As the filing for the certificate of candidacy for the 2025 midterm elections approaches, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) warned the public of candidates backed by the armed communist insurgency movement in the Philippines.
During the Nationwide Peace Advocate Summit 2024 on Thursday, September 26, in Quezon City, Usec. Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the NTF-ELCAC, called on voters to be vigilant, and 'know the truth' about the candidates.
Torres said that NTF-ELCAC has 'significantly degraded' the military, and politcal capabilities of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army - National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
However, Torres expects that the CPP-NPA-NDF will seek to make a recovery in the upcoming elections.
"Patuloy sana tayong maging mapagmasid. Maging mapagmasid tayo doon sa gustong mag-recover pa nung mga barangay na nakuha natin from the influence of the CPP-NPA-NDF," Torres said.
"Maging mapagmasid tayo doon sa mga gustong pumasok sa mga gustong pumasok na pulitiko na mga pakawala lang ng CPP-NPA-NDF," he added.
Since the establishment of the NTF-ELCAC in 2018, Torres said that the task force has dismantled 89 active guerilla fronts of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
"We only have five weakened guerilla fronts all over the country. Apat diyan ay nasa Luzon at yung isang naiiwan ay nasa Panay," Torres said.
Torres also mentioned that NTF-ELCAC has two clusters focused on disseminating information, and educating the public on the 'deceptive ways' of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
"Napaliwanag naman natin sa lahat ng sektor ng lipunan kung paano nila minmaniobra at ginagamit ang political system ng ating gobyerno para unti-unti silang magkaroon ng kapangyarihan," Torres stressed.
Torres further proposed that all candidates will renounce armed rebellion when they file their certificate of candidacy.
"Kung may nakikinig sa ating mga awtoridad sa election, kung meron lang sanang nakasulat doon sa pinipirmahan na application that 'I renounce armed struggle in resolving the problems of our country' iyan ay malaking tulong hindi lang sa NTF-ELCAC pero sa buong sambayanan Pilipino," the NTF-ELCAC official said.
