Presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson insisted Thursday that Leni Robredo's campaign rally in Cavite last week was infiltrated by communists,

By Edward Era Barbacena

CNN- Presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson insisted Thursday that Vice President Leni Robredo's campaign rally in Cavite last week was infiltrated by communists, citing intelligence information that he had received.

Lacson said that the information was corroborated by the statement of self-proclaimed former communist party member and supposed surrenderer Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz.

The senator added that he is still verifying reports that supposed communists front organization members were also present during Robredo's sorties in Iloilo and Bulacan.

"Hindi lang sa Cavite nainfiltrate. Possible din na, bina-validate din ito, sa ibang lugar: Iloilo, Cavite, and Bulacan. Kasi worrisome talaga ito. Kasi ang intention naman is not to red tag," Lacson said in a press conference.

[Translation: It's not just in Cavite. It is also possible, though we are still validating, that the infiltration also happened in Iloilo and Bulacan. This is worrisome. And our intention is not to redtag.]

But the Partido Reporma standard bearer said he is not sure if the vice president is aware of the alleged "alliance" with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) through its supposed front organizations.

Lacson mentioned the urban poor group Kadamay as among the alleged communist-front organizations.

"Kung alam, mas masama 'yun doon sa hindi alam. Kung hindi alam, that's bad enough. Pero kung alam mo, conscious ka na may alliance na nangyayari. Anong mangyayari in case they win the election? Coalition 'yan. Baka lumakas na naman ang CPP NPA," Lacson said.

[Translation: If she doesn't know, that's bad enough. It's worse if she knows that there's an alliance (with the communists). What will happen in case they win? It's a coalition. The CPP-NPA may regain its strength.]

But Robredo's ally, senatorial candidate Sonny Trillanes denied Lacson's allegations saying that Lacson's intel is wrong.

Trillanes, who is a former soldier, said in a tweet there are no communists in Robredo's campaign team.

"Sir, your intel sources are wrong, and that Ka Eric you cited is a fraud. I am inside the campaign team of VP Leni at wala akong nakikitang komunista doon [and I haven''t seen a communist there]. Hindi papayag si VP nyan at kami rin [We will not allow it]. Her military advisers could attest to this too," the former senator said.

Robredo's spokesperson Barry Gutierrez also tweeted: "Over the course of this campaign, we have seen more than our fair share of attacks and fake news against VP Leni. But this blatant and persistent red-tagging, masked as "concern" is a new low."

"Let us not be be intimidated. Call out the lies," he added.