Manila - Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año have rejected the call by UN Special Rapporteur Ian Fry to disband the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Remulla emphasized the effectiveness of this internal mechanism in the Philippines in a recent statement.
According to Philippines News Agency, Fry's recommendation to abolish the NTF-ELCAC, issued after his two-week visit to parts of the country, is an unwarranted interference in Philippine internal affairs. Año, who is also the vice chairman of the NTF-ELCAC, strongly objected to Fry's call, which was based on allegations of violations against environmental human rights defenders. Año expressed disappointment that Fry did not fully engage with the NTF-ELCAC to understand its mandate, operations, and contributions to peace and development in communities affected by climate change and extremist violence. He pointed out that without this engagement, Fry's report should be considered incomplete. The NTF-ELCAC extended an invitation to Fry for a future dialogue to ensure an inclusive, impartial, and non-discriminatory approach to human rights engagement. Fry's visit was noted as very limited, and the NTF-ELCAC awaits his acceptance of their offer for a more thorough and balanced understanding of the situation.