The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Friday affirmed its respect for the Commission on Elections’ constitutional mandate, recognizing the Comelec as a crucial partner in the democratic process.

While the task force commended the issuance of Resolution 11116, it urged the poll body to engage in immediate dialogues and consider refinements to prevent its misuse against the whole-of-nation effort to end the communist insurgency.

“We view the Comelec as an indispensable partner in our shared pursuit of lasting peace. We are not their adversary; we are merely respectfully airing our comments on a very important issue that is central to the fight against the CPP-NPA-NDF,” said James Clifford Santos, spokesperson for NTF-ELCAC’s Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) during Thursday’s FAQ Check press conference.

Santos said the NTF-ELCAC recognizes the good intentions behind Resolution 11116 which aims to ensure fair and non-discriminatory elections. However, the task force is seeking clarifications and refinements on certain provisions that could be exploited to suppress free speech and undermine national security efforts.

He raised concerns about Section 2’s “labeling” provision, cautioning that its ambiguity could have a chilling effect on constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and hinder efforts to expose deceptive communist recruitment tactics.

“We are concerned about this resolution, particularly Section 2, because ultimately this will have a chilling effect on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of our people — a freedom they should be able to exercise, especially during crucial times such as elections,” Santos said.

“When we have local and national elections, it really spells a lot in the fate of our country because this is where the choice of our leaders comes in. So if our countrymen are prevented from speaking the truth about being deceived and that someone is a member of the CPP-NPA, this is not good for our future,” he added.

The LCC is seeking clarification on the resolution’s penalization of “labeling,” arguing that its broad interpretation could reinforce communist propaganda, that red-tagging is not a statutory offense, and that it may infringe on the freedom of expression.

Santos clarified that the government does not engage in red-tagging, a term he characterized as a propaganda tool of the CPP-NPA-NDF to discredit legitimate state actions. He reiterated that identifying individuals and organizations linked to the CPP-NPA-NDF is based on intelligence and evidence, ensuring that Filipinos, especially the youth and indigenous peoples, are protected from communist deception.

Former rebels also voiced concerns that certain provisions could be weaponized by communist front groups to suppress dissent and manipulate electoral discourse.

Arian Jane Ramos, former Gabriela Youth UP Mindanao chairperson and leader of Kalinaw Southeastern Mindanao Region (SEMR), pointed out that the resolution’s broad definition of “labeling” could shield communist-linked organizations from public scrutiny while restricting legitimate public discourse.

“This resolution poses a significant risk to the fairness and integrity of the upcoming elections, potentially allowing groups like Makabayan 2025 to shape public opinion in a way that could hinder the government’s counterinsurgency objectives,” Ramos warned.

She stressed that Filipinos deserve truthful information to make informed choices, especially during elections.

On 27 February, SEMR, Advocates for Clean Elections (ACE), and the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) submitted a position paper requesting amendments to Section 2(j).

Their recommendations include stronger fact-checking mechanisms and a clearer grievance process to prevent the resolution from being misused to protect CPP-NPA influence while still upholding fairness in elections.