Esperon to respond to senators over Parlade's fate as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson

National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Saturday said he is about to forward his response to senators over the designation of Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. as National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson, but has refused to disclose his recommendation.

"Meron silang demand sa akin, na na-publish na sa media, na tingnan ko raw 'yung constitutional provision. Tinitingnan ko nga iyon at meron akong sagot sa kanila. Kaya nga lang hindi ko sasabihin dito," Esperon said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

(They have called on me, which was published in the media, to take a look at the constitutional provision [on Parlade's designation as spokesperson]. I am looking at it and I have an answer for them. But I cannot disclose it here).

Esperon said he was about to finish his response to the Senate on Friday but was delayed due to "new developments."

He will forward his response to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and to other senators, particularly Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who did not call for Parlade's resignation as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson.

"'Yun nga lang hindi ko masasabi ngayon dahil meron pa kaming mga pinag-uusapan sa panig ng aking NTF-ELCAC at ating legal officer. Hayaan niyo na lang na ipagpatuloy ko ang aking pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kagalang-galang na senador,"

(I could not disclose at the moment because we still have discussions on the side of the NTF-ELCAC and our legal officer. Allow me to continue my interaction with our honorable senators).

NTF-ELCAC defunding

As to defunding the NTF-ELCAC, Esperon said they would like to present senators and congressmen a report on the Barangay Development Program.

The program called for the distribution of P20 million worth of development funds to each of the 822 former guerilla bases of the New People’s Army and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

"Wala kaming additional na budget para sa NTF-ELCAC na naka-program sa amin. Ang budget ng bawat ahensiyang nandiyan ay kung ano na 'yung budget nila na regular. National Task Force ito. Ang ginagawa ng NTF-ELCAC ay pagsama-samahin 'yung lahat ng programa ng lahat ng [sangay ng] gobyerno upang maawat o matigil na itong communist armed conflict," Esperon said.

(We do not have an additional budget for the NTF-ELCAC program. The budget of each agency included in the task force is their regular budget. It's a National Task Force. The NTF-ELCAC is tasked with consolidating all of the programs of all government branches to end or stop the communist armed conflict).

At least three senators have called for the defunding of the NTF-ELCAC amid the alleged red-tagging of community pantry organizers. — DVM, GMA News