MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang hapon, Malacañang Press Corps. Thank you for joining us today, we appreciate you joining us as we share the key directives and decisions made during the recent 5th National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or NTF-ELCAC Executive Committee meeting chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. today, April 4.

Today’s press conference is to provide insights into the directives outlined by President Marcos during the aforementioned meeting which were aimed at furthering the efforts to end local communists armed conflict in our nation.

To discuss what transpired during the meeting, we have with us today National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo M. Año; Executive Director of the NTF-ELCAC, Usec. Ernesto C. Torres Jr.; Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity; and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, General Romeo S. Brawner Jr.

Good afternoon, gentlemen. We begin with Secretary Año, sir.

NSA SEC. AÑO: Thank you, Daphne. Magandang hapon sa ating lahat.

The NTF-ELCAC is pleased to report the results of the 5th EXECOM meeting of the NTF-ELCAC.

The President has directed the immediate implementation of the amnesty program to the remaining members of the CPP-NPA-NDF since Congress has already concurred with the proclamation. I am joined today by Secretary Carlito Galvez who will give us the details of the amnesty program.

The President has also reiterated his directive made last year for government agencies to activate their respective project development office for the implementation of NTF-ELCAC projects in their respective agencies. He asked the DILG to share the template of the DILG EO 7o localization PMO (Project Management Office) to all national government agencies for their reference.

The Barangay Development Program (BDP) has established or was established with the end goal of bringing development to conflict-affected communities. Since the program’s inception, a total of 30.4 billion pesos have been allocated to benefit some 4,501 barangays nationwide that were cleared of NPA influence.

However, under the 2024 General Appropriations Act, only a total of 2.6 billion, or 2.5 million per barangay, was appropriated. The President said that the 2.5 million per barangay is small. He said, we have to do more; we have to do better than that; and we will try to reach 10 million per barangay. The President has directed the Cabinet to increase the financial support to the 846 BDP barangays for 2024. He tasked the DBM to allow the 846 barangays to access the FALGU or the Financial Assistance through LGU so that their requirements for farm-to-market roads and water system and sanitation can immediately be funded this year.

The DILG and the DBM will crunch the numbers and work out the immediate implementation of the President’s directive.

The President also directed the NTF-ELCAC to propose specific programs and projects for continuous implementation of projects for the 5,430 barangays that have been part of the BDP program since its inception.

The President also directed the Cabinet to study the proposed 2024 to 2028 NTF-ELCAC roadmap. He directed the OPAPRU and the DND to submit their comments which seek to institutionalize the NTF-ELCAC transformation program for combatants, their families and barangays.

Under the proposed roadmap, the NTF-ELCAC has crafted a roadmap to ensure a path to unity, peace and development during the term of the Marcos administration. The roadmap has two tracks: Track 1, addresses the primary issues and root causes of the communist armed conflict, emerge as strong and dynamic communities, and institutionalize peace and development initiatives; Track 2, ensures that former rebels are fully mainstreamed to contribute to nation building, communities are empowered to resolve issues through a consultative decision-making process, and all sectors are united to resist threats of terrorism.

The roadmap will significantly contribute to the President’s Philippine Development Plan 2023 – 2038, notably Chapter 13, ensure peace and security and administration of justice.

Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, Secretary Año. Next we have Undersecretary Torres.

USEC. ERNESTO TORRES JR: Good afternoon, friends from the media.

We would be giving you details in this afternoon’s press conference on the items that were discussed a while ago with the President himself presiding the 5th NTF-ELCAC meeting.

So the six items that were enumerated by our Secretary, NSA Año, was already shared with you and we will just be discussing this along the way as we progress in our briefing. Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you. Secretary Galvez.

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Good afternoon everybody, to our media friends.

On the part of the OPAPRU, the OPAPRU is in charge on the local peace engagement track of the NTF-ELCAC and at the same time, we are now monitoring on the development of the amnesty.

