A prominent labor rights organization has issued a forceful demand for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to dismantle a controversial anti-communist task force, branding it a fundamental threat to workers' rights and Philippine democracy. The call comes on the seventh anniversary of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
A Legacy of Rights Violations and Red-Tagging
The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) presented a scathing analysis, labeling the NTF-Elcac a "bane" to labor and human rights. The group asserts that the task force, created by former President Rodrigo Duterte in December 2018, marked a major shift towards authoritarianism. Initially framed as a body to target the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army, CTUHR claims it was instead weaponized to silence dissent.
The NTF-Elcac systematically red-tagged labor unions, social movements, and critics of the Duterte administration, the center alleges. This practice, they argue, opened the door to a spectrum of abuses. These reportedly ranged from surveillance and harassment to abduction, enforced disappearance, imprisonment on fabricated charges, and extra-judicial killings.
Weakening Democracy and the 2028 Political Landscape
The organization directly links the task force's actions to a weakened democratic fabric. According to their statement, the capacity of labor unions and grassroots organizations to advocate for their rights was "seriously impaired" under the NTF-Elcac's reign. This context adds a new layer to the current political discourse following the November 30, 2025 protests.
CTUHR notes that various groups are now expressing fears about democratic backsliding, concerned that the Duterte family might capitalize on public discontent with the Marcos Jr. administration. With Sara Duterte leading early surveys for the 2028 presidential elections, the center warns she represents "democratic decline, autocratization, if not outright authoritarianism."
A Direct Challenge to the President
The CTUHR's statement frames the abolition of the NTF-Elcac as a crucial test for President Marcos Jr. They challenge him to prove his democratic credentials against the "authoritarian Dutertes" by immediately scrapping the agency, which they call "Duterte's creation and henchman."
Their demands extend beyond dissolution. The center calls for redress for all victims of rights violations committed under the NTF-Elcac's watch. They also demand the immediate release of 18 political prisoners from the labor movement and hundreds more from social movements across the country.
The group's position finds support in international assessments. They cite the 2023 International Labor Organization Tripartite High Level Mission to the Philippines and recommendations from United Nations special rapporteurs, including Ms. Irene Khan on freedom of expression, all of whom have called for the task force's abolition.
