CBCP: Only 1 panel to engage NTF-Elcac to address Church issues, red-tagging

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday clarified that only one of its 31 commissions, committees, and offices will be a representative in the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

According to the CBCP in a statement, the said commission that will “engage” the NTF-Elcac, is the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs to address Church issues, including the red-tagging of some cause-oriented groups and Church organizations.

“The said Commission clarifies that they are engaging with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) precisely to address some Church issues vis-a-vis government, including the issue about the red-tagging of some cause-oriented groups and Church organizations by the said body,” said CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.

“It’s not exactly CBCP as a conference but the Episcopal Commission of Public Affairs that is there as a private sector representative,” he added.

David explained that as a representative, the commission will be able to access the NTF-Elcac’s executive committee and, hence, be able to express the Church’s concern as the liaison of the CBCP.

He also clarified that the commission intends to provide “moral-ethical approaches to dealing with the problem of insurgency.”

CBCP to come up with a resolution

Despite this, David also said that the CBCP is planning to come up with a resolution on the matter during the upcoming meeting of its Permanent Council.

“Can this Commission engage the said government body in a dialogue without having to join its ExeCom as a member — i.e. as a private sector representative? We hope to come up with some resolutions on this matter soon,” said David.

The NTF-Elcac last Thursday announced that it had reorganized and expanded the task force, with hopes of having a more holistic approach to ending the local insurgency, stating that the CBCP now has representatives in the council.

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