Presidential Communications Usec. Lorraine Badoy, also spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Senate PRIB file photo / Albert Calvelo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� For linking presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo with the communist movement, three separate complaints have been filed on Wednesday against Lorraine Badoy, one of the spokespersons of the government鈥檚 National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), before the Office of the Ombudsman, seeking her preventive suspension from office.
The complainants, composed of 26 rights activists, teachers, youth leaders and concerned citizens led by their lawyers Antonio La Vi帽a and Rico Domingo, trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman filing the complaints alleging that Badoy, an undersecretary for the Presidential Communications Operations Office, committed multiple violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees over her Red-tagging of the vice president.
The complaints stemmed from Badoy鈥檚 series of social media posts insinuating that the vice president has received an 鈥渆ndorsement鈥� from the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed and political wings鈥攖he New People鈥檚 Army and the National Democratic Front.
Badoy, a staunch critic of the Left, then accused Robredo of being 鈥渋n alliance鈥� with the communist movement in the country.
Robredo had already denied the allegations hurled by Badoy.
The first complaint was filed by seven personalities and among them were former Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino, journalist Pocholo Concepcion and Delfin Castro Jr., the elder brother of the arrested Dr. Natividad Castro, who was also 鈥淩ed-tagged鈥� by Badoy.
The second complaint was lodged by teachers Vladimer Quetua and Ophelia Tabacon while the third one was from a group of students.
They are all asking Ombudsman Samuel Martires to have Badoy investigated for her actions and determine the appropriate charges against her, and to serve preventive suspension against her.
At a news conference in Quezon City after the filing of complaints, La Vi帽a said this was 鈥渙nly the first鈥� of the sets of complaints they have filed.
鈥淭here will be other personalities also鈥ut we can鈥檛 reveal their names now,鈥� he told reporters.