The Philippine government is now pursuing a comprehensive peace and development plan that may probably replace the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a top police official said on Monday, Feb. 5.
But PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. also rejected the proposal to abolish the NTF-ELCAC, saying it is instrumental in pursuing peace, unity and development in the countryside.
“With regard to the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC, the PNP is opposing this move. We can still do more through this NTF-ELCAC and in fact, what we are now pursuing is unity and development,” said Acorda.
Dubbed as the National Task Force on Peace and Unity and Development, Acorda said it is expected to continue the gains of what the NTF-ELCAC has achieved in terms of weakening the strength and reach of the communist rebels in the country.
The communist rebels have been waging more than five decades of armed struggle in the Philippines, one of the oldest insurgency problems in the world.
The NTF-ELCAC was established during the time of president Rodrigo Duterte and focused on localized peace talks and funding development programs and projects in communist-infested areas like road construction and access to potable water.
The NTF-ELCAC, however, gained notoriety after its past spokespersons engaged in red-tagging critics of the past administration.
For Acorda, the successes of the NTF-ELCAC paved the way for coming up with the move to establish the National Task Force on Peace and Unity and Development.
“Since the armed conflict is gradually on its end, and through this venue whole of nation approach, we are now shifting to this direction (pursuit of peace, unity and development),” said Acorda.
"In fact, the NTF on Peace and Unity and Development is now being formed to head ot that direction. Through this venue whole of nation approach, we are
now shifting to this direction," said Acorda.
“We will have to sustain the gains (against communist insurgency) but now it will be focusing more on unity and development,” he added.