Baguio groups push anti-red-tagging ordinance

BAGUIO CITY -- Nine days before the implementation of the controversial Anti-Terror Law, different groups forwarded June 9 reports of recorded human rights violations and massive red-tagging incidents here before the Baguio City Council and Office of the City Mayor.

The group led by Tontongan ti Umili (TTU), Movement Against Tyranny Matro Baguio (MAT-MB) and Youth Act Now Against Tyranny Baguio Benguet (YANAT-BB) submitted the reports to support the lobbying efforts for “immediate passage of the proposed Anti-Political Ordinance in the City”.

“We would like to respectfully forward our position to the Local Government of Baguio City that we, in fact, still do not feel “safe” in a City promised to be a haven for free-thinkers”, said Gerry Cacho, chairperson of TTU.

Last Jan. 8, progressive groups met with local government officials and representatives from AFP and PNP.

Mayor Magalong, who was not present said “activists are safe in Baguio.”

”While this engagement enabled us to raise the dangerous implications to human rights of the smear campaign by state forces such as the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police, we continue to face the same fear especially now as cases of intimidation and vilification of activists continue to rise even in the middle of a raging pandemic, said Jeanette Cawiding, convernor of MAT-MB.

Last June 15, youth leaders and progressive youth organizations including Kabataan Partylist Cordillera and Anakbayan Cordillera were reportedly maliciously red-tagged in a new surge of tarpaulins posted in various places in Baguio City. 

They said all these happened following a spate of massive terrorist-tagging in social media that has heightened during the pandemic despite the effort of the same groups to take part in the COVID-19 response for relief drives.

                “The passage of the Anti-Terrorism Law (ATL) further aggravates the situation considering that we are already being tagged as “terrorists.” This development compel us further to demand the urgent action of the local government of Baguio to protect its constituents and uphold human rights protection for all”, said Cielo Marie Esmeria, spokesperson of YANAT-BB.

                Included in the list of offices the groups went to were Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and councilors Betty Tabanda, Levy Orcales, SK Federation president. 

A follow-up meeting was requested to further discuss the cases and appeal of human rights defenders.