Task force to UN: Anti-insurgency ops comply with human rights

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 6, 2023): Task force to UN: Anti-insurgency ops comply with human rights (By Priam Nepomuceno)

PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS. Officials of the NTF-ELCAC and members of a delegation from the United Nations pose for a photo after their bilateral meeting on Oct. 4, 2023. During the meeting, NTF-ELCAC officials presented to the UN delegation the current efforts of the Philippines in addressing its "communist terrorist concerns vis-a-vis championing human rights." (Photo courtesy of the NTF-ELCAC)

MANILA – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ECLAC) on Thursday night assured that all of its operations to end the insurgency threat in the country are guided by human rights principles.

NTF-ELCAC executive director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., made this commitment after a bilateral meeting with United Nations (UN) representatives in Manila on Oct. 4.

"During the meeting, the NTF-ELCAC highlighted its mandate to harmonize and synthesize nationwide efforts through its line of efforts or clusters, its joint regional task forces, and its special task groups. Further, the executive director emphasized that the NTF-ELCAC's operations are mainly based and founded on the principles of human rights," the anti-insurgency body said in a statement.

During the meeting, NTF-ELCAC officials presented to the UN delegation the current efforts of the Philippines in addressing its "communist terrorist concerns vis-a-vis championing human rights."

The task force also provided the UN representatives with details on the processing of rebel surrenderers and rescued minors.

Aside from this, it also presented its programs for reintegration through its member agencies, among them psychosocial services, education, skills training, livelihood, capacity-building, temporary shelter, and identity validation and processing.

"The Barangay Development Program, as the flagship program of the task force, was likewise accentuated for the appreciation of the delegation," the NTF-ELCAC pointed out.

The UN delegation consisted of Krisztina Huszti-Orban, human rights officer of the Office of Counter-Terrorism; Jo-Ann Emilene De Belen, senior national program officer of the Office on Drugs and Crime; and Andrew Robert Pearlman, human rights officer and joint program coordinator of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights.

"Concluding the meeting, the UN and the NTF-ELCAC committed to continue its partnership towards advocating peace, security, and human rights throughout the country," it added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211271