Bayan Muna urges Comelec to probe red-tagging against them

Bayan Muna party-list on Monday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate the alleged “massive and widespread black propaganda” against it ahead of the May 2025 midterm elections and charge the perpetrators.

Members of the party-list, led by Bayan Muna 1st nominee Neri Colmenares, trooped to the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila to file a complaint over alleged red-tagging activities targeting them, including destruction of their campaign materials.

Their election campaign paraphernalia were likewise subjected to vilification and red-tagging, the group added. 

“Bayan Muna believes that the task of legislators is to provide checks and balance in government requiring it to openly criticize what it perceives as anti-people policies of government,” the complaint read. 

“The performance of our legislative function, however, should not merit red tagging from corrupt or abusive public officials. More importantly, if the red taggers do not agree with our position, such does not give them license to conduct red tagging with the aim of stifling dissent or unlawfully ensuring our loss in the election, as this is our constitutional right to freedom of expression,” it added. 

Meanwhile, the party-list lauded the release of Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines, which provides that labeling groups and individuals as terrorists, dissenters, and criminals without evidence is an election offense in the 2025 midterm national and local polls.

The resolution also covers acts of bullying and discrimination involving gender, ethnicity, age, religion, and disabilities, among others.

To make the implementation more effective, the Bayan Muna called on the Comelec to include in its education efforts the danger and evils of red-tagging and vilification against Bayan Muna and other progressive candidates and party-lists.

Bayan Muna likewise urged the poll body to direct local government units to provide or aid in gathering information or CCTV footages, if any, to the Comelec, in the areas wherever red-tagging posters were documented.

It also asked the Comelec to direct Task Force Baklas to include red-tagging and black propaganda campaign materials in their documentation and take down the same.

“We are earnestly hoping that COMELEC would respond positively to our recommendations as Bayan Muna's fight against red-tagging is not different with COMELEC's aspiration, i.e., to have fair and honest elections,” the party-list said. 

“Red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association constitute threats to a person's right to life, liberty, or security. It has no place in a free, honest and fair elections and hence should be seriously stopped,” it added. —AOL, GMA Integrated News

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