Claim: The Angat Buhay NGO is backed by the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Rating: FALSE
The Facts: Lorraine Badoy, called a serial red-tagger, claimed in SMNI News Show “Laban Kasama Ang Bayan” that Leni Robredo’s NGO, Angat Buhay, is backed by the CPP-NPA-NDF and that Angat Buhay is a means for the CPP-NPA-NDF to recruit people into their ranks.
Badoy also claims that there are mothers on social media who are looking for their children who went missing after supposedly joining the Leni Youth.
Former Vice President Leni Robredo launched Angat Buhay on July 1, a non-government organization that aims to continue some of the projects she had started in her six years as vice president.
“Many of you are asking what we will do in Angat Buhay. Actually for those of you who are familiar with how Angat Buhay worked when we were working with all of you at the OVP (Office of the Vice President), it is more or less the same,” Robredo said in Filipino.
“It is the same in the sense that it is still an anti-poverty program. Our key areas are the same. It is still anchored on partnerships with the private sector. But we expect that it will be better.”
To initially fund the foundation, a two-day street and art festival was held in Quezon City where visitors could get art and memorabilia gifted to Robredo during the campaign period in exchange for any donation of any amount. She had almost a thousand artworks on hand.
Robredo addressed the red-tagging attacks against her and the volunteers of her campaign on March 13, 2022. She denied having any motivation of forming a coalition government with the CPP-NPA-NDF.
In a press conference on March 14, 2022, Robredo stated that the claims that she was allied with the CPP-NPA-NDF had no basis. She also said that this was a lie that had started in 2016.
Ex-AFP Spokesperson retired Major General Domingo Tutaan Jr. said on April 7, 2022 that Leni Robredo was the number one victim of red-tagging. He also noted that the red-tagging was started by Lorraine Badoy. Tutaan also added that Badoy frequently red-tags those who criticize the government.
During the campaign period, Robredo had also criticized the red-tagging of her campaign volunteers. “Malinaw ang motibasyon ng walang-tigil na pangre-red tag sa akin at sa mga volunteers natin: Ang pigilan ang momentum ng ating People’s Campaign. Tandaan natin, nagsimula ito noong naging sunod-sunod ang pagdagsa ng mga tao sa ating mga people’s rally—na para bang di makapaniwala ang iba na puwedeng magkaisa ang karaniwang Pilipino sa ngalan ng pag-asa.”
“Uulitin ko: Hindi ako makikipag-alyado sa kahit sinong gumagamit ng dahas para magsulong ng anumang agenda,”
Joma Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines denied having formed an alliance or coalition with Robredo. Robredo also stated that she has never even talked to Sison.
In a statement released today by the Angat Buhay NGO, Raphael Martin Magno, Executive Director said:
“WE ARE NOT TAKING THIS SITTING DOWN”
“We will continue our work as a private, non-government organization to empower marginalized communities and sectors. Our work is beyond personalities and politics. Our work is about fundamental values. Our work is about leaving no one behind.”
Why we fact-checked this: This red-tagging is already tiresome but as Hitler’s propagandist Goebbels said, repeat a lie often enough and people will believe it.
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