Church, artists, rights advocates call for abolition of NTF-ELCAC, junking of CIFs
KARAPATAN Public Information
PRESS RELEASE
December 4, 2025
Church, artists, rights advocates call for abolition of NTF-ELCAC, junking of CIFs
On the 7th year after the establishment of the National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), more than 200 church leaders and workers, writers, artists, members of the academe, environmental defenders, food and human rights advocates signed a collective statement urging the abolition of the task force and the junking of confidential and intelligence funds.
“In light of growing reports on corruption in government, we urgently call for a thorough investigation into projects and programs under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as well as into the use of Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF), as these are also linked to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” the signatories said.
“It is time to reveal and uproot corrupt practices under so-called ‘peace and development’ programs. The notorious NTF-ELCAC should be abolished, and the CIF should be junked. This will make available significant resources for much-needed services and social-welfare projects, increasing the number and quality of health clinics and hospitals, classrooms, teachers, agriculture programs, low-cost housing projects and other service programs.” they emphasized.
The signatories also recalled that United Nations Special Rapporteurs have called for the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC to be abolished, as they called its “red-tagging activities” as “detrimental to free speech, freedom of expression and association.” They also said that red-tagging, which the NTF-ELCAC drives, was also described by the Supreme Court as a danger to the life, liberty and security of victims.
“NTF-ELCAC’s PhP9-billion Barangay Development Program (BDP) -- which purports to improve the lives of the people in order to discourage them from supporting or joining the armed rebellion – has promoted a form of patronage politics by the military, to further undermine civilian authority at the barangay level. In many instances, ‘development’ has been reduced to occasional rations of sardines and a few kilos of rice to the villagers,” they added.
Among those who signed the statement are church leaders Most Rev. Gerardo A. Alminaza, D.D., Diocese of San Carlos; Bishop Israel 'Ace' Painit, Davao Episcopal Area, United Methodist Church; Bishop Francisco 'Nonie' S. Aviso, Jr., United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Middle Luzon Jurisdictional Area; Bishop Daniel Palicte, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, South East Mindanao Jurisdictional Area; Most Rev. Rhee Timbang, Diocese of Surigao, Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Bishop Virgilio Amihan, One Negros Ecumenical Council, Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Bishop Romeo Tagud, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Mindanao West Bishops Conference; Mother Mary John Mananzan, Missionary Benedictine Sisters; and Sr. Cecilia Espenilla, OP, Prioress General, Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena.
They are joined by Dr. Giovanni Tapang, Dean, College of Science, UP Diliman; Kevin Eric Raymundo (Tarantadong Kalbo) of the Sama-samang Artista Para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAKA); Women Writers in Media Now; Bibeth Orteza of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines; film directors Joel Lamangan, JL Burgos, Kiri Dalena and Noni Abao; Bituin Escalante Aguilos; Julie Lluch Dalena; the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, Inc. (HRPEC); Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA); Dean Tony La Vina of the Movement Against Disinformation; National Union of Peoples Lawyers’ Atty. Ephraim Cortez; Atty. Jojo Lacanilao, among many others.
The signatories also said that “(C)ivilians have also been coerced into surrendering as armed rebels before they could avail of BDP or other program benefits. NTF-ELCAC’s surrender program (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP) has been reported to recycle surrenderees, and even firearms, so that the money for reintegration and livelihood programs for ‘rebel returnees’ could line the pockets of a few individuals and their military handlers.”
“The investigations of the Quad Committee during the 19th Congress on Vice President Sara Duterte’s Confidential and Intelligence Funds revealed how these monies easily become a source of corruption due to their confidential and discretionary character. Transparency is essential to guard against corruption and misuse,” they added.
The statement was initiated by MANINDIGAN, a national network to resist worsening violations of human rights and international humanitarian law under the Marcos Jr. administration.
*For the full list of signatories, please see attached file.
PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publi...@karapatan.org
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.