Photos show CPLA part of DFF

This is to refute several points that Michael Suggiyao, in his letter “Another ‘signatory’ denies inking DFF’s open letter” (Opinion, 10/1/16), raised.

He said: “I was not a party to the statement [of the Democratic Front for Filipinism (DFF)] and have never been part or member of this group called DFF.”

Suggiyao, with the zone commanders of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), met with the DFF supreme council in Quezon City, and the two groups agreed that both organizations would support the Duterte administration’s programs, especially relative to the federalism issue. Pictures showing Suggiyao, together with the CPLA commanders and the the DFF supreme council, attest that the CPLA is, indeed, a part of DFF.

2. He said: “I am also denouncing Conrado Dieza for misrepresenting himself as… CPLA chair, and Nilo Tayag, purportedly an Aglipayan bishop, for their illegal activities…”

We would like to make it clear:

Dieza was unanimously elected chair of the CPLA during the regional assembly and conference which was attended by the CPLA supreme council members, zone commanders, and delegates from the Mountain Province, Baguio-Benguet, Apayao, Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao. This was held on Sept. 23, 2016, at Camp Conrado Balweg in Ileb, Tabuk City, Kalinga. The CPLA Abra zone commanders and members concurred with the election results.

Tayag is a bishop of the Philippine Independent Church.

We did not and never will solicit any amount in exchange for any favor. As revolutionaries and self-made men imbued with idealism and faith in God, we abhor any form of corruption and illegal activity. We are both engaged in legitimate businesses that benefit the poorest of the poor Filipinos, investing our own money.

3. Suggiyao also said: “Aside from Dieza and Tayag, two personalities attended: Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino of Arayat, Pampanga, and retired Col. Reynaldo Cabauatan, but both did not sign the open letter.”

Suggiyao said that he was not aware of, and neither was he a party to, the DFF meetings etc., yet he claimed that at least two Supreme Council members did not sign the manifesto. This is a clear manifestation that Suggiyao is hallucinating and dreaming up his allegations.

4. “Dieza and Tayag misleadingly announced that Environment Secretary Gina Lopez will provide P300 million… and that they will be appointed to key positions in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources…”

We will never put the carriage before the horse. For one, Dieza is happy with his business and with helping his party and President Duterte through the CTD Foundation Inc.

Tayag is a brilliant, well-educated and avid supporter of the President and, without question, is an incorruptible individual, an asset to the present administration, if given the opportunity to be in public service.

Neither of us is salivating at any government position. But in our own little ways, we will do our best to help President Duterte.

Clearly, Suggiyao made libelous, malicious and misleading statements against Tayag and me. Suggiyao should just learn to accept the fact that he was voted out of the CPLA, and that I am now its chair.

Suggiyao will be made to answer for his irresponsible statements against the CPLA and at a proper forum. We just wonder who are the people behind Suggiyao that he should go this far to discredit us and many others, and the DFF?

—CONRADO DIEZA and BISHOP NILO TAYAG