‘Reds persona non grata in Central Luzon’

MANILA, Philippines — The Central Luzon Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) has declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as persona non grata. 

“We are gathered here with one common objective: to finally put an end to communist insurgency in Region 3,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr. said during RTF-ELCAC’s meeting at the Kingsborough International Convention Center in San Fernando City, Pampanga yesterday. 

“We are going to address it by the strong cooperation as mandated under Executive Order 70,” Galvez, who is concurrent Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security for Central Luzon, said.

EO 70, which President Duterte signed last December, institutionalizes a “whole-of-nation approach” by enjoining local government units and members of the community to initiate “localized peace engagements” with communist rebels. 

The EO created the RTF-ELCAC under the National Task Force-ELCAC, which was also tasked to adopt a National Peace Framework.

Help end rebellion

Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said ordinary citizens should help the government end the 50-year communist rebellion by convincing NPA rebels to surrender.

“Help us convince communist rebels that armed conflict is not the solution to the country’s problems,” Año said.

He gave assurance that the President is addressing the issues on poverty, injustice and corruption, which are being raised by communist rebels.

Records show that more than 8,000 rebels have surrendered since last December.

At least 2,129 rebel returnees received benefits and assistance under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP.

Año said they also recently launched the Retooled Community Support program, which aims to address issues on the ground through a convergence of government initiatives with the participation of the public. – With Emmanuel Tupas