The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to support the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in advancing the government’s peace agenda, following the acquittal of several senior communist leaders.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla issued the statement after the Taguig Regional Trial Court acquitted Tirso Alcantara and four others, all identified as senior officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Padilla stressed that while the AFP respects the judiciary, the acquitted individuals should not be seen merely as activists, but as leaders of an organization legally designated as a terrorist group in the Philippines.
“These are not merely activists, but individuals who held significant leadership roles in an organization legally designated as terrorist, one that for decades perpetrated violence and inflicted suffering upon Filipino communities,” Padilla said.
She emphasized that the ruling should not be considered the end of the government’s counterinsurgency campaign. Instead, the AFP views it as a call to “double our resolve,” underscoring the importance of sustained military operations, community engagement, and intelligence-driven initiatives.
“Rather than emboldening the communist armed groups, we believe such decisions reinforce the necessity for unified, lawful efforts to ensure they remain irrelevant—denied both the resources and public support needed to continue armed struggle,” she said.
Padilla also reiterated the AFP’s call for CPP-NPA members to abandon armed struggle and pursue peaceful means. “We will continue to implement our mandate to defend the Philippine Constitution, uphold public safety, and protect our communities from ideological violence,” she said. “We reaffirm our call for members of the CPP-NPA to abandon the path of armed conflict, return to the rule of law, and embrace constructive dialogue through legal and peaceful means.”
