“I join rallies, pickets, and dialogues — how can the army claim I am ‘at large’?”

MANILA – Peasant groups denounced the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army (IDPA) for red-tagging veteran peasant leader Lucia Capaducio and her organization, warning that such accusations not only endanger her life but also their members.   

Capaducio, a farmer, is the chairperson of Paghugpong sang mga Mangunguma sa Panay kag Guimaras (Pamanggas), a farmers’ alliance in Western Visayas. 

The red-tagging of Capaducio occurred on Sept. 15 in an interview with Col. Erwin Lamzon of the 3rd IDPA by GMA Super Radyo Iloilo. Lamzon labeled Capaducio’s group Pamanggas as a “sectoral front organization” operating in urban areas for armed revolutionary groups. He also described Capaducio as a “rebel,” claiming that she was “at large.”

“These statements, delivered matter-of-factly by Col. Lamzon, constitute red-tagging and thus threaten the life, liberty, and security of not just Nay Lucia but the entire membership and network of Pamanggas. At the same time, it vilifies them as dangerous and untrustworthy, provoking further attacks against them,” said Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in a statement.

Pamanggas, a registered coalition of small farmers in Panay and Guimaras, is the local chapter of the KMP. 

According to KMP, the latest case is among a string of red-tagging and harassment incidents targeting Capaducio since 2022.

The 66-year-old Capaducio has long represented rural poor communities in Panay and Guimaras in land reform struggles, disaster recovery, food security initiatives, and dialogues with government agencies.

She denied the allegations, calling them “malicious” and “baseless.”

“I join rallies, pickets, and dialogues — how can the army claim I am ‘at large’? The work of Pamanggas is to help carry out relief efforts during disasters for farmers and others in need,” she said.

In its statement, KMP said that this recent attack against Capaducio, “is all the more enraging as widespread and deep-rooted corruption in government is being unraveled nationwide.” 

“Plunderers in various public posts and their accomplices in private businesses are left unbothered and untouched while rural poor and advocates speaking out against exploitation and oppression are targeted by armed state forces. Attacks against rural poor leaders and organizations, such as Nay Lucia and Pamanggas, are attacks for and in the benefit of land grabbers and corrupt officials,” the KMP said. 

The groups called for an immediate end to the red-tagging and harassment of Capaducio and Pamanggas, urging Lamzon of the 3rd IDPA to withdraw his statements.

They also pressed GMA Super Radyo Iloilo to exercise caution in amplifying unverified claims and encouraged the people of Panay, Guimaras, and the rest of the Visayas to defend their rights and resist state attacks.

“The continuous red-tagging of farmer leaders, particularly those who are vocal about the need for systemic change, is not only damaging to our integrity but also puts the lives of our members at risk,” Capaducio said.

“We will not be silenced by these baseless accusations,” she added.

Pamanggas has long taken part in relief and advocacy efforts in Panay and Guimaras, from post-Yolanda recovery in 2013 and campaigns for survivor aid in 2016 to calls for ayuda during the COVID-19 lockdowns and engagements with local governments during the 2023 El Niño. Most recently, its chair joined the launch of the Manindigan! Campaign Network in Manila last Sept. 6.

Capaducio has also opposed the Jalaur Mega Dam in Iloilo, warning of displacement, loss of ancestral lands, and environmental damage. She criticized the Dec. 30, 2020 military operation that killed nine Tumandok leaders resisting the project.

“By associating legitimate organizations and leaders with illegal activities or insurgent groups without evidence, these accusations create a climate of fear and hostility that undermines the fundamental rights of citizens to express their concerns and advocate for social change,” KMP said.

Pamanggas called on the media to practice greater responsibility by fact-checking reports before airing statements that could cause harm. It also urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to refrain from making baseless accusations and to recognize the farmers’ struggle for land and justice as legitimate.

“This is not a matter of ideology or rebellion,” Capaducio said. “It’s about protecting the basic rights of farmers, ensuring that they have access to land, and advocating for policies that address the struggles of rural communities. The real rebellion is against the system that continually marginalizes the Filipino farmer,” she added.

In 2024, the Supreme Court declared that red-tagging, labeling and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty and security. (AMU, JDS)