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Makabayan Bicol expressed alarm over the growing incidents of red-tagging, and outright threats against progressive candidates, their campaigners and supporters even with the issuance by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of Resolution No. 1116 prohibiting acts associated with red-tagging.
Does he mean reports that there were 119 extrajudicial killings, 76 frustrated extrajudicial killings, 14 enforced disappearances, 762 political prisoners and 3,706,431 cases of threats, harassment and intimidation as of the end of 2024?”
"We arrived here in Plaridel only to be told that the arraignment was canceled. This is part of the slow justice system in the Philippines. To begin with, there should have been no case filed against us, yet here we are, being made to suffer. Time and resources of environmental organizations and human rights advocates are being wasted."
“This long-awaited development marks a significant victory for the thousands of victims of Duterte’s bloody war on drugs and their families as well as the repression and brutal killings of activists and civilian communities, who have relentlessly fought for justice despite threats, intimidation, and state repression.”
A memorandum issued by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Regional Field Unit based in La Union province reveals the existence of “Project ‘Exit the Greylist.’” It directly links the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) process to at least one terrorist financing case against an activist.
“NTF-ELCAC’s reason for being has always been to target open, legal organizations it accuses of being ‘communist fronts.’”
Red-tagging, the practice of labeling individuals and organizations as communists or terrorists without due process, creates a foreboding environment, which may compromise the safety of candidates as well as their supporters and voters.
CAGAYAN DE ORO — Civil society groups presented a 12-point human rights agenda which they believe candidates for the mid-term national elections should support. “For candidates who will become elected officials in May, the agenda that will be laid out in this...
Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel said that the move was “a step in the right direction” but he warned that merely withdrawing from the task force is not enough. "There is no place for agencies that put students and teachers in danger within our educational institutions."
“Is this where the people’s budget goes?” asked KPL Rizal Chairperson Edz Pascual. “Instead of addressing the youth’s problems such as high tuition fees, inadequate facilities, teachers, and a lack of budget for education, [schools] are prioritizing partnerships with the 80th IBPA, who wastes our money in spreading misinformation, threats, and intimidation.”
"The right to free speech is not absolute; it imposes limitations on
its exercise to ensure that it will not impinge upon the rights of others. It does not protect defamatory statements," the local court declared.
In all cases of enforced disappearances, Irene Khan urged them to provide information on the policies, procedures and measures adopted to prevent and investigate enforced disappearances carried out by members of State security forces or any other agent acting on their behalf or with their acquiescence.
“It appears that the NTF-ELCAC is using its powers to protect key economic interests in the country. This has nothing to do with anti-terrorism or anti-communism. The gross overreaction to people trying to defend their right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is totally unacceptable."
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said last week that he does not see any need to abolish the National Task Force to End the Local Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). He claimed that red-tagging does not come from the government but from “kung sino-sino” (other people). There is irony...
On May 3, Tarra’s parents were again approached by people claiming to be from NTF-ELCAC, including a so-called“supervisor. They showed photos of Tarra participating in various activities and insisted on personally speaking to Tarra out of fear that he might “go to the mountains.” They said that on their next visit, they would like to speak to his parents again with forms and documents for them to sign.
"The Philippine government will become a laughing stock in the international community if it does not heed SR Khan's findings."
“These people are innocent civilians being tagged by the NTF-ELCAC as NPAs. Out of their desperation, they are using the civilians for their report on the counter-insurgency program."
For workers in Southern Tagalog, repression is as normal as resistance.
The struggle for their right to housing taught them that they have bigger fights to win.
This was the top-of-mind step that Ian Fry, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, urged the Philippine government to take as he wound up a 10-day official visit in the country last Wednesday.
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