CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in Calabarzon has called on candidates in the 2025 National and Local Elections to make a public declaration against the communist armed struggle and private armed groups.
“Everyone who wants to participate in this election should have a public declaration against the communist armed struggle and private armed groups,” said 202nd Unifier Brigade Commander Brig.r Gen. Ronald Jess Alcudia during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum March 18.
He urged local candidates and party-list groups to openly denounce the armed struggle led by Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs).
“You can’t want to participate in a free election but remain silent when it comes to armed groups. You want to enjoy the benefits of democracy, but you must also publicly denounce the armed struggle of the CPP-NPA,” Alcudia stressed.
While advocating for a strong stance against armed conflict, he clarified that RTF-ELCAC is not against leftist groups that oppose the government through legal means but is focused on countering “armed rebellion.”
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) IV-A Regional Director Niño Balagtas echoed Alcudia’s call, emphasizing RTF-ELCAC is now recalibrating its strategy following what he described as a “strategic victory” against CTGs.
Balagtas noted only one remaining guerrilla front is left in the country as the government shifts focus toward the National Action Plan on Unity, Peace and Development.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which leads several RTF-ELCAC clusters, also supported the call, underscoring the critical role of local government units (LGUs) in addressing gaps in basic services to prevent CTG recruitment.
“Local government units play a huge role in addressing the CTG’s selling point of government service deficiencies, to prevent CTG recruitment. Therefore, our LGUs, through the whole-of-nation approach, have an important role in promoting peace,” said DILG Regional Director Ariel O. Iglesia. (CCM, PIA 4A)
