Makabayan Bloc insists existing laws vs. red-tagging insufficient, defective

The Makabayan Bloc underscored Thursday that the present legal remedies against red tagging are still insufficient and defective.

Members of the progressive group opposed what was stated in the committee report of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, saying that there is no need for a new law to penalize the act of red-tagging as there were already enough provisions in the existing laws against it.

But the group maintained that existing legal remedies need to be reviewed, adding that criminalization of red-tagging, through the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders bill, remains necessary.

"Current legal remedies are insufficient, defective and lacking. Human rights violators have largely escaped accountability," the Makabayan Bloc said in a statement.

"Experience has shown that even with the protective writs (habeas corpus, amparo, data), victims remain vulnerable to harassment and fail to deter attacks," the group said.

Earlier, the Senate panel said there is no need to pass a law that penalizes red-tagging because recourse is already provided under the Revised Penal Code, Civil Code, special laws, and other judicial remedies. It added that these have already been availed by progressive groups.

However, the Makabayan Bloc has expressed dismay over the Senate panel's supposed failure to acknowledge the direct link between the red tagging of some government officials and the perpetration of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings.

"The Committee has been too quick to devalue the testimony of victims of red-tagging who have suffered actual violations of their rights, while invoking exemption from the rules of evidence and according presumption of regularity in its appreciation of the largely hearsay testimony provided by the NTF-ELCAC's witnesses against the Makabayan bloc and other progressive organizations," the lawmakers said.

Despite this, the group still welcomed some portions of the committee report, specifically about Southern Luzon Command commander Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade.

According to the report, Parlade's comments and accusations against certain personalities were deemed to be "counter-productive." The military general earlier drew flak for linking some personalities, including celebrities and members of the media, to the communist group.

The Makabayan Bloc believed that the content of the report on Parlade provides "more than enough grounds" for his removal as spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and his dismissal from military service.

"In addition, we welcome the recommendation to the state security sector to 'refrain from publicly vilifying, labelling and imputing guilt by association to the communist group various institutions and progressive organizations based on false or unverified information,'" the group said.

"In making this recommendation, the Senate has thereby tacitly acknowledged that the military, police, and certain public officials have engaged in such behavior," it added.

However,  the Senate falls short of recommending that these officials should be held accountable for their actions, according to Makabayan Bloc.

Meanwhile, the group maintained that its members do not espouse nor are engaged in armed struggle, contrary to the allegations being hurled at them.

"We certainly condemn and do not tolerate any atrocity committed by any side of the armed conflict, especially those in violation of  the Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law," the Makabayan Bloc said.  —LBG, GMA News