Statement of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict

The granting of Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data alongside a temporary protection order by the Supreme Court (SC) for Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano is a temporary setback that presents a great opportunity for government to further debunk their deceptive narratives and expose their lies in open court.

As stated by the NTF ELCAC’s Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) the SC decision is simply part of the due process of law and by no means is the case over yet for the high court remanded the case to the Court of Appeals (CA) to conduct hearings.

The NTF ELCAC is prepared to present our side backed up by incontrovertible evidence and we see the hearings in the CA as the opportunity for government and the public officers accused in the petition a chance to refute the allegations against them. This opens up a significant opportunity to shed light on the grand conspiracy to malign and destroy the credibility and integrity of our public officers, soldiers and lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).

The legal procedure laid down by the high court guarantees all parties the right to be heard, giving government and public officials named in the petition the avenue to provide proof and refute all accusations leveled against them.

Rest assured that the Task Force will comply with all its legal obligations in the face of such development as we remain committed to tell the truth in a court of law and defend what is legally and morally right. The SC decision is just a small battle among so many but our collective effort to sustain the peace gains we achieved over the years shall win the war against this decades-old scourge.

We shall neither falter nor waver in fulfilling our mandate in the face of this development with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind.

Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr

Executive Director, NTF-ELCAC