Luis Taruc (born June 21, 1913,Santa Monica, Philippines—died May 4, 2005, Quezon City) was a Philippine leader (1942–54) of the communist Huk (Hukbalahap) movement.

The son of poor peasants, Taruc studied at the University of Manila for two years (1932–34) and then became involved in the cause of thePhilippines’ landless peasants. Strongly drawn to Marxism, he joined theSocialist Party in 1935. In November of that year the socialists and communists merged to form a united antifascist front.

In 1942, following the Japanese invasion, Taruc formed the Hukbalahap (“People’s Anti-Japanese Army”) in centralLuzon and became its commander in chief. Although elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in 1946 as a member of theDemocratic Alliance, he was barred from his seat when theCommission on Elections charged that he had won his election throughterrorism. After unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with PresidentManuel Roxas, he went underground in late 1946. Between June and August 1948, Taruc’s negotiations with the new president,Elpidio Quirino, also failed, and Taruc intensified his terrorist activities, helping in 1948 to create a new Huk movement, called theHukbong Magapayang Bayan (“People’s Liberation Army”). By 1950 his guerrillas controlled most of central Luzon, the “rice basket” of the Philippines, including two provincial capitals, and were in a position to threaten the continued existence of the central government.Ramon Magsaysay, Quirino’s minister of national defense made considerable progress in countering Taruc’s movement, however, by gaining peasant support and reforming the army and constabulary. In 1954 the Huks had been soundermined that Taruc surrendered. Put on trial for revolt and terrorism, he was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. He was pardoned by PresidentFerdinand Marcos in September 1968 and once again became active in theland reform movement. Taruc wroteBorn of the People (1953) andHe Who Rides the Tiger (1967).