriously.

The CPP (and even some in the Aquino administration) cannot believe that Atty. Alex, “one of their own” in the anti-dictatorship struggle against Pres. Marcos, would be so unbending in drawing up the terms for a peace agreement.

Translation? Hindi nila “naisahan” o “nauto” si Atty. Alex, kaya paanong hindi magagalit sa kanya ang mga komunista at mga kakampi nila sa gobyerno ni Noynoy, aber?

I knew this, having been told of the background story, a few years ago, by a person of authority and reliability, DILG secretary Ed Año, a good friend since his military days.

And so, for the AFP to carelessly resurrect a 40-year old list of suspected communists, is indeed an “unpardonable lapse.”

And over this, many people, Atty. Alex included, praised the action taken by Sec. Lorenzana in immediately relieving 2-star general, Alex Luna, AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence (J2), for the fiasco.

Another, 2-star general, Benedict Arevalo, head of J7 (civil military operations), announced yesterday he is going “on leave” also for the same fiasco.

But much as these gestures by Sec. Lorenzana and the AFP are very much appreciated, the “bad news,” gentlemen, is that the matter would not end there.

For if Atty. Alex is decided to let the matter rest insofar as he is concerned, his “comrades” in that list— “all now leading peaceful and productive lives,” as he puts it—are still exercising their “options” on what to do next.

Translation? Gentlemen, be prepared to be sued, administratively and criminally. The “legal option” is still on the table.

Abangan!