‘SERIAL RED-TAGGER’ | Human rights groups concerned after Sara gets NTF-ELCAC post

May 11, 2023 , 11:09 AM

(May 11, 2023) – Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio has been designated as the co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) following a recalibration ordered by the Malacañang, drawing concerns from human rights organizations.

Duterte-Carpio, who already concurrently serves as the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), shares the position with national security adviser Eduardo Año.

“This is a show of force … against the enemies of the state who slaughter civilians and indigenous peoples, abduct and murder and execute members of our security forces, and attempt to pin down our progress as a nation through their ideals anchored on brainwashing, fear, and terrorism,” said Duterte-Carpio.

Año, who made the motion for this designation, lauded Duterte-Carpio’s “unstinting commitment to the cause of the NTF-ELCAC.” He also vowed to continue the “whole-of-nation approach” they adopted.

“We shall be enablers of positive change in the lives of our people as we remain steadfast in our commitment to end the long-standing communist armed conflict and terrorism (sic) by addressing its root causes and pursuing its last remaining armed and violent components,” said Año.

But progressive organizations raised concerns over the development.

Cedric Tendenilla, the secretary general of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, pointed out that the appointment of Duterte-Carpio as a new NTF-ELCAC official may lead to the militarization of schools, coupled with her strong push for mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Tendenilla also recalled the red-tagging done by Duterte-Carpio against the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), which filed a complaint before the International Labor Organization last month, noting that the vice president violated its right to free association.

Last March, Duterte-Carpio criticized the teachers’ group for supporting the week-long transportation strike, which she described as “communist-inspired” and “pointless.” She raised criticisms anew when ACT urged the DepEd to hire more teachers and build more classrooms to address the challenges in education.

“Students pray for safe and quality education, not militarization of our schools! Thus, we reiterate to the administration the call to abolish NTF-ELCAC, to stop the passage of mandatory ROTC, and to decisively address the seriously worsening learning and mental health crisis among the youth,” said Tendenilla.

Meanwhile, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay echoed the call to abolish the NTF-ELCAC over its dangerous moves since before.

“The designation of VP Sara Duterte, serial and notorious red-tagger, as NTF-ELCAC co-(vice) chair reinforces the fascist character of the task force. It only shows the greater need for the abolition of this (task force) that has been responsible for numerous cases of human rights violations,” said Palabay.

In 2020, Karapatan filed criminal and administrative charges against NTF-ELCAC officials before the Office of the Ombudsman. Several groups also sought to defund the task force over its repeated red-tagging, but it still managed to get a P6.3 billion budget this year.

(PM)

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