Malacañang defended the P19-billion budget of the task force behind the red-tagging of community pantry organizers, after some senators said its funding should be scrapped or reviewed for being a “waste” of taxpayers’ money.

“Hindi naman po justified ‘yan (That’s not justified),” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said during a regular news briefing on Thursday, April 22.

This comes after Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr, spokesman of the National Task Force for Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), likened Maginhawa community pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non to Satan. The task force had also reposted content on Facebook that accused community pantries of being part of a communist recruitment strategy, a baseless claim.

Roque said a big chunk of the NTF-ELCAC’s 2021 budget is intended for infrastructure and development projects in areas still battling the communist insurgency.

“Ang pagkakaalam ko po, ang pondo ng ELCAC ay para sa mga proyekto na magbibigay asenso at progreso sa mga lugar na mayroon pang mga rebelde,” said Roque.

(From what I know, the funds of the NTF-ELCAC are for projects to bring progress and development in places where there are still rebels.)

Roque was likely referring to the P16-billion within the NTF-ELCAC fund allocated for its major project – the Barangay Development Program. The BDP rewards barangays “cleared of communist influence” P20 million each in the form of buildings and facilities. It’s an incentive for barangay officials to crack down on communist rebels in their areas of jurisdiction.

This is not the first time that groups have proposed diverting funds meant for NTF-ELCAC to programs they say are more worthwhile. In October 2020, health workers called for the funds to go to cash-strapped hospitals instead.

A month later, Senator Risa Hontiveros suggested devoting some of the funds to typhoon rehabilitation.

No outright condemnation of Parlade

Despite saying on Monday that the NTF-ELCAC should leave community pantries alone, the Palace is yet to reprimand the task force’s spokesperson and executive director, Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade, for his baseless red-tagging of Non.

Asked again on Thursday if the Palace would reprimand Parlade, Roque at first only said the task force is free to make its own decisions but that the Palace “has spoken” and “made our position very clear.”

Eventually, he promised to act on the concerns.

“Well, maybe Secretary Año and I will talk to Secretary Delfin Lorenzana because that’s the proper chain of command. I think General Parlade reports to Secretary Lorenzana,” said Roque.

He was referring to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año who earlier denied ordering police to profile community pantry organizers and expressed his support for the act of charity.

Armed Forces chief General Cirilito Sobejana said in a press conference on Thursday, April 21, that he had “reiterated” his guidance to Parlade, which is “to exercise due diligence” in relation to red-tagging community pantries. – Rappler.com