Anti-insurgency body warns of propaganda in Mindoro solidarity missions

The national government’s task force against communist insurgency on Monday urged locals and foreign participants to scrutinize international solidarity missions in Mindoro island, claiming they often recycle outdated propaganda from rebel groups.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has expressed fears over “International Learning and Solidarity Missions” (ILSMs) conducted in Mindoro, warning that some organizers have deep ties to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

In a statement, NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto C. Torres Jr. said while many participants join with genuine intentions, the missions frequently rely on selective testimonies and one-sided reports, ignoring communities that have rejected rebellion and are rebuilding through government peace and development programs.

“These so-called solidarity activities, disguised as fact-finding or learning exchanges, are often based solely on cherry-picked accounts while disregarding the progress in areas now free from insurgent influence,” Torres said.

The warning comes as heightened tensions in Mindoro, where a recent “Grounding Solidarity” mission on climate justice this month (October 2025) faced allegations of harassment from police forces, according to activist groups.

NTF-ELCAC, however, described such missions as tools to discredit government programs and solicit international sympathy and funding under the guise of human rights or environmental advocacy.

The concept originated from the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), founded by the late CPP leader Jose Maria Sison, the task force noted.

In Mindoro, hundreds of residents have publicly condemned attempts by these groups to portray their communities as “militarized,” according to the NTF-ELCAC.

Similar missions have occurred in Negros and Eastern Visayas, where families of NPA violence victims rarely get a platform in solidarity narratives, the task force added.

Government officials maintain that peace programs, including community-driven development under the NTF-ELCAC, have helped reintegrate former rebels and boost economic recovery in post-conflict zones like Mindoro.

Activists, meanwhile, argue the missions expose environmental plunder and rights abuses exacerbated by government policies, calling for global solidarity to protect vulnerable groups.

The NTF-ELCAC encouraged a balanced view, urging participants to engage directly with reformed areas to understand the full context of the country’s anti-insurgency campaign.