For OPAPRU, we are recommending to the President and to the NTF-ELCAC that we need to really comprehensively make a transformation roadmap wherein this will delve more on the combatants, their families and the communities, including the barangays and the provinces. As of this moment, the OPAPRU is concentrating on the localization of the transformation roadmap. We will be visiting 56 provinces – we have already visited 26. Yesterday we visited Agusan del Sur and this coming April 12, we will visit more or less, South or North Cotabato.

We will be ready for any questions pertaining to the different aspects of the NTF-ELCAC.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. The floor is open. Any questions from the media? Alexis Romero, Philippine Star.

ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: Secretary Galvez, any update on the policy of the Marcos administration to pursue the peace negotiations with the NDF?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: The consultation is still ongoing. We have visited most of the camps and also we visited some of the provinces; we have already visited Western Mindanao Command, we have also visited the Northern Luzon Command and also Southern Luzon Command. We also have a good discussion with the different commanders of the Philippine Army and we’re getting some positive feedbacks. But for now, I cannot discuss all the details because the talk is still some sort of ongoing.

ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: So, when will you conduct at least the informal talks, the next informal talks?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: We are still waiting for the decision of the President. But for now, we are on the process of consulting including the CSOs and also the religious sector.

ACE ROMERO/PHILIPPINE STAR: What particular matters were consulted? Ano ba iyong pinag-uusapan sa consultations?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: The consultation is to gain some constituency on the peace process, what will be their comments pertaining on the process, what will be the details of the framework and also some of the meat of the final peace agreement. But for now, I cannot discuss these things because I’m still waiting for the guidance of the security cluster.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you. Chona Yu, People’s Journal.

CHONA YU/PEOPLE’S JOURNAL: Sir, do you have figures kung ilang members ng CPP-NPA-NDF ang target na bigyan ng amnestiya and sino iyong mga high profile na under review ngayon iyong amnesty nila?

NSA SEC. AÑO: Before I turn the mic to Secretary Galvez, unang-una, binigyan na ng go signal ng ating Presidente na i-finalize iyong IRR para magsimula na. And initially, mayroon nang 1,500 applicants from the CPP-NPA – iyon ay ipa-process kapag ma-finalize na iyong IRR.

Sa other details, I’ll give the floor to Secretary Galvez.

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: As of this moment, iyong ating National Amnesty Commission, ino-organize na natin iyong tinatawag na Local Amnesty Board – ito iyong more or less 17 local amnesty board in different regions. Ito iyong magpuproseso at mag-a-assess kung either iyong ina-apply na amnesty will be eligible or not. Sa ngayon ang nakita namin, we are expecting more or less 1,500 from the CPP-NPA and I believe it will increase in case na magkaroon na tayo ng tinatawag natin na proseso.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Harley Valbuena, DZME.

HARLEY VALBUENA/DZME: Hello, good afternoon po. Sirs, now that the government is shifting its focus from internal security to external defense, so how long will it take until we can fully claim our victory against communist insurgency so that we can join in refocusing our forces to external security?

NSA SEC. AÑO: First of all ‘no, ang ating NTF-ELCAC roadmap is up to 2028. So kahit na nagta-transition iyong ating armed forces from internal to external, marami pa ring role ang armed forces dito. Particularly, ang ating goal is to dismantle the 11 weakened guerilla fronts up to the end of the year and this will also include dismantling 26 vertical units and party organs within the 27 sub-regional committees and 40 regional party committees. So the PNP and the Armed Forces will work closer because some areas na cleared na will have to be handled by the Philippine National Police as the Armed Forces [of the Philippines] transition into the external defense mode.

But there will always be tasking for the Armed Forces of the Philippines all the way because it’s part of the NTF-ELCAC.

So I’ll give the floor to our Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner.

AFP CHIEF GENERAL BRAWNER JR.: Thank you, sir. Good afternoon everyone.

So, on the part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we have set our deadlines for our units on the ground to dismantle the remaining weakened guerilla fronts to address the vertical units of the New People’s Army and also to continue to dismantle the regional party committees and the sub-regional committees ‘no.

