Iloilo:The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has strongly criticized groups that have been vocal against the Barangay Development Program (BDP) projects in Iloilo. These groups, including Bayan-Panay, have been accused of hypocrisy by the task force for allegedly discrediting initiatives meant to benefit the poor.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bayan-Panay issued a statement on October 15, referencing the Commission on Audit's (COA) 2025 audit report, which labeled 16 projects as 'ghost projects' and accused NTF-ELCAC of corruption. This prompted a response from the Joint Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (JRTF-ELCAC) spokesperson, Prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales, who condemned Bayan-Panay's stance as being contrary to the pro-people nature of the programs.
The task force has accused the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and its alleged fronts of undermining projects that are aimed at delivering essential services and development to communities previously affected by insurgency. Gonzales described the allegations by Bayan groups as intentional misrepresentations of COA's findings.
Dr. Raul Banias, a representative of the Iloilo provincial government, also refuted the claims of ghost projects, clarifying that COA's observations pertained to unfinished infrastructure and the return of unutilized funds, rather than fabricated projects or corruption. He stated that PHP196 million was returned to the National Treasury as per legal requirements, with local funds being allocated to complete the unfinished projects.
Banias explained that of the 14 remaining projects, four are funded and pending procurement, while the others are planned for future budgets. He highlighted the high construction costs in isolated areas, citing specific projects that required additional funding beyond their original budgets, reinforcing the government's commitment to completing the projects without any fraudulent activity.
