MANILA — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday criticized United Nations (UN) expert Ian Fry for recommending the abolition of the controversial National Task Force to End local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC),

“Huwag silang makikialam kung paano natin gusto patakbuhin ang ating gobyerno. Internal mechanism iyan sa gobyerno natin, huwag silang makikialam diyan,” Remulla said.

The statement comes following Fry’s recommendation to disband the NTF-ELCAC as he says it is clear, based on his meetings with different groups, that is “operating beyond its original mandate by red tagging” environmental defenders.

“I just sense it’s moved beyond its mandate and usefulness. It is clear that this unit is operating with impunity and therefore needs to be abandoned,” Fry said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Fry, the UN Special Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, visited parts of the Philippines from Nov. 6 to 15 to meet with various organizations and government officials to look at the situation of the country and how the issue of climate change is being addressed.

The NTF-ELCAC said it took strong exception to Fry’s recommendation and that it deemed the report incomplete as the UN expert “did not find time” to raise issues relevant to his report with them.

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But for environment advocate, Jonila Castro, NTF-ELCAC’s statement only “adds on to its lace of lies.”

“Merong na-abduct, nasampahan ng gawa gawang kaso, meron pang pinatay. Malinaw sa report ni fry nakita yung katotohanan na kelangan nang buwagin ang NTF-ELCAC at matagal na natin itong panawagan,” she said.

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Castro and fellow environment advocate Jhed Tamano, made headlines in September following their statements that they were abducted by government forces in a press conference organized by the NTF-ELCAC.

Clemente Bautista Jr., international officer of Kalikasan PNE, maintains that the Fry’s visit to the country and the report yielded was balanced, and considered all sides.

“Sa sampung araw na pagbisita rito nakausap niya ang DOJ, DENR, DFA at nakausap niya ang mga LGU officials. Kitang kita na pantay, balansyado ang ginawang pagbisita niya sa bansa,” Bautista said.

He adds that the statements from NTF-ELCAC and Remulla only goes to show that it doesn’t accept the truth that human rights abuses are indeed happening to environment human rights defenders in the country.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa earlier said Fry might have been "misinformed" by "leftist groups" about the NTF-ELCAC.