With the approaching mid-term elections, candidates and parties under the Makabayan Coalition face intensifying attacks and repression of the Marcos regime and its armed forces.

On January 15, Makabayan senatorial candidates appeared before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila to file a counter-affidavit against police charges of illegal assembly or violation of the Public Assembly Act or Batas Pambansa 880. This is related to the protest action on November 30, 2024, Bonifacio Day, in Mendiola in Manila.

Ten of the coalition’s 11 candidates were implicated in the case, along with a Bayan Muna Party-list nominee, leaders of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and the Alliance of Health Workers. Similar charges were filed earlier against KMU Chairperson Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog and Bayan Muna member Nilo Mortifero, who was illegally arrested by police on the day of the protest.

On January 10, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) issued a memorandum requiring “enhanced security measures” over prisoners being linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) or its allies. It specifically ordered monitoring of senatorial candidate ACT Teacher’s Rep. France Castro for supposed frequent jail visits. Castro is being accused of ordering political prisoners to collect funds from “drug traffickers” in jail. She has been receiving increasing threats to her life.

Meanwhile, the National Task Force-Elcac issued statements of Red-tagging and spreading falsehood against Makabayan, its parties and candidates nearly every day.