Ex-senator repeats claim about 1971 bombing

Former senate president Jovito Salonga renewed his claim that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison was responsible for the bombing of a political rally of the opposition Liberal Party, which was later blamed on former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in 1971.

Salonga reiterated in his book, A Journey of Struggle and Hope, that there was overwhelming evidence pointing to Sison as the mastermind of the bombing.

Marcos had blamed the communists for the bombing of a Liberal Party rally on August 21, 1971 that killed a dozen people and seriously injured a dozen other, including Salonga.

But at that time, many did not believe Marcos, and they blamed him for the bombing incident, saying it was made to justify the declaration of the martial law rule on September 21, 1972.

Salonga was anti-Marcos then and now, but he said there were many evidences showing Sison masterminded the bombing so that it would be blamed on Marcos. This could help the CPP and its military arm, the New People's Army (NPA) get more sympathisers and members, said Salonga.

The U.S. State Department added the CPP-NPA in its list of 34 foreign terror groups. The Netherlands agreed to assist the U.S. and the Philippines regarding requests to freeze all assets and bank accounts of the CPP-NPA.

Sison has been living in exile in Utrecht, the Netherlands.