Health workers group files raps vs. Badoy for alleged red-tagging

The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) on Thursday filed complaints against National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy for allegedly red-tagging the organization and its officers.

The health workers group trooped to and filed administrative and criminal complaints against Badoy at the Office of the Ombudsman.

Antonio La Viña said they are calling for a whole of nation approach against red-tagging, especially against health workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nag-file (we filed) ng misconduct complaint against Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy and the NTF-ELCAC for red-tagging health workers and frontliners exactly a year ago. We want to make her accountable and make her stop and the NTF-ELCAC to stop doing this, to stop red-tagging,” he said.

La Viña was referring to the Philippine News Agency article by Badoy published on April 7, 2021, claiming that the AHW was among the organizations created by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF) “precisely for the infiltration of government.”

Badoy claimed then that the AHW “have infiltrated the Philippine Orthopedic Center, UP PGH (University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital), Lung Center, Kidney Institute, regional/provincial hospitals all the way down to the barangay levels.”

She also alleged that the underground organization of the AHW was Makabayang Samahang Pangkalusugan (MASAPA).

“Hindi dapat natin pananatilihing ganito ang gagawin ng mga government officials. Ginagamit nila ang kanilang facilities of government… for their own benefits. Dapat i-stop natin ‘tong ginagawa ni Usec. Badoy na ‘to,” Atty. Rico Domingo said, stressing that red-tagging is connected with disinformamtion.

(We should not let government officials continue their wrongdoing. They use the government facilities… for their own benefits. We must stop what Usec. Badoy is doing.)

The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) last Friday also called for a stop to harassment and red-tagging of healthcare workers, particularly those who engaged in union activities.

They called for the abolishment of the NTF-ELCAC, saying it “acts gestapo-like in its zealous intent to quash all forms of dissent by the citizenry.”

Further, La Viña cited the instance when Badoy linked presidential bet and Vice President Robredo to the communist rebels.

"Nakikita natin na mismong si VP Leni at si Senator Kiko ay ni-redtag at maraming politicians ay nire-redtag. Lahat ng mga tao na may magandang ginagawa para sa ating lipunan ay nire-redtag. Dapat itama na ito, maitigil na ito," he added.

(We see that even Robredo and Senator Kiko, as well as other politicians, have been red-tagged. All the people who do good for our society are red-tagged. This must be corrected, this must be stopped.)

Several members of the Makabayan bloc filed a criminal complaint against officials of NTF-ELCAC and Badoy for allegedly red-tagging Robredo. They accused Badoy of engaging in partisan political activity, which is prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code and the Administrative Code of 1987.

Kilusang Mayo Uno also lodged a complaint against Badoy for the same matter.

GMA News Online sought comment from Badoy but she has yet to reply as of posting time.—AOL, GMA News