An official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) expressed concern that its campaign against the New People's Army may be affected by Wednesday's decision of Manila Regional Trial Court dismissing the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) bid to declare the communist group as terrorists.

"Perhaps, because maybe the leftist group will use this (to their advantage) if they will know that they are gaining support," retired Marine Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, executive director of NTF ELCAC, said on Thursday.

Manila RTC Presiding Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar said a perusal of the CPP-NPA’s (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army) program shows it is not organized for purpose of engaging in terrorism.

“While ‘armed struggle’ with the ‘violence’ that necessarily accompanies it, is indubitably the approved ‘means’ to achieve the CPP-NPA’s purpose, ‘means’ is not synonymous with ‘purpose’,” the court said in ruling promulgated on September 21.

“Stated otherwise, ‘armed struggle' is only a ‘means’ to achieve the CPP’s purpose; it is not the ‘purpose’ of the creation of the CPP,” it added.

The Department of Justice filed the case in 2018 seeking to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group under Section 17 of the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the department will file a motion for consideration.

Salamat said the NTF-ELCAC was saddened with the court's decision, claiming that the "real color' of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) - NPA - National Democratic Front (NDF) is not being highlighted."

"We are saddened because there is such decision being circulated or made by a court. (A) decision that runs counter to the decision of, earlier decision of the president, and decision of even, stand of the other international community making a strong stand against CPP-NPA as a foreign terrorist group, organization," he said.

"The real color of the CPP-NPA-NDF (is) not being, being highlight (ed). That's why here at the NTF ELCAC, we have (a) strong position and awareness to our people, community, youth, and labor sector to become aware that this CPP-NDF-NPA are employing dual tactics to deceive and radicalize our youth and labor sector and even women and other sector of the government to agitate and rebel against the government," he added.

"Because we do not know that they are gaining such support from the judiciary, from the legal perspective, so we will again have a legal battle here," he said. Robina Asido/DMS