Querubin hit for backing ‘pro-communist’ Villar

(Updated) The camp of presidential aspirant Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party) kept up its anti-communist barrage against the Nacionalista Party on Thursday, this time scoring Ariel Querubin, a detained former Marine colonel, for his continuous support for what Aquino's spokesman called a communist-backed presidential candidate. Lawyer Edwin Lacierda, Aquino’s spokesperson, questioned why Querubin, a decorated officer, allied himself with Sen. Manny Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party), who he said has the support of Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). "One has to wonder - why does Colonel Querubin remain ignobly silent on this pact? Where is that valiant voice of indignation now that Villar has decided to sleep with the lawless elements?" Lacierda said in a statement. He also said Sison’s support for Villar was the proof of the “transactional alliance forged by the NP with the CPP-NPA (New People's Army)." Lacierda said Villar has been using his communist connections to "attack his opponents with black propaganda." No proof Querubin, detained for his alleged involvement in an attempt to overthrow the Arroyo administration in 2006, denied that there is an alliance between the NP and the CPP-NPA. “I will leave the NP if such alliance is proven because our soldiers are killed fighting for our democracy," he said in a text message through his son, Martin. He also defended Villar, saying the NP standard bearer is not pro-communist “but anti-poverty and pro-Filipino." “He [Villar] will not massacre poor farmers just to protect his land. He is also the only candidate with a pro-military and police program," Querubin said. Querubin was a recipient of the military’s highest honor in 2002 for the most exemplary heroism and sacrifice displayed in combat when, during that year, he commanded a Marine team that engaged hundreds of Moro rebels in a 24-hour gun battle in Lanao del Norte. Poor leadership NP spokesperson and senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla said Lacierda was just making excuses for the lack of leadership of his candidate. “Only Senator Villar has been able to put the political right, left, center on one stage without the issue and conflict," he said. He said Aquino can’t even get his senatorial candidates Ralph Recto and Sergio Osmeña III share one stage and has to make arrangements so that the two will not cross paths. The feud between Recto and Osmeña stemmed from the enactment of value added tax (VAT), on which Recto was a proponent when he was still a senator. 'No support from Sison' For his part, Sison has not yet stated formal support for Villar’s bid, although he said in a recent interview that the NP standard bearer appears to have a better program of governance as compared to his opponents. “(Villar) promises land reform and self-reliant food production, expansion of local manufacturing to generate employment, support for small and middle entrepreneurs, conservation of natural resources, ecological protection, peace negotiations, review of the Visiting Forces Agreement, respect for human rights, indemnification of the victims of human rights violations and independent foreign policy," Sison said in an interview posted on the news site Bulatlat.com. Sison likewise said both Villar and Aquino have promised to pursue peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), but said the NP bet seemed more amenable to the reform proposals put forth by the NDFP. The NDFP and the Philippine government have been engaging in on-and-off peace talks hosted by the Norwegian government since 1992, to address the roots of armed conflict. The CPP likewise has not endorsed Villar’s candidacy so far, although it recognized him as the “most patriotic and progressive" among the candidates in a major statement issued in December 2009 on the occasion of its 41st founding anniversary. Other NP bets accused of communist links Apart from Querubin, NP guest senatorial bets Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza have also been the subject of accusations of being communist, which the two have repeatedly denied. Earlier on Thursday, Ocampo and former general Jovito Palparan faced off in a debate at the Hiritan 2010 segment of GMA’s Unang Hirit morning program. (See: Satur Ocampo squares off against Jovito Palparan on TV) In the debate, Palparan accused Ocampo of being a “communist" and challenged him to “discipline" the NPA for its alleged atrocities and extortions. Ocampo denied this however, saying “If they regard me highly, I can’t do anything about that." - With report from Jerrie M. Abella/KBK/RSJ/JV, GMANews.TV