ATC maintains terrorist designation of CPP-NPA

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has maintained the terrorist designation of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

The PCO bared the news in a statement on Sunday, adding that ATC likewise maintained the terrorist designation of the Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) and other Daesh-linked, or associated groups in the Philippines under the council’s seven-page Resolution No. 53.

READ: Rules set by Supreme Court on anti-terrorism law to take effect Jan. 15

Under the resolution, ATC also named Elizabeth Pineda Principe, a member of the CPP-NPA, as a terrorist after it “found probable cause to designate Pineda as a terrorist individual based on verified and validated information, sworn statements and pieces of evidence gathered by different Philippine law enforcement agencies and the military.”

ATC said it maintained the terrorist designation of the CPP-NPA, or the “Bagong Hukbong Bayan,” as a terrorist organization “as they continue to target government forces and sow terror and fear among the public” based on the 268 atrocities recorded from December 2020 to August 2023.

It likewise cited the killing of national football athlete Keith Absalon as grounds for maintaining the designation. ATC said Absalon died in a roadside explosion from an improvised explosive device during the attacks in Masbate, among others.

On the other hand, the “continued involvement in terrorist activities” was cited as grounds for retaining the terrorist designation of the ISEA and other Daesh-linked or associated groups in the Philippines, such as the Abu Sayyaf, the groups of Maute, Maguid, Turaifie, Hassan, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The ATC said the ISEA and other Daesh-linked groups violated the Republic Act 11479 or “The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.”