Mayor Magalong slams NTF-ELCAC over pro-communist tag

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday slammed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for accusing him of betrayal and deceit after meeting with a party-list that the government has labelled a communist front.

Magalong believes that NTF-ELCAC must partner with the local government units (LGU) as the best way to defeat the insurgency.

“I am willing to face Badoy et al in public and debate with them. I am on the side of the truth, and I did not do anything wrong to undermine the ELCAC program,” Magalong said in a statement.

“LGUs should be their strong partners. We should support each other and cooperate with one another.  Bullying and manipulating facts damage that relationship,” he added.

Earlier this month, Magalong had directed the police to take down tarpaulins and other materials put up in public areas that label Baguio City activists and others as supporters of the New People’s Army.

A Twitter post of the Kabataan party-list on Saturday showed Magalong at its gathering and posing for photos with Representative Sarah Elago.

Following this, NTF-ELCAC criticized the mayor, saying that his recent directives were in direct violation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s mandates.

“The only silver lining to this betrayal by Mayor Magalong of not just the people of Baguio but the Republic of the Philippines is that he has made it exceedingly clear to our people why this communist terrorist scourge has lasted as long as it has: it’s not just because of the tenacious deceit of the terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF but also because of politicians like Mayor Magalong who participate in the deceit and who would put our children in harm’s way and who think nothing of continuing the grief, the bloodbath and the destruction of our country for their own selfish political gains,” NTF-ELCAC said in an earlier statement.

Magalong explained that meeting with the Kabataan party-list does not necessarily mean support for the group.

“I was there to educate them on voter’s empowerment. I'm on the side of truth. Hindi ako nagsisinungaling dito. And I’ve been doing that in other barangays, talking to different groups,” he said in a media briefing on Tuesday.

Magalong also stressed that the tactic of the NTF-ELCAC to twist facts on social media erodes unprecedented gains.

“Stories empower and enlighten. But it is intended to malign and taint with negative thoughts and hatred, it robs people of dignity. Sadly, they just did that to me,” he said.

"NTF-ELCAC should be about building bridges. Not burning bridges,” he added.

Meanwhile, Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson came to Magalong’s defense, saying the NTF-ELCAC’s statement is “too unfair” as the Baguio City mayor once fought communist insurgents during his time in the Philippine National Police.

“In his previous life, he risked his life so many times to protect the integrity of the republic against CPP-NPA pero ngayon, siya ang sasabihin na protector ng (now he is a protector of the) CPP-NPA? I think that’s too unfair,” Lacson said in a press conference in Midsayap, Cotabato.—LDF, GMA News