So, nagbigay tayo ng mga targets sa mga units natin kaya’t kung mapapansin po ninyo ay halos everyday ay nagkakaroon po tayo ng mga armed encounters ‘no – not just between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the members of the New People’s Army but also with the local terrorist groups. So, we launched and expansive and intensive military operations against all of these threat groups.

HARLEY VALBUENA/DZME: Sir, so kapag dumating na po tayo sa point na we have already ended the communist insurgency, so we can now say that we can consolidate all our forces to external defense?

AFP CHIEF GENERAL BRAWNER JR.: Yes, that is correct. But even now, as we are fighting the internal security threats in our country, we are also slowly shifting already to territorial defense. That is why you will notice that the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is very ambitious. So, we have made sure that we will be able to achieve a level of a modernization for the Armed Forces of the Philippines that will be able to at least deter attacks to our country, to our territory and achieve a certain level of a defensive posture against sa any treats that will be coming outside.

OSEÑA-PAEZ: Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN

JOYCE BALANCIO/ ABS-CBN: Vice President Sara Duterte as the co-vice chair was she present during ExeCom meeting? I’m just curious how the discussion went because before, she gave as statement urging the president to stop giving amnesty to communist rebels?

NTF-ELCAC SEC. AÑO: Yes, she attended the NTF-ELCAC meeting this afternoon and she supportive to the president. And there was a very good discussion particularly on the proposed roadmap and some actions that will have to be taken, so all along the meeting ay andoon si vice president.

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: I believed iyong against siya sa amnesty, we already explained to the Congress and Senate that the amnesty – actually hindi lang siya kasi pati iyong mga senador at saka iyong mga congressman before, they don’t want to have that amnesty to the rebels – but we explained to them that those to be subjected for the amnesty are those who those more less 40,000 CPP-NPA that have already surrendered. It doesn’t include iyong mga nakakulong at the same iyong mga nandoon pa sa taas. Ibig sabihin iyong amnesty is only involving those who are already taking cognizance of their situation and they went back to folds of the law already. And karamihan po dito, may mga iba po na mayroon mga warrant of arrest and iyong iba nakakulong.

OSEÑA-PAEZ: Julie Aurelio, Philippine Daily Inquirer.

JULIE AURELIO / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: Sir, just to clarify on that. Proclamation 404 concurred by Congress said that, those covered by the amnesty are former members of CPP-NPA and what Secretary Año earlier said was the immediate amnesty was for remaining members of the CPP-NPA. Is this going to be under that the same proclamation or is this a new proclamation na?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: I believed iyong aming discussion with the Senate and the Congress they understand that those who will be given the amnesty are only the 40,000 surrenderees. Those who are still in the mountains, ang alam po natin diyan is the amnesty commission will determine now, if there will be—kasi ang ano natin diyan, the National Amnesty Commission will be given the privilege adjudicate based on the proclamations given by the President.

JULIE AURELIO/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: Iyan ba iyong 1,500 sir?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Yes, it might increase pa, initial pa lang iyong applicants. Kasi basically ang gusto ng iba, alam mo naman iyong Pilipino, titingnan muna nila kung maganda, kapag once na nakita nila na ang outcome is favorable to them, maybe they will apply.

JULIE AURELIO/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: So to sum it up, para bang the immediate amnesty for the remaining member is parang expanded coverage of the amnesty program?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Yes it might, but definitely ang coverage ngayon, for the meantime is those who already surrendered, those who go back to the folds of the law.

OSEÑA-PAEZ: Alvin Baltazar, Radyo Pilipinas.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Secretary Año, magandang hapon po, today po ba ilan na lang po ang strong force ng CPP-NPA?

NTF-ELCAC SEC. AÑO: As of the latest report of NICA, ito na iyong tinatawag nating validated figures, there are about 1,576 remaining NPAs and 1,406 firearms.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Kasama doon sa amnesty, kasama sa package, sir, iyong automatic ay isu-surrender nila iyong mga armas nila?

