Months after the Supreme Court declared red-tagging as threat to life, three activists in Baguio City, face vilification.
Joanna Kintanar Carino with Cristel Gawisan and Julius Ceasar Daguitan filed separate complaints on Thursday, July 4, 2024 at the Commission on Human Rights Cordillera over incidents of red tagging allegedly by the 54th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and social media pages.
Carino, stands a part of the advisory council of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance while Gawisan, a student activist is the chair of the Progressive Igorots for Social Action (PIGSA) while Daguitan is vice chair of the Dap-ayan ti Kultura ti Kordillera (DKK).
Carino in her complaint said “This latest instance of red-tagging has caused me mental anguish and anxiety. I am already a senior citizen of 73 years old. I do not deserve to be attacked and vilified in this manner. Instead, I deserve to be in the comfort of my family and be able to live the rest of my days in peace and well-being.”
Carino said on March 24, 2024, elements of the 103rd Infantry Brigade Philippine Army conducted a “Youth Assembly and Information Awareness” activity in Sitio Talampac, Brgy. Pacoc, Lacub Abra, where they unveiled a tarpaulin of alleged members of “WKLG North Abra (ICRC)” where my photo along with Windel Bolinget was featured.
While again on June 7, reports that pursuit and clearing operations by the 54th Infantry Battalion and 103rd Infantry Brigade were being done in the vicinity of Balbalan, Kalinga. Two battalions and one brigade (54th IB, 98th IB, and 103 IBde) were reported to be deployed in the municipality, staying in the houses of civilians.”
Social activist and artist, Daguitan meanwhile recounted harassment via social media citing three incidents;
- On May 8, 2020 the Facebook Account of certain Team Macky Posted a photo bearing my face and implying me to be a recruiter for the CPP-NPA NDF.
- On May 21, 2020 the Facebook Account of certain Shirley Ann Angs also posted a set of photos where I was included accusing me to be a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
- Another red tagging post was posted in Baguio Info Page last June 19, 2024. This was taken down after a few days but we have documented and saved the photo.
“I was just recently informed that aside from circulating these posts in social media, state elements have also been using the photos from these posts, to accuse me as recruiter of CPP-NPA in their barangay hopping in Baguio and La Trinidad. A colleague from our network relayed news of some state forces visiting and telling their barangay captain that I am a recruiter of NPA.”
Daguitan stated the vilification has affected his personal life citing the intelligence officers looking for him in accusation that he acted as a guide for to join the New People’s Army, in February after a community immersion in Sagada, Mountain Province and news that another set of intelligence officers were asking for his whereabouts in their family home in Tabuk City, Kalinga in April.
“This series of actions and trial by publicity make me fear for my life, security and liberty. This has caused unease for me and my family. I have a pressing concern that needs to be sort out in Tabuk but I am greatly concerned if I can travel safe going to my hometown. Just like anybody else who was a victim of red tagging, I am worried that I may be subjected to further harassment, trumped up charges, enforced disappearances and worse, Extrajudicial Killing,” he lamented.
For the student leader, Gawisan, the youngest on the trio the harassment has greatly affected her well-being, preventing her from giving my full capacity to commitments, organizations she leads and more importantly, her academics.
“I have not been able to sleep well with anxiety about what may happen should these unlawful intimidation and harassment brought by red-tagging continue; Because of these, I have considered being inactive from my organization. It affects my relationships with family and friends, and I am anxious about how they view me regardless of the rightness of what I do,” she said.
Gawisan recounted incidents on;
- On March 12, 2024, I received a report from Jillie Karl Basan regarding a surveillance report including her and her family’s personal details which are not publicly available and have not been provided willingly. The surveillance report was forwarded to Jillie by Dolphy Abgao, a certain element of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from Kabugao assigned in Baguio City.
The young student said “This report has put me and my family’s safety at risk. The document contains my birthdate, the name of my family members, and our home addresses. This violates the Data Privacy Act of 2012, as my personal information and images seem to be accessed without consent. Due to the illegal surveillance and its report, I have been anxious about going out in public, even to school, thinking that there may be someone looking at me without consent wherever I go.”
On May 2024, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that red tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty, or security, which may justify the issuance of a writ of amparo.
Gawisan said “This is a testament that red-tagging of progressive organizations is not an isolated case, rather an obvious pattern that is being experienced by multiple organizations and individuals across the country.”
Human Rights Watch previously said the “Philippine government has long used red-tagging or red-baiting as part of its efforts against the communist insurgency, which began in the late 1960s. The government’s counterinsurgency tactics include trying to discourage potential recruits and sympathizers.
Those targeted have included leaders and members of leftist activist groups and human rights organizations, as well as religious, Indigenous, and environmental groups. The government uses red-tagging to identify these groups and individuals publicly and intimidate them.
Red-tagging intensified after then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 issued Executive Order 70, which created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
The task force has become the main agency behind red-tagging of leftist activists along with journalists, Indigenous leaders, teachers, and lawyers.
A bill criminalizing red-tagging is pending in the Philippine congress.” Maria Elena Catajan
