THE MANGAHAS INTERVIEWS

Doctors are not enemies, should not be red-tagged —Duque

Red-tagging must not be used against doctors and other health workers doing their duty to heal people no matter what their political leanings are.

No less than Heath Secretary Francisco Duque III issued this statement in the aftermath of the killing of Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan and her husband Edwin last December 15 in Negros Oriental.

Sancelan had feared for her life since she was tagged by authorities as one of the leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) even if she was serving as the lone doctor in their community of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.

Sancelan was also the local Inter-Agency Task Force head against COVID-19 in the city.

“Ang proteksyon ng health workers ay nangingibabaw sa lahat. Hindi dapat ni-re-redtag ‘yan. Ang doktor, hindi kalaban," Duque said in an interview with GMA News Online's The Mangahas Interviews.

“Ang doktor, may pasyente. Kesho ay pasyente ay [maka]-kaliwa, kanan, o gitna, lahat ay pasyente. Dapat lapatan ng lunas, buhayin, isalba. Kaya kailangan natin protektahan ang ating health workers,” Duque added.

Red-tagging, Duque said, should not be made without basis and due process.

“Dapat may objective na batayan.... kailangan may investigation,” Duque said.

“Hindi puedeng basta-basta ay mang re-red tag ka na. Kailangan meron kang malinaw na batayan,” he added.

Human rights group Karapatan said Sancelan was allegedly named number one in the supposed "hitlist" of KAGUBAK, an anti-communist vigilante group in Negros Oriental.

It added that Sancelan was allegedly tagged as JB Regalado, the spokesperson of Leonardo Panaligan Command of NPA-Central Negros.

The Commission on Human Rights has repeatedly warned government officials and private citizens against red-tagging, saying that such sweeping generalization puts lives in danger.

The government’s petition to declare the communists, including the NPA members, as terrorists is still pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court.—LLanesca Panti/LDF, GMA News