“Sa bunganga nahuhuli ang isda”

January 16, 2025

For years, organizations linked to the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) have consistently cried foul over so-called "red-tagging," portraying themselves as victims of government oppression. But let us be clear: there is no such thing as red-tagging when it comes to exposing the truth about violent extremists and terror groomers. What the NTF-ELCAC does is a matter of public interest—ensuring that the Filipino people are fully aware of deceptive tactics used by groups that operate under the guise of legal activism while serving as fronts for the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Every piece of information that the NTF-ELCAC releases undergoes a stringent vetting process. The taskforce does not act on baseless accusations or hearsay, but from information contributed by former CPP-NPA-NDF cadres who once operated within these organizations and have firsthand knowledge of how these groups function. These testimonies, combined with historical records, intelligence reports, and even statements from the CTGs themselves, provide irrefutable proof of these organizations' duplicity.

The reality is simple: if there is smoke, there is fire. But the NTF-ELCAC does not merely detect smoke—we know exactly where the fire is coming from. It is our duty to remain one step ahead of the enemy, especially when they weaponize legal processes and exploit democratic spaces to sow discord. These CTG front organizations in Congress and in the so-called "parliament of the streets" do not need to look far to understand why they are consistently linked to the underground movement. Their own records, public statements, and historical affiliations with the CPP-NPA-NDF expose them more than anyone else ever could.

For instance, Ang Bayan, the official publication of the CPP, has consistently emphasized the contributions of organizations such as Gabriela, Anakbayan, Bayan, and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in furthering the revolutionary cause. Its December 7, 2016 issue specifically outlined how these "progressive legal organizations" rally the masses to support the CPP's political objectives.

During the NDFP Peace Talks in 2017, the NDFP itself named Bayan, Anakbayan, and the League of Filipino Students (LFS) as representatives of various sectors within their allied network. Similarly, in a June 12, 2021 statement, the NDFP described these groups as legal entities contributing to the revolutionary movement, stating:

"These organizations advance the people's struggle for genuine independence and democracy while operating in the legal sphere."

Even their late founding chairman, Jose Maria Sison, openly admitted their role. In a 1992 interview, he referred to them as part of the "legal democratic forces" supporting the CPP-NPA-NDF, and "function as legal expressions of the revolutionary movement." He even called them "integral" to the struggle for national democracy. On the 45th anniversary of Kabataang Makabayan (KM) in 2009, Sison further reinforced this by emphasizing how KM’s influence continued through these "legal organizations," solidifying their alignment with the revolutionary cause.

The Filipino adage "sa bunganga nahuhuli ang isda" (A fish is caught by its mouth) could not be more fitting. Time and again, these organizations expose themselves through their own words and actions. Their theatrical cries of “red-tagging” are nothing but a desperate attempt to deflect attention from their long-standing involvement in the communist terrorist movement.

But the Filipino people see through their theatrics—both in Congress and in the so-called "parliament of the streets." No one needs to tag them red; they are painting themselves red.

Undersecretary Ernesto C Torres Jr

Executive Director

NTF ECAC