“We must remain mindful that red-tagging is a human rights violation on its own and may lead to a multiplicity of other acts of violence which put the welfare of the general public at risk,” the CHR said in a statement today.
“While the government has reassured me that it does not encourage or endorse it, there is clear evidence that ‘red tagging’ and ‘terror tagging’ as some persons have called them, are being practiced by security forces as part of their counter-terrorism strategy. Furthermore, it is also clear that such vilification is not only aimed at those who are actually associated with proscribed or listed organizations as some officials claim, it is also used to target legitimate activists and activities, sowing distrust between the State, communities and civil society.”
“The practice is not new. State forces have practiced it for decades and was intensified, online and offline, under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, especially with the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).”
“Many have pointed their fingers at the state agency, the NTF-ELCAC either as the culprit or the instigator, but also to the military, state security officials, senior government officials, and some media outlets.”
In the letter, the media groups emphasized their “profound concern” over the prolonged detention of Cumpio, Abinguna, and Domequil on charges related to illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and terrorism financing, highlighting the need for a “comprehensive review” of their cases with the aim of their prompt dismissal.
Ang kasong ito ay isa lamang sa mga ligal na maniobra ng paggamit ng Estado sa mga batas para kahit paano ay mapigilan ang mga aktibista sa pagtataguyod ng mga karapatan ng mamamayan at sa paglalantad ng kabulukan ng Estado.
Khan said the NTF-ELCAC is “outdated” and stressed that “does not take into account the ongoing prospects for peace negotiations.”
“Most painful of all, there were cases of employee deaths due to heart attacks after learning that they were included in the massive lay-offs…” Villanueva said before suddenly stopping as he started sobbing.
But you hear us more now, right? Asking a simple question, twitting an opinion, can be dangerous in this country. It is unacceptable to the State Mr Gonzales and government officials his kind represent.
Kodao expresses its deep gratitude to United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion for heeding our call to visit our colleague Frenchie Mae Cumpio and her fellow political detainees in jail. The long-awaited visit happened at the Tacloban District Jail last January 27 as part of her official visit to investigate the state of press freedom in the country. In a tweet, Ms. Khan said: “We are only int’l visitors so far allowed by #Philippines govt to visit them! Arrested in Feb 2020, trial still dragging on. How long should they wait to be free?”