The proposed budget increase for the government’s anti-communist task force, previously criticized for engaging in red-tagging and harassment of government critics, will be used for poverty alleviation and development projects, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday, August 24.

The Palace official justified the proposal to increase the budget of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) from P19 billion in 2021 to P28.1 billion next year despite the government claiming that economic recovery will be its focus.

“Una po, maski po nandiyan ang pandemya, alam pa rin natin ang kagutuman ang dahilan ng pag-aalsa. Ito pong mga proyektong ito ay magbibigay hanapbuhay dun sa mga nahihirapan sa buhay na dahilan kaya sila nagiging rebelde (First, even if the pandemic is here, we know that hunger is the reason for activism. These projects will provide livelihood to those who are having a hard time that is the reason why they become rebels),” Roque said.

The proposed budget increase is also in line with the government’s strategy on how the country will recover from the pandemic, which is “to provide more development projects.”

These projects will provide livelihood opportunities, Roque said, adding that it will allow more financial movement in the local economy.

He clarified that the implementing agencies will still be the local government unit or the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), but the funds will come from the programs of the NTF-ELCAC.

The spokesperson also assured that the funds will not be diverted for election purposes.

READ: Proposed P40-B NTF-ELCAC budget for 2022 an ‘election giveaway’ — Drilon

“Meron na po tayong (We have) constitutional guarantees. Meron po tayong ban on public works projects kapag panahon na po ng election (We have a ban on public works projects during election time),” he said.

In his 2022 budget message, President Duterte, who chairs the NTF-ELCAC, said that his administration will continue to address the problems posed by “communist terrorist” activities.

He added that the NTF-ELCAC will be tasked to implement the Barangay Development Program, which plans to rehabilitate some 1,406 barangay units in conflict-torn areas.

The increase in the task force’s budget proposal came amid calls for the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC, which was alleged by the public, critics, and some lawmakers to use its position to red tag activists and critics of the Duterte administration.

This year, the NTF-ELCAC released a total of P16.24 billion to so-called “communist-free barangays. A lion’s share of the funds was allotted to Davao Region and Davao City, the hometown of the President.

Davao Region got P4.3 billion while Davao City received P1.64 billion.

But some senators already said they want to defund the anti-insurgency machinery.