Red tagging / Martial rule victims reunion

BAGUIO CITY- In the heat of campaign for the coming elections, elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are again being accused of “red tagging.”

           

Kabataan Partylist members are claiming they are once more victims of negative propaganda that accuses them as front of the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front, its umbrella organization.

“The propaganda, being circulated around the central business district of Baguio City, accuses Kabataan Partylist as ‘nagkukunwaring tagapagtanggol ng kabataan,’” said Cielo Marie Bayson, KP spokesperson. 

Printed materials were reportedly scattered  along roads like the Bonifacio area with a purported group called P4P Movement as signatory last week saying the NPA and NDF consultant Jose Maria Sison were the KP’s bosses.

“There is absolutely no truth to this propaganda,” Bayson said. “The KabataanPartylist, the only partylist representing the youth in the Philippine Congress, has vigorously forwarded the youth’s concerns on education and employment inside and outside the congress. Having doing such, we have always been victims of red tagging and red baiting through the years and it has intensified during the present campaign period. In our experience in past elections, human rights violations committed against members of progressive partylists escalate as the polls draw near.”

According to the KP, the Aquino administration’s tactics are no different from predecessors like former President Gloria Arroyo who also used all forces including the military to limit participation of progressive partylists.

For years, we have promoted genuine youth empowerment and advancement in various forms such filling House Bills and resolutions, disaster/relief operations, educational forums, and even leading the youth against repressive policies such as tuition fees increases, budget cuts and the cybercrime law. Our bosses are the Filipino youth who trusted us enough to elect to represent them in Congress,” a KP press statement said.  

“Considering the past cases of vilification against Kabataan Partylist, it will not be a surprise if this P4P Movement is associated with the civilian military operations of the AFP and other paramilitary groups that aim to suppress progressive party lists in light of the upcoming elections. The Kabataan Partylist has always been target of such vile and unjust acts, which resulted to losses among our members and leaders who were abducted and tortured by elements of the state.

“We condemn this act of red-tagging. We condemn any act of vilification against progressive youth organizations and progressive partylists. As polls draw near, we continue to be true in the service of the Filipino youth and the people. And to those who try to discredit us by doing these, we challenge them to show up in public and engage us in a healthy discussion with these allegations.”

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In a related development, victims of martial rule, before and after it was declared on Sept.           21, 1971, and even after it was formally lifted on Jan. 17, 1981, will reunite on April 27 at the University of the Philippines – Baguio.

An expanded version of the reunion of the First Quarter Storm activists in the same venue several years back, the upcoming gathering, dubbed “TIBAK Reunion” will focus on testimonies of victims until 1986, when the Marcos regime came to an end through the People Power Revolution.

The gathering coincides with the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Baguio by the combined units of the 66th Infantry Regiment and the United States Armed Forces on April 27, 1945.

“We hope that all of us will dig into our reservoir of memories and write, if possible, our stories, or at least be ready to share these,” said reunion co-organizers Joanna Carino of the Cordillera Afong-SELDA and Audrey Beltran of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance.

“We would like to document the stories and testimonies of the martial law victims and activists, compile these and hopefully publish the collection and facilitate a wider recognition of the heroic and unwavering struggles of so many that eventually led to the defeat of the dictatorship,” the invitation to attend said.

The gathering was given impetus by President Noynoy Aquino’s signing into law the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 (R.A. 10368) duringthe anniversary of the People’s Power Revolution, otherwise known as EDSA 1, last Feb. 25.

Marie Hilao Enriquez, national chair of SELDA, will be invited to explain provisions and substance of the Martial Law Reparation and Recognition Act.

In the spirit of self-reliance that the activists nurtured during those years, those attending the reunion are asked to bring food for the potluck and registration fee of P200.

Donations are also welcome to sustain the information dissemination on R.A. 10368 and to help as many martial law victims prepare and process their claims as provided for by the law.

Contributions may be coursed through Cordillera Human Rights Alliance account number 790357518 under BDO Baguio-Luneta, according to Kathleen Okubo of the Cordillera Afong-SELDA.