Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on Monday said it was obvious President Rodrigo Duterte ''invented'' his latest attack that New People Army (NPA) rebels are “gay”.

“In making a joke, Duterte has obviously invented the story that gays in the NPA brought his son Baste to the woods to be subjected to kissing, mashing and other acts amounting to molestation,” Sison said in a statement.

He said there is a strict NPA rule of discipline against sexual molestation and taking sexual liberties against the will of others.

“It is up to the NPA command concerned to inform us how Baste was treated,” Sison said.

During his speech in a campaign rally in Laguna Saturday night, Duterte said 40 percent of NPA rebels are gay after they asked his son Sebastian to be present in the turn over of hostages.

“Did you know that 40 percent of NPA soldiers are gay? Meaning, it’s not only you call them gay, tag them… but actually as natural as if you saw a handsome guy,” he said.

“I got curious. Why did they give the hostage soldiers to Baste only? So upon coming there, they really want Baste,” said Duterte.

Sison, for his part, asked Duterte how can he make such a survey when his military and police cannot locate thousands of Red commanders and fighters in more than 110 guerrilla fronts.

“These armed revolutionaries reveal their momentary location only when they are already ambushing or raiding his armed minions,” said Sison.

He said if any NPA rebel molested or took liberties with Baste, they would face disciplinary action.

“At any rate, Duterte is again exposing his misogynist and anti-gay character by with his macho kind of joke. The position of the CPP and the revolutionary movement has always been not to discriminate against women and the LGBT (Lesbian- Gay- Bisexual- Transgender) in the recruitment of fighters by the NPA,” said Sison.

Sison said the men, women and LGBT are qualified to become Red commanders and fighters so long as they are 18 years or older, and are able-bodied, have revolutionary commitment and are willing to undertake politico-military training, to do mass work and to fight the enemy with firearms. Ella Dionisio/DMS