Terrorist-tagging posters in Davao cause alarm among groups

Posters displayed in Barangay Maa, Davao City tagging nine individuals as terrorist recruiters have caused alarm among several groups.

According to Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras,”  the secretary general of Karapatan in Southern Mindanao said he was alarmed upon seeing his photo and name on the wanted poster.

“Maliban po sa na-alarma ay nakaramdam po tayo ng takot dahil unang-una, kami sa human rights organization ng Karapatan ay dumadalo sa court hearings ng mga ina-assist naming mga political prisoners,” Jay Apiag said.

Apiag said the posters were a huge threat to individuals who express their opinions on national issues, especially with the  Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 in place.

“Nakakabahala po sa aming mga siguridad dahil puwede kaming hablutin, puwede kaming kunin, arestuhin, kahit mga walang warrant of arrest dahil nga naka in-place na po ‘yung Anti-Terrorism Law,” he said.

"Nakakapagtaka  at nakakagalit. Nagresulta po ito doon sa paglimita ng aking movement ngayon,” he added.

National Union of the Peoples' Lawyers secretary general  Edre Olalia said that though red-tagging is not new, there is now an Anti-Terror Law that could now be used against them.

“Paano kaya magiging terorista ang mga tao na nagra-rally lamang o nagsa-sampa ng kaso sa korte. Never mo naman nakita na naglatagan baril o ng granada,” Olalia said.

“Syempre plaplantahan nila to justify that, to silence them, to cow them, or even to discourage… kahit hindi aktibista. That is the chilling effect. From discouragement, to restraint, to silencing, to talaga ‘yung tinatawag na extreme prejudice,” he added.

Other individuals tagged on the poster are consulting with lawyers to file charges while the Davao Police is determining  the legibility of the posters.

The police also said that it was not responsible for the posters.

“Definitely po hindi po gawain po ng ating ano ‘yan, Davao City Police. Mag-post po ng ganong mga poster. Labag po kasi ‘yan sa batas. Hindi po natin ‘yan ina-allow sa Davao,” Police Colonel Kirby John Kraft, the police chief, said. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News