Kontra Daya accuses Palparan of threatening leftist bets in Makati

The Kontra Daya Movement on Monday accused senatorial candidate and retired Major General Jovito Palparan of having a hand in the death threats mailed to some militant candidates in Makati city. Kontra Daya convenor Mike Lopez Sr. told GMANews.TV that based on Palparan's track record, the retired colonel is "capable" of "intimidating" leftist candidates to discourage them from running, and supporting senatorial candidates Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo — party-list representatives who are linked to the New People's Army. "[Palparan is] the only one who has the motives," Lopez said, adding that Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales could have possibly given the Palparan the blessing to execute such actions. Among those who allegedly received mailed threats are congressional candidate Oswaldo Carbonell and a candidate for councilor who refused to be identified since the person fears for his life. In similar letters sent to Carbonell and the other candidate, sender Samahan Kontra Korapsyon warned them against having an alliance with the "communist." "Huwag magpalinlang, huwag makipag-alyado, sumuporta o humingi ng tulong sa mga komunista. Mahalin ang iyong buhay at demokrasya. Ito ay paunang babala," the letters read. The candidate for councilor also received a black ribbon enclosed in a letter from Nagkakaisang Lupon Para sa Tunay na Demokrasya (NLTD) as a sign of their condemnation for his continued support for the left-leaning groups. "Sa ganitong kadahilanan, aming pinaparating ang itim na laso kalakip ng liham na ito na magbigay babala na ang iyong buhay gayun din sa pamilya mo ay hiram lamang," NLTD said. (For this reason, we are sending the black ribbon enclosed in this letter to warn you that your life and your family members are only borrowed.) Palparan, who had a reputation of being a “butcher" when he headed the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, denied allegations and said such candidates might be “creating their own death threats to improve their name recall." “Hindi ko alam yan. Hindi ko sila kilala eh hindi ko forte yung mananakot harapan akong lumaban," Palaparan told GMANews.TV, adding he hasn’t heard from Gonzales in the last three years. (I don’t know that. I don’t know them. It is not my specialty to scare my enemies because I confront them.) He also claimed that although he is a “vocal critic" of the militant groups, they have a lot of “silent enemies" who might be going after them. - GMANews.TV