A National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) official called on Saturday on communist insurgents still fighting the government to lay down their weapon and seize the opportunity being offered by the government for a new life.

In making the call, NTF-ELCAC Director Jose Descallar said in a news forum in Quezon City that the 55 years of communist rebellion only brought hardship, misery and death to the people as the rebels fight for an ideology that is irrelevant already.

“Nagsasayang ang ating ekonomiya, maraming magulang, maraming pamilya ang nasira, naantala ang ating pag-unlad. Ang komunismo tinakwil na ho ng mundo. It is a failed social experiment. I t did not work in the Soviet bloc, China took the… it’s a failed social experiment wala nang saysay po ang komunismo,” Descallar said.

“Nandito po ang ating pamahalaan. Nandito po ang ating mga mamayan. Nandito po ang mga pamilyang Pilipino na sana bitawan ninyo na iyong mga armas. Sumama kayo sa pagtatayo ng isang mapayapa, matatag, maginhawang bayang Pilipinas, isang bagong Pilipinas na kung saan tayong lahat nagkakaisa, nagtutulungan para ibangon ang ating bayan.”

The government has been winning the war against the insurgents and expects to achieve a strategic victory soon, according to Descallar.

Citing available data, the NTF ELCAC official said the body started in 2018 confronting 89 guerilla fronts. Today, there are only 20 guerilla fronts in existence, after the government successfully dismantled 69 fronts in the past four and a half years.

“Of the 20 guerilla fronts, 19 ang weakened guerilla fronts and only one remain to be dismantled in Northern Samar. So, kapag sinabi nating strategic victory, ito na iyong 19 weakened guerilla fronts and isa na lang na kinukompronta ng AFP,” he explained.

“May mga concerns pa rin sa armed pero hindi na sila siguro nakakapag-initiate nang ganoong armadong pakikibaka to [bring] down our government. So iyon iyong strategic victory,” he added,

Under the Barangay Development Program (BDP), the government has been building farm-market-roads, school buildings, health centers, electrification and water systems in conflict-affected areas and vulnerable communities.

There are 3,187 barangays under the three-phased program of the BDP, Descallar reported. In total, the government appropriated P28.4 billion for the development of these barangays, he said. Presidential News Desk