DHS, FBI Urged To Take A Look Into Expanding CPP Presence In The US

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A newly formed group of Filipino- Americans came out in the open on Wednesday to ask authorities to take a closer look at what it described as the expanding presence of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the United States.

“We would like to request concerned agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to look into the activities of the CPP through its various front organizations in the US,” the newly organized Katipunan ng Mga Anak ng Bayan (Katipunan) said in a statement.

“The CPP and it’s armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), are in the US list of foreign terrorist organizations and should therefore not be allowed to use US territory for their efforts to destabilize the Philippines, a key friend and ally,” Katipunan founder Dan Jimenez said.

Jimenez also told US authorities that the CPP-NPA remains a threat to US interests and reminded them of the attacks that have been carried out against American companies and nationals in the Philippines in the past.

In its statement, the Katipunan warned the Filipino Community about the stepped up efforts of US-based CPP cadres to generate support by using various issues such as human rights and the rights of women, migrant workers, and indigenous peoples.

Jimenez said individuals and groups may unwittingly be supporting CPP efforts to destabilize the Philippines by becoming members of or donating funds to front organizations that are in turn used to, among others, mount attacks against government forces.

According to Jimenez, US-based CPP cadres have particularly been active during the past year as noted in the increased visibility of front organizations in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Jimenez said the Katipunan, which has members in the East and West Coasts and the Midwestern US, was put together to encourage the more than 4 million members of the Filipino Community in the US to take a more active role in creating a positive image of the Philippines.

Jimenez, who is based in the Metropolitan DC area, said the group’s efforts include correcting the false narrative about the Philippines that CPP-aligned organizations have been spreading to Filipinos and Americans alike.

“It’s time for us to end our indifference. It’s time for us to end our silence. It’s time for us to really do something to help push the Philippines up instead of pulling it down,” Jimenez said.