By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net

VIGAN CITY — International rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Philippine government on January 17 to end red-tagging activists, saying the practice has reduced the country’s democratic space.

“Red-tagging is a pernicious practice that targets people who often end up being harassed or even killed,” said HRW Senior Philippines Researcher Carlos Conde.

“Red-tagging is rapidly shrinking the space for peaceful activism in the Philippines,” he added.

HRW has recently released a video about the practice featuring human rights group Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay, BPO Industry Employee’s Network Mylene Cabalona, and Mindanao Gold Star Daily Cong Corrales. The three experienced red-tagging for their work and advocacy.

“Red-tagging is a key component of the Philippine government’s abusive campaign against critical activists, journalists, and politicians,” Conde said.

The group noted that under the Duterte administration, red-tagging turned deadlier with the creation of the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). The agency has targeted activists and critics through its social media accounts and official pronouncements, labeling them communist supporters and members.

Red-tagged individuals have ended up facing trumped-up charges, detained, and killed.

Last March, the United Nations human rights office expressed concern about the escalation of violence committed against persons labeled by the government as communist members and sympathizers. This came after the killing of six activists in a police raid in separate areas in Southern Tagalog.

In the Cordillera Region, activists have raised the alarm over the “institutionalized” red-tagging after the Regional Peace and Order Council adopted the “Dumanon Makitontong” (visit and talk) in July 2021.

Patterned from the Duterte administration’s Oplan Tokhang, the strategy enjoined law enforces to visit and talk to suspected communist rebel sympathizers to withdraw their support and work with the government.

Fresh concerns on the measure resurfaced in Baguio recently after several activists and media members received invitations for a “dialogue” under the government’s Community Support Program-White Area Operations.

“Whatever name it carries, the measure aims to harass and intimidate activists. This includes members of the media, which State authorities presume of having links with the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army,” media groups in the city said in a joint statement.

Red-tagging by the police and military has become rampant in the region last year, prompting the Commission on Human Rights regional office to call on the government to protect the victims.

“(I)t has to be understood that red-tagging an organization or someone … carries dangers and serious implications to the human rights of red-tagged individuals such as those that relate to their life, liberty and security,” CHR Cordillera said in its December 22 advisory.

Conde urged the international community to go beyond denouncing the practice and call on the Philippine government to cease red-tagging.

“The United Nations, the European Union, and influential governments should not merely denounce red-tagging, but publicly call on President Duterte to end this deadly practice,” he said. nordis.net