The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) urged the House of Representatives on Friday to reconsider a proposed measure that seeks to criminalize the act of red-tagging, warning that it could hinder legitimate government efforts to combat insurgency.

In a statement, the task force’s Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) expressed concern over House Bill 213, arguing that the measure could be used to penalize constitutionally protected speech and lawful actions taken by public officials based on verified intelligence and testimonies from former insurgents.

“The NTF-ELCAC, through the LCC, therefore urges Congress to carefully reconsider House Bill No. 213,” the statement read. “Instead of introducing vague new offenses, we call for the strengthening of existing legal remedies and support for institutions that protect both national security and civil liberties.”

Red-tagging refers to the practice of publicly labeling individuals, and organizations linked to communist rebels or sympathizers of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines(CPP-NPA-NDF).

“It has been repeatedly invoked by ideological groups seeking to cast doubt on legitimate government actions to expose organizations with established ties to the CPP-NPA-NDF,” it added.

The NTF-ELCAC warned that without clear legal standards, the bill could punish constitutionally protected speech and create a “chilling effect” on lawful disclosures, including those backed by verified intelligence and testimonies from former insurgents.

By seeking to criminalize this term without statutory clarity or proof of actual harm, the task force lamented that the bill invites abuse, misapplication and political weaponization.