Lorenzana denies budget for counter-insurgency will be used to hunt gov’t critics

December 11, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana denied allegations that the budget for counter-insurgency will be used to hunt critics of the government.

The 2021 budget proposal of the Department of National Defense (DND) include  190 million pesos to support the  National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

"That's not true. We have the right to dissent, we have the right to assemble against grievances that you may have against the government. That is not part of insurgency, and terrorism, " said Lorenzana.

"We do not treat those who demonstrate as terrorist. They can do it, as long as it’s peaceful, and they do not have plan to sow terror, then everybody can do it," he said.

"You can critique the government all you want, but it is accepted, it is tolerated," he added. Robina Asido/DMS