P28B NTF-ELCAC budget for 2022 “bit too much” —Lacson

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said that the P28-billion allocation for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) under the proposed 2022 national budget is a “bit too much,” noting the problems in the implementation of the administration’s anti-insurgency program.

“Maybe P28 to P29 billion is a bit too much to fund NTF-ELCAC campaign against insurgency kasi sabi nila 3,500 na lang armed regulars. We gave them P16.4 billion for 2021 na di masyadong nagamit. To make matters worse di nagagamit nang tama,” Lacson said in an ANC interview.

(They said there are only 3,500 armed regulars as of the moment. We gave them P16.4 billion for 2021 which they have not fully utilized. To make matters worse, they did not use it right.)

Lacson, who sponsored the NTF-ELCAC’s budget for 2021, admitted that he has “frustrations” on the implementation of the anti-insurgency campaign.

He cited as an example the case in Davao City where they were allocated with P1.5 billion NTF-ELCAC funds even though they are not in need of the said budget.

“There are LGUs nabigyan ng pondo, Davao City P1.5B. Mismo Mayor Sara [Duterte] nagsabi di kailangan 'yan kasi walang surrenderee. Sa Davao [del] Norte 2,000 surrenderees, zero ang NTF-ELCAC. While it is a good concept, ang implementation again naroon ang problema,” he said.

(There are LGUs which were given funds like Davao City. Mayor Sara herself said they don’t need it because there are no surrenderees. In Davao [del] Norte, there are 2,000 surrenderees, but zero NTF-ELCAC budget. While it is a good concept, its implementation faces some problems.)

"Sa distribution mali na. (The distribution alone has lapses). P28-29B is too much. Di nila kaya (They cannot use it), absorptive capacity. We have to scrutinize, look at itemized budgeting for NTF-ELCAC. And they will have to justify,” he added.

Senators earlier slammed the increase of NTF-ELCAC under the proposed 2022 budget. They floated the idea of slashing the task force’s budget for next year.

The Department of Budget and Management earlier said they will abide by the changes that the lawmakers will introduce in the NTF-ELCAC’s proposed budget for next year.

The NTF-ELCAC was created to sync the utilization of the government and private sector capabilities to end the insurgencies. Several of its officers were reported to have red-tagged individuals, among whom community pantry organizers.—AOL, GMA News