MANILA — The National Security Council (NSC) on Saturday slammed several groups for supposedly parroting China’s narrative and fear-mongering in the West Philippine Sea.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) “are no longer a threat because they have been strategically defeated,” but some groups linked to them have been echoing China’s propaganda on the West Philippine Sea issue, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a news forum.

“The above-ground organizations are now harping similar themes from fear mongers in the West Philippine Sea issue,” he said.

“I can now hear the above-ground organizations like Pamalakaya, Bayan Muna, they are now following the Beijing line… They are saying that we are provoking Chinese,” he said.

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“Whose side are you really on? It is clear that by creating this fear mongering threat, they are not on the same level as China,” he said.

Several groups — including the NDF — have slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for relying on the United States for aid amid China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea, claiming that increasing Washington’s military presence here makes Manila a target of Beijing’s ire.

Bayan Muna and Pamalakaya earlier released statements saying that the Philippines should be more independent and should not feed the United States’ “imperialist agenda.”

“I’m disappointed and surprised that these people who supposedly love the country, are taking the bait and are following China’s talking points,” Malaya said.

“Unfortunately, napagiiwanan na naman itong Kaliwa kaya this is another nail in the coffin and will decrease their relevance,” he said.

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(Unfortunately, the Leftists are being left behind again so this this is another nail in the coffin and this will decrease their relevance.)

Bayan Muna hit back at Malaya’s statement, saying that the group has been “criticizing the aggressive actions of China in the West Philippine Sea, while also equally denouncing the US for its hegemonic and militarist actions in the region.”

“Calling for demilitarization is not fear-mongering. It is an assertion of our independence, assertion na tayo ay tunay na malaya at hindi tuta ng mga dayuhan - Tsino man o Kano,” Bayan Muna executive vice president Carlos Isagani Zarate said in a statement.

(It is an assertion of our independence, an assertion that we should be truly free and not the lapdog of foreigners may it be Chinese or Americans.)

“We have been calling out China's aggression and incursions since 2008 and have held numerous protests and other activities to assert Philippine sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

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The Bayan Muna official also questioned Malaya’s stance on China during the previous administration, as they described the NSC official as a “PDP-Laban officer and as a Duterte minion.”

“He was conveniently silent during all those times under the said rabid pro-China  administration,” Zarate said.

“It is now, too, convenient once again for him to supposedly  come out of the woodwork thru the bidding of the pro-US Marcos Jr.,” he said.

Zarate said Bayan Muna is firm in its belief that “the Philippines would be in the best position if it will assert a truly independent foreign policy -- one that is  not dependent on any other country especially bullies like the US and China.”

Malaya belied these statements, saying that the Philippines is “not kowtowing to any foreign power.”

“We are undertaking this defense arrangements with many other countries because of shared values,” the NSC official said.

Despite the disagreement over the China issue, Malaya said that the government is still open to pursuing a “political settlement” with members of the NDF and their local armed wing.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process “is waiting for a signal from the higher ups to begin the negotiations,” he said.