The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict said it was "hoodwinked" by environmental activists Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano, who declared in a government-organized press conference that the military abducted them, National Security Council Assistant Director Jonathan Malaya said Wednesday.

"We have no question about activists having constitutional rights. What happened yesterday was that the NTF-ELCAC was hoodwinked," said Malaya in a television interview.

"Well, it was not just the NTF-ELCAC; it was the Philippine Army, it was the local government unit that hosted the press con, it was the public attorney's office. Many government agencies were hoodwinked by the two," he added.

Malaya said the two young activists were "community organizers" of the communist movement.

"That is a fact that we stand by, and when they came to surrender, we accepted them in all good faith," he said.

Malaya said the Commission on Human Rights had talked to Castro and Tamano, who executed affidavits saying "they are ready to join the press conference."

In a statement Tuesday night, the NTF-ELCAC expressed disappointment at the "turn of events regarding the truth about the case" of the two activists.

"We are appalled as we are deeply saddened by the unfortunate turn of events during this morning's press conference at the Plaridel municipal hall in Bulacan where youths Jhed Reiyana Tamano and Jonila Castro parroted the propaganda lines of leftist groups on their supposed abduction by security forces. We felt betrayed. The press conference was organized with only the best intentions in mind for the youths," it said.

Malaya stressed the government's position on the claims of Castro and Tamano "will remain."

"Unfortunately, we were hoodwinked and betrayed," he said.

Malaya said the two may face "perjury charges" for misleading the public.

"If it is proven that they executed this falsely knowing that what they were saying was not correct, they can be open to perjury charges," he added.

Malaya said the government will "slowly expose" all the information linking the two activists to the communist movement.

"We were very transparent about it. In fact, they were presented by the NTF-ELCAC itself. In the first place, why would the military abduct them and then present them to the media? It does not make any sense," he said.

Unfazed, unmasking continues

Despite the turn of events, Malaya said the NTF-ELCAC will continue to do its job as an anti-insurgency body.

"This is part of the job; you win and lose some, but we are still unfazed. We will continue to fight for the truth and continue to explain to the public the reality of what happened," he said.

Armed Forces of Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar expressed dismay over the abduction claim made by the two environmentalists.
"The act was brazen with a new plot, quite deep and dangerous," Aguilar said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.

The NTF-ELCAC's Legal Cooperation Cluster insisted that Castro and Tamano "voluntarily surrendered" to the 70th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, based on their affidavits dated 13 September, taken before Atty. Joefer Baggay of the Public Attorney's Office.

"However, during the press conference on 19 September, engulfed with fear from possible retaliation from the terrorist group, Castro and Tamano recanted their affidavits and previous statements to the AFP," it said in a statement.

Notwithstanding, with documentary evidence proving that Castro and Tamano voluntarily surrendered to the AFP, the LCC said "they should be processed in accordance with the governing rules for surrenderers," including the necessity of extending medical intervention to determine the wellness of their physical well-being.

The left-leaning organizations are now spinning narratives that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict is "sponsoring state terrorism," he said.