NTF-ELCAC welcomes reported FBI probe into alleged US links to communist insurgency
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Thursday welcomed reports that federal law enforcement authorities in the United States are scrutinizing the possible involvement of American citizens and organizations supporting the communist insurgency in the Philippines.
The NTF-ELCAC issued the statement following disclosures by the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) concerning alleged FBI inquiries involving the family of an American activist detained in the Philippines.
According to the NDFP, Gabe Pasion, an Anakbayan activist, claimed during a press conference in Baltimore organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) that his family had received repeated calls, home visits and workplace inquiries from FBI personnel and the US Embassy in Manila.
Pasion’s sister, Christina, was taken into custody in July following a raid on a suspected communist safehouse in Laguna.
“This should come as no surprise to communist front organizations in the United States. When American citizens become involved with a foreign terrorist organization like the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), they should expect scrutiny from federal authorities,” NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Liza Fidelis Cañada said.
The CPP-NPA has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States since 9 August 2002, while the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Council separately designated the CPP-NPA in 2020 and the NDF in 2021 under Republic Act No. 11479.
Under Section 2339B of Title 18 of the United States Code, knowingly providing material support or resources to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization constitutes a federal offense carrying serious criminal penalties. The law also provides for US jurisdiction under specified circumstances.
These legal provisions underscore the importance of a thorough, evidence-based investigation by American authorities into credible allegations of unlawful recruitment, financing or operational support for the CPP-NPA, while fully respecting constitutionally protected political expression, peaceful advocacy and due process.
“The allegations reported by the NDFP reinforce the need to investigate whether organizations operating under the banner of human rights and social justice are being exploited as recruitment and support networks for the CPP-NPA,” Cañada said.
The reported FBI inquiries come months after the US Embassy issued a security advisory in May warning American citizens against NPA recruitment and involvement in armed insurgency activities.
The CPP-NPA has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US Department of State since 9 August 2002, following a history of violence that included the assassination of American servicemen in the Philippines.
Cañada cited several cases underscoring concerns over the involvement of American citizens in the Philippine communist insurgency.
In January, Filipino-American Chantal Anicoche of Maryland was recovered near an armed encounter in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro. She subsequently acknowledged traveling to the Philippines intending to join the NPA and staying in an insurgent camp before her repatriation.
Christina Pasion, who had traveled with Anicoche, remained with the communist movement for several more months before being apprehended alongside a wanted NPA member in July.
In April, American activists Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem, both linked to Anakbayan-USA, were among those killed during an armed encounter in Negros Occidental.
“These cases raise serious questions. Who recruited these young Americans? Who financed and facilitated their travel? What networks connected them with armed insurgents and ultimately placed their lives in danger?” Cañada asked.
She said these incidents underscore the need for closer cooperation between Philippine and American authorities in investigating possible recruitment, financing and logistical support networks operating across borders.
“The Philippine government stands ready to cooperate and share relevant intelligence with the FBI and other competent American authorities,” she added.
Cañada also urged Filipino-American families, particularly parents of young people seeking to reconnect with their Philippine roots through activism, to remain vigilant against deceptive recruitment disguised as human rights or social justice advocacy.
“No political ideology justifies sacrificing young lives on the altar of a dying, violent rebellion,” she said.