Harassment, Red-tagging cases against AFP

EDITORIAL

Students from various schools of Baguio have filed cases against local police and Armed Forces of the Philippines for what they called harassment and Red-tagging.

This, after what they called “malicious series of social media posts of the Baguio City Police Office,” this October (through BCPO Kasanggamo account), tagging progressive youth organizations as "terrorists" and supposed recruiters of the "Red October Plot."

Student and youth leaders filed nine complaints Oct. 22 at the Commission on Human Rights Cordillera regional office against uniformed lawmen.

The “Red October Plot” had been widely criticized on media by critics as a concoction of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to sow alarm among the populace even if AFP officials insisted there was such a plot to overthrow the government this month by left-leaning forces.

The complaints filed were reports from students and organizations in various schools in Baguio City that include cases of red-tagging (in social media, AFP and PNP forum in schools, among others), surveillance, intimidation and harassment of youth leaders and organizations for the past months, according to Christian Dave Ruz, Kabataan Partylist Cordillera spokesperson.

Last October 11, the Kabataan Partylist National Office led by Rep. Sarah Elago held a dialogue with Commission on Human Rights national Chairperson Chito Gascon regarding numerous reports of red-tagging all over the country.

As a result, a directive to all regional offices of CHR to conduct investigation is now in place, said CHR regional director lawyer Romel Daguimol. “The Commission commits to do our best for a swift and fair investigation of the cases filed.”

CHR-CAR plans to have a community-based dialogue involving the youth and student organizations, educational institutions, PNP and AFP.

“The youth will never let the fear mongering tactics of the Duterte administration leave us trembling, nor discredit the legitimate calls and demands of the Filipino people for democracy, justice and peace. Human rights violations shouldn’t be normalized. Activism is not terrorism,” said Ruz.

The CHR- CAR dialogue should provide an avenue for the student complainants and law enforcement authorities to air their side and for the government agency to come up with an objective investigation on complaints so these could be addressed properly.