NTF-ELCAC positibo sa pakikipag-tulungan kay UN Rapporteur Khan

Tiwala ang pamahalaang Pilipinas na ang sampung-araw na pagbisita rito ni United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan ay malaki ang maitutulong sa pagpapatibay ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na mapayabong ang malayang pamamahayag.

Ito ang inihayag ni National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Executive Director and Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. sa virtual press conference ng task force nitong Huwebes.

“Ms. (Irene) Khan’s visit may provide an opportunity for constructive dialogue and cooperation on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in the country” ang tinuran ni Torres.

“It may also result in concrete recommendations and follow-up actions that could address some of the existing challenges and gaps in this area. The result of our interaction with Ms. Khan will have an impact on the Philippines’ standing before the international community, emphasizing the importance of fostering a positive and collaborative relationship during her visit,” dagdag pa ng opisyal.

Ani Torres inaasahan nila na si Khan ay magbabahagi ng kanyang mga bagong kaalaman sa iba’t ibang government agencies, civil society groups, non-government organizations, at maging mga kapanalig ng komunistang-teroristang samahan na Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“Evaluating the conflicting stories presented by both sides will pose a considerable challenge for her. Nonetheless, the government expresses confidence that the veracity of our narratives will prevail,” ang sabi ni Torres.

Umaasa aniya ang pamahalaan na hindi magiging kagaya ng pagbisita ni UN Special Rapporteur na si Ian Fry, na dapat ay magpapalawig sa karapatang pangtao ngunit inirekominda pang buwagin ang NTF-ELCAC.

Ang NTF-ELCAC ay naitatag noong December 2018 sa pamamagitan ng Executive Order No. 70 na inasahan ng lahat na magiging “game-changer” sa pagsisikap ng pamahalaan na tapusin na ang 55 taon na pang-gugulo ng CPP-NPA-NDF.

Matapos dumating noong Lunes, nakaharap ni Khan ang matataas na opisyal gaya ni Torres, National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Deputy Director Jonathan Malaya, kung saan ipinaliwanag ng mga ito at ng Anti-Terrorism Council hinggil sa Anti-Terrorism Act ng 2020 na siyang mandato ng NTF-ELCAC.

“She was just absorbing all the presentations…Towards the end of the meeting, there are some points that she would like to make a follow up on. For instance, ‘yung sa NTF-ELCAC concern. She would like to get further information about the red-tagging issue because alam nating lahat na even sa abroad the NTF-ELCAC is being equated unfairly to red-tagging,” paliwanag ni Torres.

Sandali lamang ang pagpupilong na iyon dahil sa dami ng meeting ni Khan.

“She would like to hear more from us kung ano ‘yung ginagawa natin to prevent such a thing from happening,” ang paliwanag pa ni Torres

Binigyang diin ni Torres sa pulong na ang isyu ang salitang ‘red-tagging’ ay di panuntunan ng pamahalaan kung di salitang inimbento ng CPP-NPA-NDF na kabilang ginagamit para pahiyain ang gobyerno.

“On Ms. Khan’s visit, especially in the context of NTF-ELCAC, our expectation is that she diligently listens and impartially scrutinizes reports from various groups she engages with. We envision her producing a comprehensive report that is fair and just to all parties involved,” ang sabi pa ni Torres.