NTF-ELCAC SEC. AÑO: Well, first we have this E-CLIP program ‘no, bago naman iyan mag-avail ng amnesty dadaan iyon sa E-CLIP, may remuneration din iyong firearms. So, may mga surrenderees tayo na may firearms, mayroon wala ina-accommodate natin iyan, so mayroon naman tayong E-CLIP Committee, so lahat naman iyan ay dadaan pati validation. But sa conference kanina ay pinaghahanda na rin natin iyong particularly DILG and DND na i-anticipate natin na magkakaroon tayo ng mga surrenderees within the coming weeks and months and we expect na itong 1,576 ay puwedeng posibleng maging surrenderees.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Sir, napag-usapan din ba sa meeting iyong posibleng magkaroon ng intensiyon iyong mga magbabalik-loob na maging part sila o maging integree later on?

NTF-ELCAC SEC. AÑO: Wala iyan sa mga pinag-uusapan, pero iyan may mga programs tayo diyan na existing naman ano, mayroon tayong mga like for example with the MNLF before naging integrees; iyong CPLA napasok sa Armed Forces. So, hindi iyan natatapos lang diyan ‘no. Sabi nga natin eh, ang objective natin is transformation of these people to become productive citizens of our country.

OSEÑA-PAEZ: Racquel Bayan/Radyo Pilipinas.

RACQUEL BAYAN/ RADYO PILIPINAS: Secretary Galvez po. I know, you mentioned kanina na nasa process pa po tayo nang pag-aayos sa pagbibigay ng amnesty. Pero sir, can we expect na within the year po makakapag-grant na po tayo?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ: Definitely, sa ngayon lang kasi iyong first semester natin more on admin lang, iyong administration at saka iyong pagbubuo ng Local Amnesty Board. And karamihan po ng ating mga commissioners napupunta po sila sa different areas in order to conduct iyong information education campaign.

So for now, ang nakita namin iyong first semester is more on admin and then hopefully by the third quarter and fourth quarter ay nandoon na po iyong submission application. Kaya po iyong hiningi po namin sa ating mahal na Presidente is two years kasi iyong one year natin na nangyari noon with the previous administration nag-lapse po doon pa lang sa reorganization. But we are so happy that we are given two years. At least iyong last year namin na reorganization mayroon pa kaming at least six months pa for the preparation of the IRR.

For the IRR, niri-review na po ng National Amnesty Commission, naka-prepare na po iyon actually. Ang ginagawa na lang po natin is bini-vet na lang po natin sa mga concerned agencies.

NTF-ELCAC EXEC. DIR. TORRES JR.: If I may add to the reply of Secretary Galvez, part of the preparation also for the implementation of the amnesty program is the evolution of our halfway houses into peace centers. If you may recall iyong ating mga halfway houses it is the facility kung saan nadi-deradicalize, nati-train and napi-prepare iyong mga FRs natin to go back to the mainstream society.

So, with its evolution to peace centers kasama rin iyan sa na-approve ng ating Pangulo during the last executive committee meeting and we are already in the process of evolving this halfway houses to peace centers so when the time comes na full blown na iyong ating implementation ng mga peace centers we would expect that there would a peace center at least ‘no in every province – so, it would facilitate the implementation of the amnesty program.

Q: Sir, hingi lang po ko ng update. Last year po, the Philippine government signed a joint communique with NDFP. Three months or four months after the signing po, anu-ano na po ang mga nakita nating improvement on ground?

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: Sa ngayon ang ano natin is nakaka-build tayo ng constituency, isa na iyong tinatawag nating sa including sa international diplomacy na we wanted to implore na kailangan talagang tapusin iyong—to end this armed conflict. Iyon ngang sinasabi ni Presidente na there will be no winner. So, for us I think the building of the constituency including iyong ating member ng religious sector, we wanted to convey iyong tinatawag nating public diplomacy.

The use of armed struggle is already an anathema to our society, we can solve a lot of issues peacefully – iyon ang bini-build namin and I believe we would like to convince the other side also na that it’s better to talk rather than to wage iyong armed struggle.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Jean Mangaluz, Inquirer.Net.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRER.NET: Good afternoon. Can you please elaborate on the difference between a halfway house and a peace center?

