The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Thursday rallied behind the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision as to disqualify the Kabataan Party-list, saying the move was not an attack on free expression but a shield to protect Filipino youth from exploitation and violent radicalization.
The case, long pending before the poll body, anchored on testimonies from former members and cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), as well as documentary evidence linking Kabataan to organizations long associated with the insurgency.
NTF-ELCAC executive director Ernesto Torres Jr. dismissed the claims by Kabataan Rep. Renee Co that the proceedings were dictated by Malacañang.
Torres said the disqualification it was part of a lawful process “guaranteed under a democratic system.”
“No persecution but due process is at work here,” Torres declared, stressing that the Comelec’s independence must be respected by all political groups, especially when accountability calls their actions into question.
NTF-ELCAC criticized efforts to portray the hearing as a “revival of dictatorship,” calling it a recycled narrative designed to divert attention from serious concerns over Kabataan’s alleged ties to armed groups.
“Activism is not the issue,” the task force said.
“The Party-List System Act provides that organizations advocating or supporting armed rebellion may be disqualified. This case simply asks whether Kabataan truly represents the youth or has become a conduit for those who exploit them,” Torres explained.
The task force underscored that genuine youth activism which demands transparency, good governance, and reform remains vital in a democracy. However, it warned against radicalism disguised as activism.
