When truth tagging becomes public service

Simply put, it is shameful and downright absurd to hear Kabataan party-list accuse the NTF-ELCAC as electoral cheaters, more so further condemn President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as the alleged mastermind behind all this.

A Facebook post made by Kabataan party-list Raoul Manuel showed a derogatory image that depicted the NTF-ELCAC as the “Notorious Task Force for Electoral Cheating and Attacking Candidates.” It also showed a photo of President Marcos Jr. with captions suggesting that he (the President) is “addicted to cheating,” comparing him to the former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

In relation to a formal complaint filed by the Makabayan bloc with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Manuel’s comments were made claiming the task force is waging a blatant attack on genuine youth representation.

The Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) of the NTF-ELCAC issued therefore a statement condemning the Kabataan party-list’s accusations and expressed their utter displeasure and labeled them as “ludicrous,” forming part of a desperate propaganda by the Makabayan coalition in the attempt to regain public support and confidence.

The NTF-ELCAC, in its statement, reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a clean, honest and peaceful electoral process for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. The task force stressed that its only aim is to empower voters to make informed choices. Calling it “cheap propaganda” made by Manuel and his allies, the NTF-ELCAC continues to focus on revealing the truth, protecting Filipino citizens and most especially the youth.

Despite the complaint filed at Comelec, however, the NTF-ELCAC LCC actually views this issue as a grand opportunity to present evidence regarding the affiliations of Kabataan party-list with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front or what is more commonly referred to as the CPP-NPA-NDF.

In an interview on FAQCheck, Atty. James Clifford Santos, spokesman of the NTF-ELCAC LCC, stressed that the NTF-ELCAC, under the leadership of its chairman, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., supports a free, honest, orderly and peaceful 2025 midterm election, with the NTF-ELCAC continuing to advocate a whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace while further enabling the Filipino people, especially our voters, to make informed choices when exercising their sacred right of suffrage.

In a viral video that circulated on social media, one can’t help but realize how a middle-aged man asserted himself by exclaiming, in his own words, the Kabataan party-list was fake news. Truth  tagging at this point is leading to the many evidences that will prove how former rebels and members of the CPP-NPA-NDF are more than willing to testify which, as it has been said, should actually make the Makabayan coalition, including Kabataan party-list, fear such testimonies before even thinking of filing a complaint.

Telling the truth is indeed a responsibility held close to the chest by former members and by doing so, their commitment ultimately revolves around our children and our children’s children. Hence, truth tagging is public service – something all of civic society must embrace. Telling the truth requires courage, strength and conviction and everybody in public administration must be deliberate about it.