Quimbo on defunding NTF-ELCAC: It’s the decision of the Executive department

Marikina City Representative Stella Quimbo on Tuesday said the decision on defunding the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) lies in the hands of the Executive department.

Quimbo was asked in a television interview if she is in favor of realigning the P19 billion budget of the anti-communist insurgency task force to provide assistance to those affected by the pandemic.

"That's actually something that the executive must decide upon," Quimbo told ANC.

"On our end, it's quite agnostic as to which programs need to be stopped or continued. What we're saying is whatever program is stopped and whatever savings is generated, there's a provision in Bayanihan 3 that says that you can take those extra funds to use in ayuda," she added.

Quimbo is one of the lawmakers who has pushed for the passage of a third Bayanihan law to help Filipinos recover from the health crisis. She said the sources of funds for the proposed Bayanihan 3 is already being identified by lawmakers and economic managers.

For fiscal year 2021, the NTF-ELCAC was allocated with a P19 billion budget, of which P16.4 billion will go to its Barangay Development Program.

Some of Quimbo's colleagues at the House of Representatives have called for an audit of the NTF-ELCAC's budget following remarks of NTF-ELCAC spokespersons Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. and Assistant Secretary Lorraine Badoy, suggesting that community pantries, which aim to give out free supply of food and essential goods to those in need, have links to communist movement.

Some senators also urged the defunding of the NTF-ELCAC over the red-tagging issue, however, Senate President Vicente Sotto III opposed the suggestion, saying its officials should instead be replaced. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News