Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 22 2016 12:51 PM | Updated as of Jun 22 2016 02:12 PM
http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/06/22/16/left-can-protect-duterte-presidency-says-sison
DAVAO CITY – Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison said Tuesday the Left will maximize the use of the three Cabinet positions being offered by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte designated nominees of the Left to the departments of agrarian reform, social welfare and development, and labor and employment, signaling a warming of ties between the communist movement and the Philippine government under the new leader.
Sison said the DSWD portfolio, given to professor Judy Taguiwalo, could be used to implement social reforms as well as protect the Duterte presidency.
“Kung halimbawa nanganganib ang gobyerno ni President Duterte, sa lahat ng nasa department na nasa kaliwa pwede yang magpakilos ng kabataan,” he said.
“Halimbawa, ang mga kabataang magsasaka pwedeng pakilusin para ipagtanggol ang Duterte government kung siya ay gustong ibagsak ng mga cacique o mga foreign plantation owners,” he added.
He said DAR secretary-designate Rafael Mariano will have to deal with agrarian reform laws which he believes are in contradiction with the advocacy of the CPP.
Sison said the country’s land reform program is oppressive as it requires beneficiaries to pay for land redistribution.
He said the government must relieve the poor farmers of the burden of paying for land redistribution by expropriating the parcels of land.
“May challenge, may hamon na magtulak ng panibagong batas para maging tunay ang reporma sa lupa,” he said.
““Kung ang gobyerno ay kayang gumastos ng bilyon bilyon at ibigay sa dilaw na NGOs, bakit hindi bayaran ang lupa para sa expropriation price? Pwede namang bayaran ang land lord sa tamang expropriation price, tapos ibigay ang lupa ng libre sa magsasaka,” he added, referring to the Aquino administration.
“Kung pababayarin mo ng lupa ang mga landless tillers, mawawala iyan. Mapupunta ang lupa sa ibang tao o kapamilya rin ng may-ari ng lupa ang magsasamsam muli sa lupa.”
Sison, meanwhile, believes that labor secretary-designate Silvestre Bello III and undersecretary-designate Joel Maglunsod will do a good job, particularly in ending the “endo” practice where contractual employees are hired and rehired in order for them not to avail of the benefits being given to regular employees.
“Maraming magagawa. May mga limitasyon pero marami pa ring magagawa. At kung mga progresibo ay nasa isang departamento, pag may mga limintasyon na kailangan aysuin, kailangan ayusin, maaring magpatupad ng Executive Order o gumawa ng bagong batas.”