NTF-ELCAC spox says anti-red tagging bill aimed at silencing those who uncover rebel fronts

The Senate bill that seeks to punish red-tagging will be used to silence those revealing communist rebels' legal fronts, an official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict claimed on Wednesday.

In an online press conference, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy said that the measure seeking to criminalize red-tagging was "worrisome and dangerous for the country."

"This is precisely why the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines -New People's Army- National Democratic Front) have been able to abuse and cause suffering of our people precisely because of legal covers," she said.

Red-tagging is the practice of claiming people or organizations have links to communist rebel groups. Often, those who have been red-tagged have also been accused of destabilization attempts against the government.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon last month filed a bill aimed at defining red-tagging and making it punishable with up to 10 years' imprisonment to "fix the legal gaps, address impunity, and institutionalize a system of accountability.”

In response to Badoy's remarks, Senate President Vicente Sotto III told GMA News Online in a text message, "Then she had better talk to NICA and tell their head to refrain from including the Senate in that practice. Otherwise I will support it."

Sotto is referring to the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency's red-tagging of the Senate employees' union, a move that has led the Senate president to say he is inclined to support the bill.

'No such thing'

In her statement, Badoy also said that there is no such thing as red-tagging.

"How is it possible that our own legislators ignore what the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court have already made clear: that there is no such thing as 'Redtagging' because there is no danger to life, liberty and security when someone is identified as 'member of the CPP NPA NDF'?" she said.

"That's why it is worrisome that our senators, themselves, are using a word that our Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, said it doesn't exist.  There is no such thing, this is a weapon used by CPP-NPA-NDF to silence those who blow the cover of the legal fronts," she further said at the press conference.

Using the same adjectives Badoy used, Drilon said that he will invite the NTF-ELCAC official to the committee hearing to give her a chance to air her concerns.

"We seek to punish Red-tagging because it is worrisome and dangerous. It has a chilling effect. I will invite Usec. Badoy to appear during the committee hearing on this bill, as I am certain that there are strongly held contrary views. That will give her the chance to support her opposition to the bill," Drilon said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Badoy said the NTF-ELCAC is also hopeful that a Senate inquiry will look into the supposed "infiltration" of communist rebels in the government.

"It is really high time that we talk about it. The opportunity has presented itself. We really hope this Senate hearing into infiltration of the government by the CPP-NDF pushes through," said Badoy.

For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson said that there are already laws to address red-tagging, but that a senator cannot be prohibited from filing a bill on criminalizing such an act.

"The defense committee's recommendation as adopted by the senate in plenary is that there are sufficient laws and even legal procedures available to address red-tagging or any similar act," Lacson said in another text message.

"However, we cannot also prevent any senator from filing any bill which will be read and referred to an appropriate committee. My position as Chairman of the Committee on Defense, Security, Peace and Unification doesn't change—there is no need to criminalize red-tagging for reasons I have already stated," he added. — BM, GMA News