Two senators have called to defund the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) after accusing organizers of the now-viral community pantries of being part of the Communist Part of the Philippines.
When Congress was tackling the 2021 national budget last year, the minority bloc in the Senate repeatedly called for the realignment of NTF-ELCAC’s budget to augment funds for the government’s pandemic response
WHY waste people’s money on an organization that does nothing but harass the public?
That was the stance of Senators Joel Villanueva and Sherwin Gatchalian as they urge Congress to “defund” the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
The two senators’ statements came following the statements of task force spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. against the organizers of the Maginhawa Community pantry, a socio-civic endeavor that is now being linked to communist elements.
The task force has repeatedly drawn criticism for red-tagging individuals, organizations and professionals who are critical of the current dispensation and accusing them of supporting or being influenced by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military arm, the New People’s Army.
Parlade earned the ire of the netizens and several civic-minded individuals and organizations for accusing Ana Patricia Non, a businesswoman, who started the food bank in Maginhawa, Quezon City of having links with CPP-NPA.
Their accusations were based solely of her graduating from the University of the Philippines and for organizing a program, which resulted in embarrassing the current administration for failing to address the poverty and hunger situation in the country.
The Maginhawa Pantry Program resonated in other parts of the country and has even been replicated in other countries such as East Timor.
“Oh my! We should move to defund NTF-ELCAC in the next budget. Sayang lang pera ng taong bayan,” Senator Joel Villanueva said in a tweet late Wednesday (April 21).
“Reallocate the current P19-B budget for ayuda. Mas kailangan ito ng taumbayan kaysa sa mga ganitong kalokohan!” he added.
Villanueva was reacting to Parlade’s remark in an interview over One News’ The Chiefs last Tuesday, where the military official likened the Maginhawa Community Pantry to Satan’s apple.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian agreed with Villanueva’s suggestion to defund NTF-Elcac saying: “If these are the kind of people who will spend hard-earned taxpayer’s money, then it’s not worth it.”
When Congress was tackling the 2021 national budget last year, the minority bloc in the Senate repeatedly called for the realignment of NTF-ELCAC’s budget to augment funds for the government’s pandemic response.
However, the budget of the task force remained intact due to the request of the executive department that it be retained since President Rodrigo Duterte is “very adamant” to solve the underlying problems of insurgency in the country.
Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas also recently moved to have its current budget realigned to fund the proposed measures seeking to provide financial assistance to pandemic-hit citizens.
Parlade has insisted they were “just checking” the background of those behind the highly popular community pantries to make sure that organizers do not have any other agenda. (RdlC)
Tags: #communitypantry, #redtagging, #NTFELCAC