Dela Rosa vows probe into Kabataan rep's 'communist links'

Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Wednesday vowed to investigate Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, whom supposed former communists alleged is a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines.Kabataan party-list, a legal organization with representation in Congress, has dismissed the allegation as rehashed and untrue.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/08/22/19/bato-reacts-to-nusp'>Bato reacts to NUSP</a></li></ul>“May mga kasamahan pa po ako na wala dito na they can attest na Raoul Manuel is there,” Arian Jane Ramos, who said she was chairperson of Gabriela Youth-UP in Mindanao, told a Senate panel.Ramos was among the resource persons at the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs's hearing on alleged recruitment of students into "communist organizations."'KNOWN RECRUITER' Ramos claimed Manuel was a known recruiter in their area."He’s a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines. But not a member of the New People’s Army,” said Ramos, referring to the armed wing of the CPP. Kate Raca, another resource person, claimed she had worked with Manuel when he was UP student regent. She claimed they were required to recruit 4,000 individuals for the CPP. "We were recruiting for Kabataang Makabayan and for CPP. And we facilitated NPA recruitment as well within the university. I am sure he will deny this," Raca said."[Manuel] as student regent at that time and me as the chairperson of Alay Sining, we planned and executed and implemented recruitment for the NPA," Raca said.She also said that Manuel was supposed to join the NPA in Mindanao but that did not push through.DELA ROSA: ALLEGATIONS ARE SERIOUS A visibly irritated Dela Rosa said the allegations against Manuel are serious and then took a jab at the youth representative for supporting an investigation of the International Criminal Court.He said that Manuel was "undermining this government...undermining the state" while serving as a member of the House of Representatives “Kaya pala talagang tuwang-tuwa siya na imbestigahan ako ng ICC. Tingnan natin ngayon, ikaw ang imbestigahan ko. I will do all my parliamentary powers to pin you down," Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, said."Tingnan natin, ikaw pala talaga ang miyembro ng Communist Party of the Philippines who is trying to destroy this government," he also said.KABATAAN: 'LIKE A BROKEN RECORD' Dela Rosa also vowed to amend the party-list system law.In a statement, Kabataan party-list denied the allegations against their representative. "Sirang plaka at walang katotohanan ang mga paratang na laging binabato sa mga kabataang kritikal na ngayon ay binabato kay Rep. Raoul Manuel," the party-list said.It added that the senator seems to have concerned that the hearing was called to discredit a fellow legislator and as payback for Kabataan party-list's position in favor of the ICC investigation."Hindi ito asal senador. Pag-aaksaya ito ng rekurso ng Senado at pag-abuso sa pondo ng bayan," the party-list also said.2019 CLASH AT THE SENATEThis is not the first time Dela Rosa and Manuel clashed. In 2019, the senator and Manuel, then National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) president, had a heated exchange over the proposed ROTC bill.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/22/19/watch-bato-student-leader-clash-over-sanchez-case'>WATCH: Bato, student leader clash over Sanchez case</a></li></ul>On Tuesday, the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which represents the CPP in peace talks, announced they agreed to resume peace talks to end a decades-old insurgency.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/28/23/govt-ndfp-agree-to-resume-peace-talks'>Gov't, communist rebels agree to resume peace talks</a></li></ul>The two parties have met informally since 2022 in the Netherlands and Norway for discussions facilitated by the Royal Norwegian Government. They reached a consensus on Nov. 23, 2023, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.

Ramos was among the resource persons at the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs's hearing on alleged recruitment of students into "communist organizations."'KNOWN RECRUITER' Ramos claimed Manuel was a known recruiter in their area."He’s a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines. But not a member of the New People’s Army,” said Ramos, referring to the armed wing of the CPP. Kate Raca, another resource person, claimed she had worked with Manuel when he was UP student regent. She claimed they were required to recruit 4,000 individuals for the CPP. "We were recruiting for Kabataang Makabayan and for CPP. And we facilitated NPA recruitment as well within the university. I am sure he will deny this," Raca said."[Manuel] as student regent at that time and me as the chairperson of Alay Sining, we planned and executed and implemented recruitment for the NPA," Raca said.She also said that Manuel was supposed to join the NPA in Mindanao but that did not push through.DELA ROSA: ALLEGATIONS ARE SERIOUS A visibly irritated Dela Rosa said the allegations against Manuel are serious and then took a jab at the youth representative for supporting an investigation of the International Criminal Court.He said that Manuel was "undermining this government...undermining the state" while serving as a member of the House of Representatives “Kaya pala talagang tuwang-tuwa siya na imbestigahan ako ng ICC. Tingnan natin ngayon, ikaw ang imbestigahan ko. I will do all my parliamentary powers to pin you down," Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, said."Tingnan natin, ikaw pala talaga ang miyembro ng Communist Party of the Philippines who is trying to destroy this government," he also said.KABATAAN: 'LIKE A BROKEN RECORD' Dela Rosa also vowed to amend the party-list system law.In a statement, Kabataan party-list denied the allegations against their representative. "Sirang plaka at walang katotohanan ang mga paratang na laging binabato sa mga kabataang kritikal na ngayon ay binabato kay Rep. Raoul Manuel," the party-list said.It added that the senator seems to have concerned that the hearing was called to discredit a fellow legislator and as payback for Kabataan party-list's position in favor of the ICC investigation."Hindi ito asal senador. Pag-aaksaya ito ng rekurso ng Senado at pag-abuso sa pondo ng bayan," the party-list also said.2019 CLASH AT THE SENATEThis is not the first time Dela Rosa and Manuel clashed. In 2019, the senator and Manuel, then National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) president, had a heated exchange over the proposed ROTC bill.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/22/19/watch-bato-student-leader-clash-over-sanchez-case'>WATCH: Bato, student leader clash over Sanchez case</a></li></ul>On Tuesday, the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which represents the CPP in peace talks, announced they agreed to resume peace talks to end a decades-old insurgency.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/28/23/govt-ndfp-agree-to-resume-peace-talks'>Gov't, communist rebels agree to resume peace talks</a></li></ul>The two parties have met informally since 2022 in the Netherlands and Norway for discussions facilitated by the Royal Norwegian Government. They reached a consensus on Nov. 23, 2023, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.

<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/08/22/19/bato-reacts-to-nusp'>Bato reacts to NUSP</a></li></ul>“May mga kasamahan pa po ako na wala dito na they can attest na Raoul Manuel is there,” Arian Jane Ramos, who said she was chairperson of Gabriela Youth-UP in Mindanao, told a Senate panel.

MANILA — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Wednesday vowed to investigate Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, whom supposed former communists alleged is a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines.Kabataan party-list, a legal organization with representation in Congress, has dismissed the allegation as rehashed and untrue.

“Kaya pala talagang tuwang-tuwa siya na imbestigahan ako ng ICC. Tingnan natin ngayon, ikaw ang imbestigahan ko,' Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa vows probe into Kabataan rep's 'communist links' | ABS-CBN News

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Dela Rosa vows probe into Kabataan rep's 'communist links'

Dela Rosa vows probe into Kabataan rep's 'communist links'