Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday, February 4, said he disagrees with the recommendation of United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan that the Philippine government to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

“The task force is founded on the constitutional mandate that the State maintain peace and order. The NTF-ELCAC is one of the government's methods to ensure that insurgency is kept to a minimum, if not entirely prevented,” Go said in a statement.

Furthermore, the senator said the NTF-ELCAC was established as a whole-of-government approach to address the country's various root causes of the insurgency, such as poverty, inaccessible public services and programs, and government neglect in far-flung, often conflict-ridden communities.

“We all hope for peace amid these decades-long armed conflict. Umaasa tayo na magkakaroon ng sinseridad sa anumang peace talks na isinasagawa. Sa parte ng gobyerno, ipakita natin ang ating sinseridad sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatuloy at pagpapalakas pa ng mga programa sa ilalim ng (We hope that there will be sincerity in any peace talks that are conducted. On the part of the government, let's show our sincerity by continuing and strengthening the programs under the) NTF-ELCAC),” he recommended.

At the same time, Go questioned Khan’s credibility noting that she visited the country for only 10 days to check on the situation.

Ten days, he said, was not enough to fully understand the depth and breadth of the real reasons for the rebellion that has been running for over half a century.

"Hindi sapat ang bisita ng isang banyaga upang lubos na maintindihan ang lalim at lawak ng tunay na mga dahilan ng rebelyon na mahigit kalahating siglo nang tumatakbo (A foreign visitor is not enough to fully understand the depth and breadth of the real causes of the rebellion that has been going on for more than half a century),” he said.

The NTF-ELCAC has also made significant breakthroughs especially in persuading the rebels to return to the fold of the law and live peacefully with their families, according to Go.

Therefore, the task force should not waste the efforts that it started since 2018.

"Marami nang nagawang pagbabago ang NTF-ELCAC, lalo na sa paghikayat sa mga rebelde na magbalik-loob na sa pamahalaan at mamuhay ng payapa kasama ang kanilang pamilya. Huwag nating sayangin ang inumpisahan na natin noon. Sa halip, palakasin pa natin lalo (NTF-ELCAC has made a lot of changes, especially in encouraging the rebels to return to the government and live in peace with their families. Let's not waste what we have already started. Instead, let's strengthen it even more),” he said.