BBM to continue NTF-ELCAC; Robredo to reopen peace talks

THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), along with its ‘Barangay Development Program’ (BDP) can expect continuity should former senator and leading presidential candidate, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos, gets elected in the May 9. 2022 elections, even as Vice Pres. Leni Robredo vowed to continue talking peace to terrorist groups should she be the one to be elected president.

In a televised interview last January 15, 2022 over SMNI news channel’s ‘Point of Order,’ Marcos only has praises for the task force specifically created by Pres. Duterte in December 2018 to specifically addressed the over 5-decades terrorism of the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing, the New People’s Army and their front organizations thru the National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“Maganda ang NTF-ELCAC, nakakatulong talaga; I think we should continue that,” Marcos said.

His statement is the first categorical statement of support to the task force made by a presidential candidate and has proved relevant after the Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday, January 17, 2022, dismissed all petitions to disqualify Marcos from running as president.

However, other petitions against him are also pending before another division of the poll body.

Atty. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, in a statement right after the ruling was announced said:

“The petitioners’ mere creativity for writing and wanting what is not written in the law as basis to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Presidential Aspirant Bongbong Marcos is way too frivolous and unmeritorious to override the basic precepts of the Constitution.

“We thank the Commission on Elections for upholding the law and the right of every bona fide candidate like Bongbong Marcos to run for public office free from any form of harassment and discrimination.

“After according the petitioners’ right to have their day in court where their case was fully heard and ventilated, the Comelec has unanimously spoken — the petition to cancel the certificate of candidacy of Bongbong Marcos was denied.

“We extend our hand of unity even to the fiercest of adversary and invite them to work together in ensuring a clean, fair and credible elections as our initial collective contribution towards nation building for the future of our people, the Filipino children and the youth, and for our beloved Philippines to move forward.”

‘Let’s go back to peace talk’

Also, in another categorical statement from a presidential candidate, Vice President Leni Robredo, in a letter to a supporter in Iloilo, Lean Porquia, said it remains her “firm belief” that the peace negotiation with the CPP must continue (“Buo pa rin ang paniniwala kong kailangang ipagpatuloy ang mga usaping pangkapayapaan”).

“Naninindigan akong tatapusin natin ang ano mang uri ng pang-aabuso—red tagging, pagbabanta sa buhay, harassment, at walang kabuluhang pagpatay,” she added.

Robredo sent the letter to Porquia last December 8, 2021, just several weeks after she met with military officials where she issued statements claiming she (now) supports the government’s anti-terrorism strategy anchored mainly on the NTF-ELCAC (see also Pinoy Exposé article of November 29, 2021).

After more than two years of fruitless talks and even wooing the CPP by allowing some of them to join the government after his election in 2016, President Duterte, just like other presidents before him, decided cancel the peace negotiation in favor of a ‘whole of government/whole of nation’ strategy thru the NTF-ELCAC in ending CPP terrorism.

Robredo’s position on terrorism again runs counter to Marcos’ statement during the SMNI interview where he also said, “If they continue on their wish to overthrow the government by violent means, how can I be on their side.”

Marcos also assured that he would support additional funding for the task force’s BDP, noting the effort to transform the country’s barangays, especially those in remote areas, make Filipinos realized that