“The junking of the cases and the release of the unjustly imprisoned Bakwit School 7 show once again that the pernicious instigation of the NTF-Elcac, through Red-tagging and filing of trumped-up charges against innocent groups and individuals, are baseless, a sham and simply wicked,” he said on Saturday. Police claimed that the seven recruited and trained tribal children to be “child warriors” of the communist New People’s Army. ADVERTISEMENTThe two NTF-Elcac officials have been criticized for Red-tagging several personalities in the past, including celebrities, lawmakers and, recently, the organizers of community pantries. “For the NTF-Elcac, anyone or any institution that expresses independent thought and dares to criticize the government is a communist or terrorist. The task force is indeed a terrible waste of taxpayers’ money and should now be abolished or at the very least defunded,” he added.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 15, 2021 21:33 UTC