PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo denied on Sunday, March 13, 2022, claims that they are tying up with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s Army (NPA)-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) for the upcoming polls.“Andami daw nakatanggap nito kagabi. Tapos non-stop ang red tagging sa akin at sa ating volunteers. May paandar pang bubuo daw ako ng coalition government kasama ang CPP-NPA-NDF. Para klaro: kasinungalingan ito,” Robredo said in a statement.(A lot have reportedly received the message. The red tagging on me and our volunteers is also non-stop. There were even reports that I will be forming a coalition government with the CPP-NPA-NDF. To make it clear: These are all lies.)She was referring to a text message circulating online and via SMS where she allegedly expressed support to Joma Sison, the founder of CPP.There was another text message where Sison expressed support to Robredo.“’Yung mga talagang kilala ako, alam na hindi ako naniniwala sa dahas para solusyonan ang anumang problema. Alam na tutol ako sa sinumang pumupulot ng armas para mag-giit ng sariling agenda. Hindi ako makikipag-alyansa sa mga ganun or sa mga naniniwala dun. Priority ko ang magtrabaho sa mapayapang paraan para sa dignidad ng bawat tao, ang empowered and responsible exercise of freedoms, at ang fairness,” she added.(Those who really know me know that I will not resort to violence to solve any problems. They know that I am against anyone who take up arms to push their own agenda. I will not ally myself with those who believe in that. My priority is to work peacefully to uplift the dignity of everyone, for empowered and responsible exercise of freedoms and fairness.)“Alam yan ng lahat ng katrabaho ko, kasama na ang mga nasa uniformed services, na mukhang sila ang tinatarget ng mga ganitong disinformation at propaganda. Kaya pwede ba. Gusto nyong pigilin ang momentum ng People’s Campaign? Try harder. O better yet: Sumali na lang kaya kayo? Ipanalo na natin ‘to,” she added.(Those who are working with me know that, including those in the uniformed services who seemed to be the target of disinformation and propaganda. So please. You want to stop the momentum of the People’s Campaign? Try harder or better yet, join us? Let us win this one.)Earlier, presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson said a former NPA member confirmed to him the alleged infiltration by communist rebels of Robredo’s campaign sorties, particularly the one held in Cavite.Lacson warned Robredo, saying it is “scary and worrisome.”“Pero scary ‘yon kung mayroong nasa crowd na mismong kasama nila na mga kadre. So ang implication anong ginagawa nila doon? Bakit kailangan mag-punta pa doon? Mayroon ba sila namobilize na kasama?” he added.(But that’s scary if some of those joining the sorties are rebels. So the implication is what are they doing there? Why go there? Have they mobilized a member?)Robredo’s spokesperson, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, denied Lacson’s claim, saying it was a “blatant and persistent red tagging, masked as concern.”In an interview on Saturday, March 12, President Rodrigo Duterte said he received intelligence information that certain groups, including the “dilawans,” are cooking on something to disrupt the upcoming polls.Robredo is a member of the Liberal Party but she is running as an independent candidate. Her vice presidential running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, is also a member of the opposition party. (SunStar Philippines)