DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Ahead of the International Human Rights Day protest, rights group in Davao decry the recent harassment of a transport leader in the city, and join the call of various rights defenders in calling for the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict).
The anti-communist task force marked its seventh anniversary last week, as activists berated how the agency continues to exist and funded by the Marcos Jr administration.
Rauf Sissay of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Southern Mindanao chapter (BAYANSMR) said the Marcos Jr. administration has not eased its attacks on activists and government critics, claiming it has followed the previous administration’s pattern of red-tagging and terrorist labeling.
“There is no big difference in terms of political approach and treatment sa mga aktibista gikan pa sa panahon ni kanhing Presidente Duterte hangtud karon. Usa ka pamatuod niana ang padayon pa gihapong ginahubat sa NTF-ELCAC diha sa mga kumunidad ug eskwelahan (…against activists since the administration of President Duterte up to now. The proof is what the NTF-ELCAC has been doing in communities and schools) in the guise of forums and discussion apan usa kini ka paagi aron hadlokon ang katawhan ilabina na ang mga kabatan-onan diha sa pag-apil sa mga lehitimong people’s organizations (but this is a measure to intimidate the people particularly the youth from joining legitimate people’s organizations), ” Sissay said.
Davao labor leaders
The Kilusang Mayo Uno–Southern Mindanao Region (KMU SMR) said the latest incidence of red-tagging happened to transport leader Larry Argilles of Transmission-Piston, who was searched by three military agents in his community on Friday morning, December 5.
KMU said the three agents approached the purok leader in Argilles’ community, then reportedly presented showed photos of his wife accusing her of being a member of the New People’s Army in Surigao.
KMU SMR said the incident is “not isolated,” citing similar threats and red-tagging incidents that happened to their leaders and spokespersons from Carlo Olalo, PJ Dizon, and Jeffry Uypala.
Fabricated charges, labeling
Karapatan Southern Mindanao noted these recent cases revolve around fabricating claims linking activists to armed groups. Some of the arrests of activists involved planting evidences such as firearms.
The human rights group said under the Marcos Jr. administration, at least 42 political prisoners are held in various detention facilities across Mindanao, while one labor leader in Southern Mindanao is a victim of enforced disappearance.
READ: https://davaotoday.com/human-rights/a-familys-search-for-an-abducted-union-organizer/
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) raised concern over red-tagging into judicial proceedings, when an evidence in an ongoing human rights case in Manila showed a list branding NUPL and other civil society groups as “underground organizations”.
The NUPL said this shows how red-tagging spread from social media to influencing court process, as it now asks the Supreme Court to take action, create protection mechanisms for lawyers at risk, and guard against efforts to weaponize the judiciary.
Across the nation, the NTF-ELCAC has also resorted to harassing environmentalist, including the disappearance of agriculturist Gary Buban in Camarines Sur, and the police intrusion into the home of indigenous environmental defender Elma Awingan-Tuazon in Kalinga.
Waste of money
The Karapatan National Office flagged the proposed P8.08-billion budget for NTF-ELCAC in 2026, as this 314% increase from its 2025 budget is “not only a waste of the people’s money, but money used to fund repression.”
In 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the adoption of the five-year National Security Policy (NSP) 2023–2028 that directed all national government agencies, GOCCs, and local government units to align their security-related programs with the NSP. The policy emphasizes a whole-of-government approach in addressing national security concerns—an approach critics say has intensified rights abuses in rural and urban communities.
Rights groups noted that international bodies—including the International Labor Organization High-Level Mission and several United Nations Special Rapporteurs—have already recommended the abolition of NTF-ELCAC, saying its activities have undermined civic space and democratic participation.
End corruption and rights abuse
Karapatan Southern Mindanao and allied groups in Davao said they are raising these rights issues on the December 10 rally, along with calls to stop corruption that include flood control anomalies and budget insertions.
Karapatan underscored that corruption and human rights abuses “are two similar systemic problems” that weaken institutions and heavily burden ordinary citizens.
“Ang korapsyon is a systemic problem. Gibunga kini sa usa ka bureaucratic capitalism nga sistema nga angayan lamang wagtangon. Kung atong balikan sa ang balaod, naglapas kini sa katungod sa katawhan maong kinahanglan nga walay hungod kita pakigbisogan kini isip kabahin sa pagkab-ot sa tinuoray nga hustisya sa katilingban, (This is borne out of bureaucratic capitalis, a system that needs to be removed. If we look at our laws, it violates the people’s rights, that’s why we need to keep on fighting this so we can achieve true justice in our society),” said Fr. Elly Cayao, Karapatan SMR Chairperson.(davaotoday.com)
