National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya during a press conference in this file photo taken on Oct. 23, 2023, at the National Security Council office. (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — It would be irresponsible to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) at this moment, said National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya on Friday.
During a briefing in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City, Malaya and other government officials were informed that United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan recommended the abolition of the NTF-Elcac in a separate briefing.
READ: Abolish the outdated NTF-Elcac – UN Special Rapporteur Khan
Malaya was then asked if the current government structure would be enough to solve the internal armed conflict, to which the NSC spokesperson said that fighting insurgency was multifaceted.
“The bringing of development is the one that isolates the community from further Communist influence. So it will be irresponsible for the NTF-Elcac to be abolished right now because we have not yet achieved total victory,” said Malaya.
Malaya said that once barangays could be cleared of insurgency, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the local government units would also be present to determine the community’s issues and provide necessary aid.
“There are 11 weakened guerilla fronts all over the country, there are 1,500 armed regulars, and they are still there. So the abolition or the transition should come at a proper time,” said Malaya.
According to Malaya, the NTF-Elcac will begin transitioning into the National Task Force on Unity, Peace, and Development once all the fronts have been defeated or when a formal peace agreement is signed.
READ: NTF-Elcac to transition into unity and peace task force – official
“We assured her that we were open for reform. And we assured her that given the new tone of the current administration, there is an opportunity here for transformation, and as I mentioned, given the two supervening events,” said Malaya.