Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso ordered the removal of tarpaulins tagging communist rebels "persona non grata" in Metro Manila on Wednesday evening.
In a statement, Domagoso said "we should spread love, not hate, in this pandemic."
The Manila Public Information Office (MPIO) assured that should there be other tarpaulins in the city, they will be removed as soon as they see it.
So far, the said tarpaulins have been spotted at footbridges near the US Embassy in Ermita, Manila, in Parañaque City, along EDSA, and on a billboard along Mendiola Street in Manila.
"Ang teroristang CPP-NPA-NDF ay 'persona non grata' sa Metro Manila (The terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF are 'persona non grata' in Metro Manila)," the tarpaulins read, referring to the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front.
It also encouraged the public to report any information about the said groups to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
The tarpaulins sported the logos of the PNP and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). However, both denied involvement in the placing of the tarpaulins.
Local government units (LGU) use the term "persona non grata" to ban certain people, who may have said or committed something offensive, from entering their cities.