NTF-ELCAC threatened by Baguio mayor’s anti-Red- tagging pronouncements
>> Saturday, April 2, 2022
STATEMENT
In light of Baguio local government unit's move to ban Red-tagging posters in the city, NTF-ELCAC has released a statement condemning City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. Brashly written by Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, the statement accused the mayor of protecting “communists,” specifically mentioning Kabataan Partylist (KPL) and Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) in its baseless Red-tagging spree.
We from (CPA) have always been critical of government policies that pose threat to human rights. The Red-tagging campaign of the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has mainly targeted groups and individuals who are striving for peoples’ rights and welfare amid state negligence.
Because of our work on indigenous peoples’ right to land, life and resources, our organization falls among their top targets evidenced by the relentless attacks and false association of CPA to communist rebels. Kabataan Partylist shares a similar situation as they take the lead in representing the interest of the youth in Congress.
At this point, NTF-ELCAC is threatened as local leaders begin to counter their programs and policies. And with the groundswell of support for the political opposition in the national and local elections, NTF-ELCAC is desperate to prove its relevance considering the opposition’s commitment to abolish it. More than this, the task force can no longer save itself from the peoples’ rage and disgust over their corrupt schemes.
As for Mayor Magalong, CPA is one with the people of Baguio in urging him to continue protecting democracy and the exercise of civil and political rights. He has recently entertained a dialogue with victims of Red-tagging in the city who have been trying to directly engage with him since the height of political vilification amid the pandemic.
The dialogue resulted in the banning of Red-tagging posters but the legal battles of some victims continue. For this case, we laud the Baguio LGU for taking a stand, but we nonetheless remain critical of Magalong’s involvement in the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) resolutions on Dumanon, Makitongtong strategy a.k.a Oplan Tokhang against activists. The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) which Magalong heads adopted the Dumanon, Makitongtong RLECC resolution last year despite public outcry.
Succeeding the development from the city chief executive, we sincerely hope for more decisive efforts from the LGU in various levels to ensure the preservation of civic spaces for dialogues, academic discourses for the youth sector and the exercise of our constitutional rights for redress of government grievances without fear of retribution or state attacks.
Ultimately, this crazed counter-insurgency campaign that refuses to differentiate armed combatants from civilians should be directed towards the resumption of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) for a just and lasting peace. Stop the attacks. No to Red-tagging. No to tokhang. Abolish the NTF-ELCAC!
Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA)
In light of Baguio local government unit's move to ban Red-tagging posters in the city, NTF-ELCAC has released a statement condemning City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. Brashly written by Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, the statement accused the mayor of protecting “communists,” specifically mentioning Kabataan Partylist (KPL) and Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) in its baseless Red-tagging spree.
We from (CPA) have always been critical of government policies that pose threat to human rights. The Red-tagging campaign of the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has mainly targeted groups and individuals who are striving for peoples’ rights and welfare amid state negligence.
Because of our work on indigenous peoples’ right to land, life and resources, our organization falls among their top targets evidenced by the relentless attacks and false association of CPA to communist rebels. Kabataan Partylist shares a similar situation as they take the lead in representing the interest of the youth in Congress.
At this point, NTF-ELCAC is threatened as local leaders begin to counter their programs and policies. And with the groundswell of support for the political opposition in the national and local elections, NTF-ELCAC is desperate to prove its relevance considering the opposition’s commitment to abolish it. More than this, the task force can no longer save itself from the peoples’ rage and disgust over their corrupt schemes.
As for Mayor Magalong, CPA is one with the people of Baguio in urging him to continue protecting democracy and the exercise of civil and political rights. He has recently entertained a dialogue with victims of Red-tagging in the city who have been trying to directly engage with him since the height of political vilification amid the pandemic.
The dialogue resulted in the banning of Red-tagging posters but the legal battles of some victims continue. For this case, we laud the Baguio LGU for taking a stand, but we nonetheless remain critical of Magalong’s involvement in the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) resolutions on Dumanon, Makitongtong strategy a.k.a Oplan Tokhang against activists. The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) which Magalong heads adopted the Dumanon, Makitongtong RLECC resolution last year despite public outcry.
Succeeding the development from the city chief executive, we sincerely hope for more decisive efforts from the LGU in various levels to ensure the preservation of civic spaces for dialogues, academic discourses for the youth sector and the exercise of our constitutional rights for redress of government grievances without fear of retribution or state attacks.
Ultimately, this crazed counter-insurgency campaign that refuses to differentiate armed combatants from civilians should be directed towards the resumption of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) for a just and lasting peace. Stop the attacks. No to Red-tagging. No to tokhang. Abolish the NTF-ELCAC!
Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA)
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