Department Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. on Tuesday reaffirmed the department's solid commitment to do its part to contribute to the whole-of-nation and whole-of-government approach to attain inclusive and sustainable peace and development.

Abalos made the statement on the fifth anniversary of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

"As one of the key member agencies of NTF-ELCAC, our resolve to bring government services closer to the people, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, has never wavered. We have also continued to reach out and encourage our 'lost' brothers and sisters who have been misled to believe in obsolete ideologies to choose the path of peace instead of violence," Abalos said.

He reported that for the past few years, over six million community residents in conflict areas have already benefited from 3,460 completed projects by the NTF-ELCAC under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP).

"Such projects include farm-to-market roads, water systems, school buildings, health stations, rural electrification, COVID-19 projects, and training and livelihood assistance to indigent families and individuals. We are inspired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Jr.'s gesture of peace and reconciliation with the landmark signing of Amnesty Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406, which grant amnesty to former members of various rebel groups for crimes committed under the Revised Penal Code," Abalos explained.

Task Force on VP Sara's statement on amnesty and Oslo communique

The NTF-ELCAC, on the other hand, issued its statement concerning Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the task force co-vice chairperson, when the latter expressed her opinion during the Task Force's fifth anniversary and made an appeal to the President regarding the amnesty offered to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and the recent signing of the joint communique by government and NDF representatives in Oslo.

"It is important to note that our leaders may have varying perspectives and appreciation on how we can end the armed conflict but we cannot overemphasize the fact that these views and ideas are all geared toward a common aspiration that we share with all Filipinos — to see an undivided, logical and peaceful solution to this enduring conflict, once and for all, for the sake of our people and our country," the NTF-ELCAC statement sent to DAILY TRIBUNE read.

"A democracy is a free marketplace of ideas, which are all welcome until a permanent solution is reached. The Vice President's statements would definitely be considered as the discussions on Amnesty and exploratory talks with the NDF progress. We would like to assure everyone that such views will be part of meaningful discussions and consultations with various stakeholders, to include former rebels and civil society organizations for us to have a more comprehensive, inclusive and effective peace program that is in line with the mandate of the NTF-ELCAC," the task force added.

"Any effort, program and idea to strengthen the peace and development mechanisms of the NTF ELCAC is very much welcome in order to finally put an end to the 54 years of communist terrorism in our country. Genuine, inclusive and lasting peace is the prize we all look at as we tediously find closure to this age-old problem. The NTF ELCAC supports any and all peace efforts. It never wavered in the conduct of "peace talks" through continuing Local Peace Engagements, where the communities and local government units work together in reaching out to the rebels to entice them to go back to the folds of the law," the NTF-ELCAC stressed.

As clearly pointed out by our Co-Vice Chairperson, the task force added, these communities are already "fighting back" against efforts by the NPA to regain influence over them. To this we say that the whole of government approach and the whole of nation participation, founded on good governance, have been very effective in resolving the root causes of insurgency.

"That, in a nutshell, is the legacy of NTF-ELCAC," it concluded.