Former Rebels: Makabayan is CPP’s Political Front; NTF-ELCAC is Exposing the Truth, Not Red-Tagging

April 25, 2025

Former high-ranking rebels have stepped forward to dismantle what they call a deliberate campaign of deception by the Makabayan Coalition, rejecting its accusations against the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and exposing its deep ties to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

The statement comes after the Makabayan Coalition, composed of party-lists Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, and others, filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on April 22 accusing NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. of “red-tagging” — a claim the former rebels dismiss as “cheap propaganda to salvage their waning influence.”

“This is not red-tagging. This is truth-telling,” declared Noel Legaspi, a former CPP cadre. “I was there when the Makabayan Bloc was created by the CPP as a legal cover. These groups — Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Kabataan, even Migrante and ACT — were conceived to infiltrate government and hijack public discourse.”

Arian Jane Ramos, another ex-CPP leader, echoed the same sentiments: “The complaint is a diversion. They’re using the COMELEC platform to weaponize the anti-red-tagging resolution and escape scrutiny. But we welcome it — because this is the battleground for truth.”

Both former rebels said the NTF-ELCAC has never engaged in partisan politics but simply fulfills its constitutional mandate to expose and dismantle insurgency networks, especially those that operate under the guise of legal political parties during elections.

"These party-lists are not here to serve constituents. They are part of a broader strategy to normalize armed struggle and recruit youth to a violent cause," Ramos added, warning the public not to be fooled by progressive labels masking extremist agendas.

The NTF-ELCAC’s Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) also released a firm statement, dismissing the complaint as baseless. “We are undeterred. We are ready to legally dismantle every falsehood in Makabayan’s narrative,” said Atty. Clifford Santos, spokesperson for the LCC.

The ex-rebels called on the Filipino people to reject the Makabayan Coalition and its candidates in the upcoming elections, saying that “a vote for them is a vote for the CPP-NPA’s campaign of deception and destruction.”

They also urged communities to remain vigilant, warning that Makabayan’s real objective is not public service but political recruitment, particularly among students and vulnerable youth.

NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. reiterated the task force’s resolve:

“As long as the CPP-NPA-NDF continues to infiltrate our institutions and poison public discourse through so-called ‘legal democratic organizations,’ the NTF-ELCAC will fearlessly tell the truth and expose their agenda.”

The fight for peace, truth, and national sovereignty continues — and the Filipino people deserve to know who truly stands with them, and who stands against them.