Safeguarding Minds, Securing Peace

September 2, 2025

As we mark the beginning of Peace Month this September, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) issues a vital reminder: the most insidious form of corruption is not merely the theft of public funds, but the corruption of the Filipino mind.

Former rebels, particularly the youth, consistently identify systemic corruption within the bureaucracy as a primary grievance exploited to drive them towards armed conflict. Their testimonies reveal how the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) preys upon the idealism of our youth, students, and vulnerable communities, even targeting public servants. They twist legitimate societal concerns into tools for recruitment, promoting violent extremism as the only solution.

The NTF-ELCAC unequivocally supports the right to constructive activism and critical thinking which are indispensable pillars of our vibrant democracy. Our push for accountability measures targeting terrorist recruiters is not an assault on dissent or lawful advocacy. It is a necessary defense.

We must draw a clear line: Our schools, universities, and communities must remain sanctuaries for legitimate debate and positive civic engagement. It is our collective duty to sound the alarm when these spaces are infiltrated and manipulated to groom individuals for violence under the CPP-NPA-NDF banner, rather than nurturing genuine patriotism. This responsibility is underscored by international commitments, such as UN protocols against the recruitment of children by armed groups.

Recent events, including concerning narratives in Mindoro portraying the province as “militarized” to exploit student advocates, and the disruption of legitimate student assemblies like the University of the Philippines General Assembly of Student Councils by external agendas unrelated to student welfare, exemplify this “corruption of the mind” in action. It hijacks the passion for justice and redirects it towards destruction.

Corruption manifests in many ways: the theft of public resources is a grave betrayal, but so too is the corruption of values that normalizes violence as a tool for change and dismisses dialogue as weakness. Both erode the foundations of our nation.

This Peace Month, the NTF-ELCAC calls for united action.

To our Legislators: Intensify efforts to purge corruption from government and enact robust legal measures to hold terrorist recruiters fully accountable.

To Parents, Educators, Civil Servants, and Community Leaders: Exercise unwavering vigilance. Guard not only our material resources but, more critically, safeguard the minds of our youth, protect the integrity of our institutions, and defend the democratic spaces essential for our nation’s future.

To Every Filipino: Actively participate in building peace – in your homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. True peace is not the absence of disagreement; it is the active presence of constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and our shared resolve to prevent violent extremism from regaining a foothold.

A nation with corrupted minds is a nation at profound risk. Let us work together this Peace Month and beyond to fortify our greatest resource: the enlightened spirit and unwavering integrity of the Filipino people.

Undersecretary Ernesto C. Torres Jr.

Executive Director, National Secretariat

National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict