Malacañang on Thursday cautioned the public against being swayed by communist rebel groups allegedly exploiting public outrage over corruption in government flood control projects to stir discontent and recruit new members.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro urged Filipinos, particularly the youth, to remain vigilant and discerning amid reports from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that leftist groups are using corruption as a propaganda tool.

“Kaya nga po maging mapanuri. Iyan po ang request natin at panawagan natin sa lahat ng kababayan natin, kabataan man o mga matured na mga katulad natin. Mag-isip po tayo dahil hindi po ito nadadaan sa dahas (That's why we must be discerning. This is our request and appeal to all our fellow citizens, whether young or more mature like us. Let us think critically because this cannot be resolved through violence),” Castro said.

She emphasized that public frustration over corruption should not be manipulated into hatred against the government.

“Hindi po ito kailangang gamitin para magalit kayo sa gobyerno o magalit kung kanino man. Magtulung-tulong po tayong lahat para masawata ang korapsyon dito sa bansa (This should not be used as a reason for you to get angry at the government or at anyone else. Let us all work together to put an end to corruption in our country),” she said.

According to the NTF-ELCAC, rebel groups are capitalizing on ongoing investigations into anomalies in flood control projects to inflame public sentiment and sow distrust, particularly targeting students, youth, and marginalized sectors.

NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said the strategy involves twisting legitimate grievances into recruitment narratives that encourage violent extremism.

“The most dangerous form of corruption is not only the plunder of public coffers but the corruption of the Filipino mind,” Torres warned in a statement.

He stressed the importance of keeping schools and communities safe as spaces for legitimate debate and civic engagement, rather than venues for radicalization.