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CBCP says only its panel will engage NTF-ELCAC on red-tagging, other issues

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Erik Tenedero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David preaching in his cathedral. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File photo " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/09/01/20210816-covid19-sanroque-feast-5052-md.jpg"/><figcaption>CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David preaching in his cathedral. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File photo </em></figcaption></figure></div><div><strong>CBCP to evaluate commission&#x27;s engagement with NTF-ELCAC </strong></div><p>MANILA — The Catholic Bishops&#x27; Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) clarified on Friday that only its commission would engage with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and not the entire body. </p><p>In a statement, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs&#x27;s involvement with the NTF-ELCAC would address Church concerns on red-tagging of some cause-oriented groups. </p><p>David also said that the commission intended to provide &quot;moral-ethical approaches&quot; in addressing insurgency in the country. </p><p>&quot;It’s not exactly CBCP as a conference but the Episcopal Commission of Public Affairs that is there as a private sector representative,&quot; David said. </p><p>&quot;As such, this Commission has access to the NTF-ELCAC ExeCom and more opportunity to express the Church’s specific concerns, since its mandate is to act as a liaison of the CBCP to the public and private sectors and to advance some of the social concerns and issues of the Church.&quot; </p><p>David said that the CBCP as a whole would discuss the issue and evaluate whether it is necessary for the commission to join the NTF-ELCAC&#x27;s executive committee. </p><p>&quot;We intend to tackle this matter and come up with a concrete resolution on it in our forthcoming meeting of the CBCP’s Permanent Council,&quot; David explained. </p><p>&quot;Can this commission engage the said government body in a dialogue without having to join its ExeCom as member — i.e. as private sector representative? We hope to come up with some resolutions on this matter soon.&quot; </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Afnt-m3J7z0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>The CBCP drew flak after reports that it joined the NTF-ELCAC, which was previously criticized for its counter-insurgency measures, including the alleged red-tagging of some individuals and progressive organizations. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/31/23/cbcp-now-a-member-of-ntf-elcac">CBCP now a member of NTF-ELCAC</a></li></ul><p>Some Church members have been the target of red-tagging in the past, including Catholic nun <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/20/filipinos-havent-learned-lessons-from-marcos-dictatorship-says-activist-nun">Sr. Mary John Mananzan</a>, a known political and feminist activist. </p><p>In a Facebook post in 2020, NTF-ELCAC&#x27;s former spokesperson Lorraine Badoy called the 85-year-old Benedictine nun a “long-time ally” of a “communist terrorist organization” </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/multimedia/slideshow/06/05/21/church-red-tagging">Mission in peril: ‘Red-tagging’ the religious sector in the Philippines</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/18/22/church-based-org-slams-terrorism-financing-raps-vs-nuns">Church-based org RMP slams terrorism financing charges vs nuns</a></li></ul><p>Earlier, NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Usec. Ernesto Torres said the body agreed to have a member from the religious sector as one of the private sector representatives.</p><p>Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista, who heads the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs, along with Fr. Jerome Secillano, will act as the representatives of the religious sector among the private sector. </p><p>But Bayan President Renato Reyes warned the CBCP that joining the NTF-ELCAC could send the wrong message to public as the bishops&#x27; body might be used to &quot;deodorize the counter-insurgency task force amid a long list of abuses and violations attributed to it.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The CBCP should continue to let its voice heard on matters affecting the people, but it should be cautious on what &#x27;engagement&#x27; with the NTF ELCAC execom entails and its implications especially on the ground, in the localities and the sectors at the receiving end of state terror,&quot; he said. </p><p>Reyes added the CBCP should study the National Security Policy of the Marcos administration. The progressive leader said &quot;red-tagging&quot; and &quot;sham localized peace talks were further entrenched in the policy instead of a series of peace negotiations to address the roots of armed conflict. </p><p>&quot;The problematic NSP framework should be enough to clarify whether it is even necessary for the CBCP to join the NTF ELCAC execom as a private sector representative,&quot; Reyes said. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=859412411553249" data-width="auto"> </div><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

The CBCP clarified that only its commission would engage with the NTF-ELCAC and not the entire body. 

CBCP says only its panel will engage NTF-ELCAC on red-tagging, other issues

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CBCP says only its panel will engage NTF-ELCAC on red-tagging, other issues

Erik Tenedero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 01, 2023 04:53 PM PHT

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NTF-ELCAC

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