For four long years, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) through the Exec. Order No. 70 has wielded its most brutal and fascist fangs against the whole Filipino nation. Using the public funds and the resources of all government agencies, NTF-ELCAC directed its terroristic violence against the civilian population.

In Bikol and the whole country, bloodthirsty fascists have been unrelenting in their terror tagging. From activists, to members of legitimate organizations, congressmen and lawmakers, members of the bar, professionals, church people, even actresses and actors, children and senior citizen – anyone who dared speak against the problems that plague the society are arbitrarily tagged as state enemies. Worse, oftentimes, these targets become fair game for the police and military’s bloody operations. It has become commonplace for terms such as ‘nanlaban-patay’ to be shown in various media forms. The masses are forced to accept that state killings against its own people is something ordinary.

But despite all these, the people has remained standing. Their fighting spirits are unwavering and have grown stronger. It has become clearer for them that there is nothing wrong with daring to struggle. In fact, there is something inherently wrong that necessitates for them to fight. As the state itself intensifies its attacks against the ordinary Filipino, the contradictions and differences between the interests of the ruling few and the oppressed become even more glaring. It has become more distinct for whom does this state and fascist machineries such as NTF-ELCAC really stand for. Many are compelled to choose sides and courageously defend their interests against the attacks of those in power.

That is why in its four-year existence, there is only one thing that can be construed: the EO-70-NTF-ELCAC and all other fascist maneuvers of the state to defeat the peope has failed. It only fueled the nation’s desire to be free from a system that has long enslaved and killed their ranks.