The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said Saturday, 14 February 2026, it is monitoring what it described as renewed recruitment efforts allegedly targeting Filipino youth, following a speech delivered by Julieta de Lima before the League of Filipino Students during its 21st National Congress.

In a press statement, NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto C. Torres Jr. said the government does not take issue with activism itself, but raised concern over activities that may be linked to armed movements.

“Let us be clear: activism is not the issue. Debate is not the issue. Criticism of government is not the issue,” Torres said. “What concerns us is the alleged call to intensify recruitment and strengthen organizational structures aligned with a movement that has long pursued armed struggle against the State.”

Torres claimed that some forms of student organizing may serve as entry points for recruitment into underground groups, a pattern he said has been cited in previous government assessments and testimonies of former rebels.

“These are not abstract ideas,” Torres said, referring to the ideological framework mentioned in the speech. “Security concerns arise when activities are seen as supporting structures associated with armed conflict.”

The task force also expressed concern over reports of organized recruitment and campus expansion, although it did not provide specific evidence or independent verification of these claims.

Torres emphasized that authorities respect constitutional protections on freedom of expression and belief, but said the government has a responsibility to address potential security threats.

“We respect the rights of students and youth organizations,” he said. “At the same time, the State is mandated to protect public safety and prevent violence.”

The League of Filipino Students has yet to issue a response as of posting time.