Int’l group scores ‘red-tagging’ as most common election violation
Despite the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) prohibition of the labeling of individuals as terrorists without evidence, Red-tagging emerges as the most common violation this election season, according to an international human rights group.
In a report by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), Red-tagging comprises 78.7 percent of the violations monitored by the rights group alongside its partner organization, Vote Report PH, as of April 30.
ICHRP noted in the study that the Supreme Court has previously declared in the decision on Deduro vs Vinoya that Red-tagging threatens “a person’s right to life, liberty or security.”
Resolution No. 11116 of the Comelec, which prescribed antidiscrimination and fair campaigning rules for this election season, also warned candidates against “labeling” or the act of branding individuals, groups or organizations as “vocal dissenters,” “activists,” or “sympathizers of subversive or terrorist groups” without evidence.
“But despite these legal deterrents and strong condemnation by several institutions, data from election watchdogs show that Red-tagging continues unabated. Progressive electoral candidates regardless of affiliation are targeted in these elections,” ICHRP said.
The rights group noted that the Makabayan coalition on April 22 filed a complaint against the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) “for a series of Red-tagging and defamatory statements” made against its candidates during the campaign period.
Task force blamed
“The Philippine state has … engaged in Red-tagging for decades, often targeting progressive individuals, activists, human rights advocates and anyone it perceives as critical of its policies,” ICHRP said.
“It has seen an unprecedented spike under the Duterte administration and continues without let up under the Marcos government,” it said.
ICHRP stressed in the study that the Marcos administration has “failed” to undertake measures that would put a stop to Red-tagging, which included the abolition of the NTF-Elcac.
Given the upcoming elections, the rights group pointed out that “swaying people from casting their vote for any candidates through fear, intimidation and disinformation campaigns is the opposite of a fair, free, clean and honest election process.”
ICHRP also said the elections is “a natural time” for the candidates and the public to have “vibrant and honest discussions.”
“Red-tagging silences those discussions by trying to discredit, through misinformation and harassment, solutions promulgated by candidates that run counter to business as usual and dynastic politics,” ICHRP said.
