The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has directed the New People’s Army (NPA) and the entire revolutionary movement to conduct political work within the ranks of the enemy, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). This directive is part of the Central Committee’s comprehensive call to strengthen guerrilla warfare in celebration of the 56th anniversary of the Red army.

“Recruit progressive and patriotic officers and men to the Crispin Tagamolila Movement,” the Party leadership urged. The Lt. Crispin Tagamolila Movement (LCTM) was first established during the martial law period under the Marcos dictatorship. It gathered patriotic soldiers advocating for the national democratic revolution.

It was named after Lt. Tagamolila, one of the patriotic soldiers who defected from the AFP fascist and mercenary institution, embraced the revolution, and joined the NPA. He died in a battle between the NPA and AFP in Echague, Isabela on April 16, 1972.

According to the Central Committee, to carry this out, “We must systematically gather information about the internal situation, grievances and contradictions within enemy platoons, companies, batallions and higher command structures.” It is also necessary to relentlessly expose the abuses against rank-and-file military personnel and paramilitary conscripts.

This task includes exposing the corruption among officers in payroll system and delayed release of salaries and allowances, mulcting funds for so-called “rebel returnees,” collection of kickbacks in local projects (especially under the Support to Barangay Development Program of the NTF-Elcac), and other similar programs.

Political work also includes exposing how the AFP and PNP continue to be used by the US military as proxy and instrument for its geopolitical aims, particularly in provoking armed conflict with its imperialist rival China.

During the dictatorship era and throughout more than five decades of revolutionary movement history, propaganda within the AFP and recruitment of its elements into LCTM proved helpful. Many became Red fighters of the NPA and participated in successful raids on military camps and detachments, disclosure of vital information, and other activities.