THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) said that its continued existence is a testament to its crucial role in the battle against communist insurgency. In a statement issued by Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., the task force said the claim by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) that the NTF-Elcac is proof of the government’s inability to defeat armed rebellion ignores the task force’s accomplishments. The NTF-Elcac said that government institutions are dismantled only when threats have disappeared, adding that the CPP’s call for the task force’s abolition suggests that insurgent networks have been weakened by state interventions. “The insistence on abolishing NTF-Elcac confirms that the exposure and dismantling of armed and political machinery have had an impact,” the task force said. NTF-Elcac disputed the CPP’s rejection of reported improvements in villages previously influenced by the New People’s Army (NPA), noting that residents have cited the arrival of roads, water systems, schools, livelihood programs, and access to basic government services. “These are not abstract claims but changes identified by communities themselves, many of which previously had little to no government presence,” the task force said, adding that such developments have contributed to a declining tolerance for armed groups. Addressing claims that communities no longer support the NPA only because of military pressure, the NTF-Elcac said continued hiding, extortion and intimidation by armed groups point to an absence of broad civilian support. The task force rejected the CPP’s argument that economic hardship creates favorable conditions for armed struggle, stating that Filipinos increasingly oppose violence as a response to social problems. It added that former rebels who have joined peace and development programs left the movement voluntarily after witnessing internal abuses and operational failures. NTF-Elcac stated that accusations branding former rebels as “traitors” do not invalidate testimonies and court findings related to insurgent activities. After more than five decades, the task force said the CPP has yet to present a viable path toward peace or a governance framework that improves living conditions, arguing instead that armed struggle has prolonged poverty in affected areas. NTF-Elcac maintained that its mandate is to prevent political change from being pursued through violence and coercion, emphasizing that reforms should occur through civilian participation and lawful processes. The CPP has repeatedly criticized the NTF-Elcac, accusing it of red-tagging and failing to address socioeconomic inequalities — claims the task force continues to deny.