Former rebels to Makabayan bloc: stop shielding CPP fronts, expose real threat to Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines—A former cadre of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines has slammed Makabayan-bloc lawmakers for filing House Bill No. 1272, which seeks to repeal the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and dismantle the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Photo from Philippine News Agency

The measure, authored by ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, was described by Noel Legaspi, national president of former rebels' federation Buklod Kapayapaan, as “a desperate bid to shield legal fronts that recruit for the underground movement."

    “The cadres of the CPP within the national democratic movement are deluding themselves due to the ongoing exposure of their deception against the people,” Legaspi told Kontra Kwento. “Facing diminishing options, they are now advocating for a law that would impose penalties on any government officials, employees, and ‘agents’ who are allegedly involved in what they term ‘red-tagging.’”

‘Protection’ or smokescreen?

Legaspi argued that groups such as ACT Teacers, Kabataan, and Karapatan have long functioned as “political cover” for party cadres.

    “These moves aren’t meant to protect civil liberties,” he said. “They are part of the CPP’s anti-fascist propaganda meant to derail the government’s gains against the insurgency.”

Former rebels in Buklod Kapayapaan maintain that legal fronts as part of their operations organize and radicalize minors and students, conditioning them to join guerrilla units in the countryside. Legaspi cited the cases of Charisse Bernadine “Chaba” Bañez, former Anakbayan secretary-general and Louvaine Erika “Ka Pam” Espina, former Gabriela and Anakbayan organiser, who were both captured as part of NPA unit Jaguar 8 last month. He also noted how Karapatan glossed over the fact that Bañez and Espina, and six others, were NPA combatants in the campaign to secure their release. 

“These actions by Karapatan are not genuinely aimed at protecting anyone’s human rights; rather, they are part of the CPP’s anti-fascist propaganda designed to undermine and derail the government’s campaign against the local communist armed conflict in our country, which seeks to regain strength and recover,” he continued.

Not ‘red-tagging,’ but accountability

Legaspi insists that naming individuals or organisations with verified links to the insurgency is not harassment. He warns that repealing the Anti-Terrorism Act would be a grave disservice to the countless victims of terrorism in the Philippines. “This law was not designed to silence activists," he stressed. "It was designed to hold accountable those who use activism as a smokescreen for armed rebellion.”

Legaspi, himself a former NDF spokesperson in Far Southern Mindanao Region, closed with a stark reminder: “We, the former rebels, are living proof of how activism can be twisted into armed struggle. The Makabayan bloc may try to erase that truth, but our scars and our testimonies remain.”