By DAVE IVERSON CUESTA
www.nordis.net
BAGUIO CITY – For Kabataan Party-list Cordillera, the changes in the military’s information and education method against the alleged recruitment of communist rebels in Baguio City is not enough, saying that groups earlier tagged as front organizations “deserves a proper apology.”
“The red-tagging forums have caused much emotional turmoil to progressive youth, which deserves a proper apology, and these forums must halt completely,” KPL Cordillera spokesperson Louise Montenegro said in an August 6 online interview.
The youth leader was reacting to the statements made by Task Group Baguio (TG Baguio) Commander Col. Christopher Sab-it that they have implemented changes in their information and education campaign (IEC) materials for their community and school engagements.
“Even before that [April 19 public consultation], we are already required all the teams conducting IEC in schools to be accompanied by personnel from the CHR,” he said in mixed Tagalog and English during the session.
The official added that they had removed logos of several organizations from their presentations they believe as recruitment fronts of communist rebels. They also ensured the exclusion of sensitive images and videos, which were among the issues raised by student groups and concerned individuals during the April 19 dialogue on red tagging facilitated by the city council.
TG Baguio is a unit under the 5th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines heading the government’s Community Support Program in the city.
Sab-it also acknowledged the recommendation of Councilor Peter Fianza, who chairs the Committee on Laws and Human Rights, to get members of the barangay and the city’s Human Rights Action Office in their community engagement instead of limiting their coordination with the barangay’s local chief executive.
Montenegro said TG Baguio modifying its presentation is an indirect admission that there was something wrong. She also pointed out that during the April 19 dialogue, the request was for Task Group Baguio to put their IECs on hold.
According to her, unwanted visits of students by suspected state agents continued even after the dialogue. “The now have 10 recorded incidents. Before the dialogue there were six reports.” # nordis.net
