Responding to the news on President Marcos Jr.’s 2025 budget for NTF-ELCAC, Amnesty International Philippines Section Director Butch Olano said:
“The government keeps on funding harassment and attacks against activists – instead of abolishing EO 70 which established the NTF-ELCAC, President Marcos Jr maintains his support in perpetuating dangerous narratives against social, developmental workers, and human rights defenders by asking for P7.8B to continue funding anti-communist programs at the Barangay level led by the NTF-ELCAC. Their budget was significantly slashed after the Duterte administration, allocating and maintaining a significant budget is inappropriate.
The government keeps on funding harassment and attacks against activists – instead of abolishing EO 70 which established the NTF-ELCAC, President Marcos Jr maintains his support in perpetuating dangerous narratives against social, developmental workers, and human rights defenders. Their budget was significantly slashed after the Duterte administration, allocating and maintaining a significant budget is inappropriate.
“’Talks’ about communism in schools through the NSTP program and ‘seminars’ in barangays have been organized by NTF-ELCAC wherein they flaunt lists of student and local organizations tagged as ‘terrorists’ or ‘communists’, encouraging students and community members to identify ‘communists’ among their peers. This dangerous practice continues under this renewed billion-peso budget.
“De-legitimizing the work that activists, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, and other human rights defenders do, is an act of red-tagging. When any and all criticisms against the government are deemed ill-intentioned and an attack against the state, people are driven to suffering in silence.
“This move by Marcos Jr. to add more funding to an otherwise lost cause like NTF-ELCAC is clearly not in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling on red tagging, and also undermines efforts being implemented by CHR in combatting red-tagging and impunity following recommendations put forward by the international community. Are these efforts only for show?
“Following Marcos Jr’s SONA, where he promoted sustainable peace through delivery of social services and facilitating societal inclusivity by offering “amnesty” to rebels and welcoming them back in the fold are only smoke and mirrors, a far cry from what is happening on the ground.
“Amnesty International Philippines maintains its call for accountability. Marcos Jr. must end the practice of red-tagging immediately and cease any form of intimidation, harassment, threats or attacks against activists, and abolish, not fund, the NTF-ELCAC, investigate the practices of the task force throughout the duration of its operations, and address impunity within its ranks. Finally, Amnesty Philippines calls on the repeal of the Anti-Terror Act and the review of the provisions of the Cybercrime Act especially on libel, and we demand for the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill.”