MANILA, Philippines — Opisyal nang bahagi ng kontrobersyal na National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) ang isang saray ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Ito ang ibinahagi ni NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres, Huwebes, matapos aprubahan ng kanilang executive committee ang pagpasok ng mga mananampalataya bilang kasapi ng anti-komunistang task force ng gobyerno.
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"So with them on our side it will be a lot easier to disseminate, to cascade the information, the good news of the government to those living in the far-flung areas considering the trust and confidence and respect that the general populace have for those in the religious sector. It would readily be accepted by them," ani Torres sa isang briefing.
"We will not stop there, because down the road, there will be some observers also as part of religious sector representative, not only the regular member, but observers coming from other religious denominations. That is not yet happening now, but that is within the road map we are crafting."
Aniya, kabilang sa mga magrerepresenta sa CBCP ay sina Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista. Hahalili naman daw sa kanya bilang "alternate" si Fr. Jerome Secillano from the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs. Malugod naman daw nila itong tinanggap.
Maliban sa kanila, tinitignan din ngayon ng NTF-ECAC ang pagkunan ng kinatawan mula sa sektor ng pagnenegosyo. Dinagdagan pa ng 11 ang ahensya ng gobyernong regular na miyembro ng task force — dahilan para umakyat na ito sa 32.
"It’s not just a military of police problem, but it is a whole of nation, and whole of government approach, and nakikita natin when we introduce the support of the barangay development program, as well as the enhances comprehensive local integration program, mas maraming nag-surrender, lalo na yung armed group, and the people themselves, they condemn and repudiated the attempt of the [New People's Army] to recover the areas," ani National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano.
Iginigiit ng pamahalaan na 69 sa 89 guerilla fronts na ang "nawasak" sa buong bansa simula nang maitayo ang task force noong 2018.
Sinasabing nasa 20 na lang daw ang natitira: isa ang aktibo sa Northern Samar habang napahina na raw ang anim sa Luzon, pito sa Visayas at anim sa Mindanao.
'Church leaders tina-target ng NTF-ELCAC'
Ikinabahala naman ng ilang progresibong grupo ang desisyon ng CBCP na umanib sa NTF-ECLAC, lalo na't isa itong pormasyong pilit nagdidiin sa mga ligal na aktibistang grupo sa armadong rebelyon nang halos walang pag-iiba.
Ani Kej Andres, tagapagsalita ng Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, nagbababala sila sa maniobrang ito ng NTF-ELCAC lalo na't inaatake rin nito hindi lang ang mga community leaders kundi pati mga relihiyosong nakikipaglaban para sa lupa at nakabubuhay na sahod.
"We continue to condemn to high heavens the invasive tactics of NTF-ELCAC to militarize and infiltrate civilian authorities," banggit ni Andres.
"The agency has also been a den of malicious lies that has spewed red-tagging of individuals from beauty queens to high-ranking church people. We hope that the Church would continue to be a safe space for the least, lost, and the last."
Humihingi rin ngayon ang SCMP at mga Kristiyanong kabataan ng paliwanag mula sa CBCP lalo na't tanging ang panig ng NTF-ELCAC pa lang ang naririnig.
Habang hinihintay ang opisyal na pahayag ng CBCP, umaasa ang SCMP na mapagninilayan ng CBCP ang mahabang tradisyon ng mga Katolikong tumitindig laban sa tiraniya "gaya ng paghimok ni Cardinal Sin sa publiko noong pag-aalsang EDSA."
"Moreover, we invite church people to reflect upon the recent church martyrs who have been victims of red-tagging under the maneuvers of NTF-ELCAC," dagdag pa ni Andres.
"Let the cries of Blood Sunday victim Puroy dela Cruz, who is the leader of Samahan ni Maria and Negros killings victim Zara Alvarez, a church worker from the Diocese of San Carlos be guiding voices for the Catholic Church."
Hinihingian pa ng Philstar.com ng pahayag si Secillano ng CBCP tungkol sa isyu ngunit wala pa ring tugon hanggang sa ngayon.
Ayon naman kay dating Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino, dapat ay magdalawang-isip ang CBCP sa desisyong ito lalo na kung tingin nila'y marereporma nila ang NTF-ELCAC.
This is very bothering news. NTF-ELCAC has been at the forefront of red tagging and persecuting church workers and organizations. If some in CBCP thinks they can reform that body, or shield themselves from attack by joining the group, please reconsider. https://t.co/qpJmC8Q0xl
— Teddy Casiño (@teddycasino) September 1, 2023
CBCP vs red-tagging noong 2022
Taong 2022 lang nang kastiguhin ni CBCP president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David ang red-tagging at disinformation sa kanyang homily noong Biyernes Santo.
Aniya, naging biktima rin daw nito si Hesukristo nang bansagan siyang "subersibo" na nais magpabagsak sa Roman Empire na naghahari noong sa Judea.
Ang red-tagging na siyang ginagawa ng NTF-ELCAC — ayon sa human rights groups at Commission on Human Rights — ay kadalasang nauuwi raw sa pagkalabag ng karapatang pantao o 'di kaya'y extra-judicial killing