Senator Robin Padilla once again stupefied the public by declaring himself a communist on the fifth day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. The comment came amid discussions about an “Oplan Romanov” allegedly targeting Duterte and her family.
On July 14, Atty. Mark Vinluan from the defense asked the prosecution witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Bangsamoro Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, what he knew about the alleged assassination plot against the vice president. Lotoc said the Romanov reference was first used by Duterte’s brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, in an earlier Hakbang ng Maisug rally in Davao City, as he addressed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Lotoc quoted Baste as saying, “When you go to bed tonight, think about the Romanovs.”
The Romanov family was Russia’s last imperial dynasty, which was executed in 1918 by the Bolsheviks, a revolutionary faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labor Party.
Later on, Padilla, a Duterte ally, said, “Hindi po ba dapat isipin natin ‘yung Romanov [reference] ay tungkol sa threat na pumapasok sa mga pamilya na namumuno dito sa ating bayan na lumalaban sa komunista? Komunista po ako, ah. Gusto ko lamang pong alamin ninyo.”
In 2017, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who granted Padilla an absolute pardon for possession of high-powered firearms the previous year, said that soldiers should shoot members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and “not answer that issue of human rights.” That year, he also terminated peace talks with the National Democratic Front – Communist Party of the Philippines – NPA.
Angel Locsin Reacts to Robin Padilla
Actress and activist Angel Locsin took to social media on Thursday, July 16, to respond to the senator’s claim that he is a communist. “Nung mga panahong magkasama tayo, madalas mong ikwento yung panahon na namundok ka at nag-armas para ipaglaban ang bayan,” she said. “Ang tanong ko lang, nasaan ka nung panahong nirered-tag ako kahit alam mong hindi totoo? Actually, kasama mo pa nga at kachikahan yung mga nangre-red-tag. Naghugas-kamay at pumikit sa katotohanan.”
Locsin was embroiled in controversies surrounding red-tagging in October 2020 when former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. wrongly accused her sister, Ella Colmenares, of being an NPA member.
In an earlier interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, actress Agot Isidro called Padilla a good friend and a brilliant actor, but also said, “Maybe politics is something that he should stay away from because ibang beast eh.”
Frequently Asked Questions
On July 14, during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Senator Robin Padilla declared himself a communist while discussing the alleged “Oplan Romanov” plot.
“Oplan Romanov” is an alleged plot against Vice President Sara Duterte and her family. The Romanov reference was first used by her brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, who warned the Marcos family: “When you go to bed tonight, think about the Romanovs.”
Angel Locsin asked why Robin Padilla, who often cites his own past ties to armed resistance, stayed silent and close to those who red-tagged her in 2020, despite knowing the accusations against her sister, Ella Colmenares, were false.
In October 2020, then-NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. wrongly accused Angel Locsin’s sister, Ella Colmenares, of being an NPA member.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte granted Robin Padilla an absolute pardon in 2016 for illegal possession of firearms. In 2017, Duterte told soldiers to shoot NPA members and ended peace talks with the NDF-CPP-NPA.
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