NTF-ELCAC EXEC. DIR. TORRES JR.: Iyong halfway houses natin kasi dito dinadala iyong ating surrenderees for them to be processed under the E-CLIP. So, part of the process is to first interview them so that the halfway house, the center manager, would determine what particular interventions will be given to the FR.

So, DSWD is usually the center manager; tapos mayroon din tayong mga TESDA diyan to provide training kung ano iyong mga skills ng FRs natin; DOLE, comes in also. Depending on the program that would be designed for a particular FR, doon ginagawa sa halfway houses iyan but iyon lang iyong proseso from surrendering, deradicalization and preparation for them to go back to the mainstream society.

So, with the evolution to peace centers parang one-stop shop na siya sa isang FR na nagbagong-buhay. So, all the processes that maybe required of him or her to complete iyong kaniyang amnesty ay doon na gagawin sa mga peace centers.

So, at the moment ang pilot na peace center na na-establish na ay iyong nandoon sa Agusan del Norte and there are seven other provinces na ipa-pilot test ito with the aim of having at least one peace center per province.

OPAPRU SEC. GALVEZ JR.: Can I add on that, actually advanced na iyong Agusan del Norte dahil kasi iyong halfway house nila we coordinated with NHA iyong mga…ang tawag namin kasi ‘friends rescued’ eh – iyong ating mga ‘friends rescued’ binigyan na ng houses ng NHA. In fact, ang ano lang namin ngayon ang aming ginagawa ngayon, we engaged more on sa convergence with agriculture kasi nakikita namin na ang Department of Agriculture will play a very important role because iyon ang tinatawag naming long term eh.

For the DSWD, DOLE, TUPAD, at saka iyong ano natin iyong TESDA – these are transitional, tinatawag namin bridging program, three to four years’ time. But basically ang ating livelihood sa ating mga kababayan lalo na iyong mga rebel returnees natin we saw, we interviewed them karamihan sa kanila talagang based on agriculture and fisheries.

So, ngayon mayroon tayong convergence sa DA – malaki ang maidi-dedicate natin and I believe maganda ang mai-report natin later na the DA is now engaged – and the provincial governors – na talagang binibigyan na nila ng at least possible long-term livelihood at saka employment iyong ating FR.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRER.NET: Do you see the eventual integration of NTF-ELCAC to the National Maritime Council?

NSA SEC. AÑO: Hindi. Parang malayo iyong distansiya. The National Maritime Council has a different function and mandate.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: We have question from Anne Soberano, Bombo Radyo.

ANNE SOBERANO/BOMBO RADYO: Sec., good afternoon, Secretary Año. Sir, may Cabinet meeting po kahapon, may specific instruction po ba or directive si Pangulong Marcos regarding po sa issue ng West Philippine Sea? At ang tanong ko po pangalawa is nag-usap po kayo recently with your US counterpart na si Sullivan, ano po iyong assurance niya sa Philippines regarding po sa kinakaharap nating hamon sa West Philippine Sea. Thank you po.

NSA SEC. AÑO: Well, first of all ‘no, iyong Cabinet meeting kahapon is not about West Philippine Sea or geopolitical issues, but it’s more on the economic sector particularly on the economic outlook for 2024 and beyond. So, hindi iyan napag-usapan.

Then secondly, iyong telephone conversation namin ng counterpart ko si NSA Chief Sullivan is actually in preparation for the bilateral meeting of President Marcos and President Biden on April 11 and also the trilateral meeting among Prime Minister Kishida, President Biden and President Marcos also on April 11. And of course NSA Jake Sullivan on behalf of the US government assured us of the iron-clad commitment of their government to help and support us especially if for example there is going to be a need for the activation of the MDT so nag-assure lang sila, the rest ay cordialities na lang.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you very much. This concludes our press briefing. Thank you, Secretary Año, Secretary Galvez, Undersecretary Torres and General Brawner. Maraming salamat, Malacañang Press Corps. Good afternoon.

##