Former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares has condemned the nationwide red-tagging activities of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) against progressive party-lists in the upcoming elections, calling it “black propaganda".

​Colmenares' remark came amid reports from various regions ​that there was coordinated distribution of materials ​that were red-tagging Bayan Muna and other Makabayan bloc candidates. 

He called this a clear violation of ​Commission on Elections' (Comelec) rules against black propaganda.

"This systematic red-tagging campaign using government resources is not only a blatant violation of election laws but also puts the lives of our candidates and supporters in danger," ​he said.

​Colmenares says the task force is ​"desperately trying to prevent progressive voices from gaining seats in Congress because they know these representatives will hold them accountable for their abuses".

Bayan Muna documented evidence of the coordinated operations​ and questioned the use of public funds for these illegal activities.

​He said such red-tagging activities were done in Kalinga, Nueva Ecija, Mandaue City and Cebu City in Cebu, Malolos City and Calumpit in Bulacan, San Fernando  and Angeles in Pampanga, Lucena City, Iloilo City, Antipolo City, Quezon City and other parts of Metro Manila, Laguna, Tacloban City, Cotabato City, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro.

"Bakit takot na takot na manalo ang Bayan Muna? Bakit todo ang paninira kahit na bawal na ito ayon sa Comelec?​ (Why are they so afraid of Bayan Muna winning? Why resort to black propaganda when Comelec has explicitly prohibited this?​)" Colmenares asked.

"Gumagastos sila ng pera ng taumbayan para sa ganitong desperate tactics. Public funds ba yan? Galing sa intelligence funds?​ (They are spending people's money on these desperate tactics. Are these public funds? Are they using intelligence funds​)?" he added.

Colmenares​ then called for a thorough investigation and documentation of all such incidents across the country.

"We have seen enough pictures to know it is a nationally coordinated operation," he added.

"Dapat na ilantad ang NTF-ELCAC at ang mga iligal na gawain nito. Hindi hiwa-hiwalay o tingi-tingi na mga insidente ang nangyayari kundi koordinado​ (We should expose NTF-ELCAC and its illegal activities. These incidents are not isolated but coordinated)," he said.