Vice President Sara Duterte has been appointed as co-vice chairperson of the Philippine government’s anti-communist task force, according to National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.

Duterte, who is also the Department of Education’s Secretary, was designated by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s executive committee.

Año praised Duterte’s extensive experience as a former local chief executive.

“Ang ating vice president ay napaka-well experienced, being a former mayor of Davao City. As what she said a while ago, ang kanyang mga experiences ay magagamit niya para mai-share ‘yung mga best practices na pwedeng magamit ng iba't ibang ahensya na involved dito sa NTF-ELCAC,” he said.

Meanwhile, the vice president vowed to end the war against the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“This is a show of force — a clear, strong, and powerful statement and warning — against the enemies of the state who slaughter civilians, abduct and murder and execute members of our security forces, and attempt to pin down our progress as a nation through their ideals anchored on brainwashing, fear, and terrorism,” she said during a task force meeting in Malacañang.

However, human rights group Karapatan criticized Duterte’s appointment calling her a ‘serial and notorious redtagger’.

“It only shows the greater need for the abolition of this task force that has been responsible for numerous cases of human rights violations,” their statement read.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers also expressed concern about the alleged red-tagging of the DepEd under Duterte’s leadership, citing her accusations of the groups as a communist ideology.