The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will "pursue legal track" against lawmakers who have alleged links with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

"We will now pursue the legal track because they have to be charged. They should be remove as partylist in Congress because... they have different ulterior motive which is to strengthen and continue the armed struggle of the CPP-NPA ," he told the Laging Handa forum Monday.

"Although our evidence is really strong but still we have legal process. We will go by that, and we will strengthen the cases against this organization and personalities," he said.

Gapay also denied the red tagging allegation against the AFP saying that the military is just "truth tagging."

"AFP is not engaged in red tagging but truth tagging. We are just saying what is the truth and we are unmasking these personalities and organizations involved with the CPP-NPA," he said.

"Their ultimate goal really is to overthrow our government and supplant our democratic ways with communist rule, through armed struggle, through violent means," he added. Robina Asido/DMS