The abolition of government’s notorious red-tagging task force is non-negotiable to a truly democratic election process, the country’s youth party tells the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In the petition to the poll body against red-tagging, Kabataan Partylist said the National Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) may be behind the three “deep fake” videos on social media alleging the youth party is a front organization of underground revolutionary groups.
It said the videos are committing violations to Comelec Resolutions 11116 and 11064 on the use of fake social media pages for disinformation and discrimination.
“We’re not naive. We know that a lot of red-tagging comes from the NTF-ELCAC,” Kabataan said.
The party said NTF-ELCAC’s abolition would help ensure truly democratic elections, despite Malacanang’s defense of the task force.
“It’s not surprising that Marcos Jr. will sustain a task force key to cheating against opposition candidates, given his anomalous run in 2022,” it said, citing the president’s refusal to disband the task force despite growing clamor.
Kabataan Party first nominee Atty. Renee Co said she is saddened to think that advances in technology are being used against the youth by government operatives.
“Even red-taggers have weaponized AI (artificial intelligence) brainrot content to discredit the youth’s genuine representation,” Co said.
“Comelec should prove true to its mandate to ensure fair and honest elections by acting immediately on this complaint and other complaints against red-taggers already on their docket,” she added.
The poll body has yet to issue a reply to the petition. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
