Ugly, shameless Redtagging

HAPPY WEEKEND 

Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- I long wanted to talk about red-tagging. Finally, I stumbled on a link I long wanted to have as reference in a happening left unpursued two years since the incident.    
    In the recent Provincial (Mountain Province) Consultative Assembly (PCA) Meeting of the National Alleviation Poverty Commission-Local Affairs Coordinating and Monitoring Service (NAPC-LACMS) Sept 23, I finally came to know why the Montanosa Press Club Inc (MPCI) was not included among the special bodies of the Provincial local government Unit of Mountain Province for the term 2020-2022.
    I chair the MPCI, an accredited organization with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Mt Province. Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), MPCI is composed of information officers from government agencies and local government units and private media practitioners.
    As an accredited civil society organization (CSO), MPCI was identified among nine groups called to a meeting by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Provincial LGU through the office of the Provincial development and planning office (PPDO) in August 2019.
    That, in pursuance to CSO participation in governance with the passing of the DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-72 which states  “good governance is vital in the pursuit of excellence in public administration and development.”
    This DILG circular recognizes that in forming a sustainable foundation of good governance, it is not enough to concentrate on developing the internal capacity of local governments. ”It is equally important to develop and strengthen partnership with CSOs in order to empower citizens to articulate their needs as they participate in the decision making process, program planning, implementation and monitoring at the local label which can increase the responsiveness and efficiency of local governments in delivering services.”
    What more, the local government code of 1991 provides for the “establishment of people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector to make them active partners in the pursuit of local autonomy, and to directly involve them in the plans, programs, projects, or activities of the local government”.
    More so, man is a social being who participates in communion with others made more foundational in an indigenous culture which encourages the collective participation and involvement of people belonging to a community.
    With that, a meeting was called August 2019 by the DILG and PPDO with the nine accredited organizations, MPCI included.     The nine organizations then identified their preferences for special bodies they want to be part of. The MPCI as a media organization opted for membership to the provincial peace and order council (PPOC) much as it wants to inform the public of what transpires in peace and order issues and updates in the Province and the provincial development council (PDC) much as MPCI wants to inform the public of development agenda of the Province. 
    The DILG-PPDO led meeting then forwarded as recommendatory the results of the CSO meeting to the provincial governor for his final approval.
    Whatever happened along the way, not one of these two councils had MPCI been appointed by the Provincial Governor except as a member of the economic and social committee of the PDC while the other eight accredited groups were appointed to special bodies including the provincial development council (PDC), provincial peace and order council (PPOC), local health board and the local school board.
    This despite the MPCI having been accredited by the SP. And this despite recommendatory results of the prior DILG-PPDO-CSO meeting.

Nonrepresentation
    This, despite expanded provisions found in MC2019-72 favorable to CSOs increasing their membership in the special bodies based on existing laws. Said circular provides for representatives of non-governmental organization shall constitute not less than one fourth (1/4) and increased to one half (1/2) of the membership of the organized local development council.
    This despite an increase among CSO representation to special bodies.
    Expanded provisions found in MC2019-72 favorable to CSOs increasing their membership in the special bodies. Said circular provides for representatives of non-governmental organization shall constitute not less than one fourth (1/4) and increased to one half (1/2) of the membership of the organized local development council.
    Membership in the local development council must represent the women sector at least 40% of the fully organized council composed of women as prescribed by RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women. That meant increase in membership among women to male dominated local councils.
    Membership of indigenous peoples as per the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and farmers as per the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) also involve the inclusion of concerned sectoral representatives.
    So I wondered why MPCI, a legitimate SEC registered organization and an SP- accredited association  with objectives to inform and be a partner to community building was not appointed as a member to at least one local special body as the law encourages and provides representation for.
     I asked former PPDO officer in charge Concepcion Wangdali who then led the CSO-LGU meetings why MPCI was not identified to any of the local special bodies despite its accreditation and I got vague answers. Asked Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan the authority to appoint persons to local special bodies and I got vague answers till I persisted in asking and the governor hinted that I was reportedly a communist, an activist, an answer which was as hazy much as it was not elaborated, an answer seemingly having been forwarded by persons whom I cannot conclude till the time came for its revelation.
    Finally, here’s Joecan Basan of the PPDO and focal person of the PCA-NAPC-LACMS, and in the recent Sept, 23 meeting said I was not appointed as a representative to a special body because of me having been subjected to background investigation. A follow up conversation with Joecan got me the answer that said background investigation pertained to that conducted by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army.
    Whatever background investigation left me uninformed of whatever it was that got me red-tagged. Whatever it was, that left me not confronted and denied in representation.
    What’s the point of this persistence? Could a person or an organization be red-tagged without any confrontation nor charges filed without a day in court? Because if such is so, such derail laws and regulations, violates basic human rights and due process, denies participation and representation.
    That was in 2019.  Yes, two years till now which denied MPCI representation in the PPOC or PDC and exercise its CSO participation to good governance as what DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-72 and the local government code of 1991 call for.
    That was clear red-tagging. An ugly violation to one’s human rights without affording due process to hear someone. Ugly much as it hits one on the back and does not face a person red-tagged upfront nor charge one of her or his supposed offenses if there is any and provide the accused a day in court or a venue to answer specific charges against one redtagged.
Indeed, it’s red-tagging. Cowardly and paranoid because red-tagging is that-ugly and shamelessly encompassing. A shameless appropriation to one’s life, rights, disposition, without confrontation nor inquiry and due process.
    Often without substantial proof, red-tagging is done by government supporters and state officials against activists, academics, students, journalists among others.
    Philippine jurisprudence has defined red-tagging as the “act of labelling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/ or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be 'threats' or 'enemies of the State.”
    Redtagging is again I repeat, ugly and obnoxious as it appropriates one’s person, conclusive without basis and assumptive bereft of courage and  transparency to confront one or charge one in court. For how could I be a “threat or an enemy of the State” to derive from the definition of red-tagging. Funny.
    Even accusing one as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) does not hold as valid ground as an illegal act. Communism is not illegal in the Philippines after Republic Act 1700 or the Anti-Subversion law was repealed in 1992 via RA 7636. For even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that mere membership to the CPP is not a crime "unless overt criminal acts are committed."
    But the decriminalization of communism in 1992 did not stop authorities from red tagging and arresting individuals as part of its anti-insurgency campaign, with charges ranging from illegal possession of firearms and explosives, to kidnapping and murder. That is, to have a credible accusation, charge one with an overt act to make red-tagging substantial.  
    I was redtagged, apparently for possessing an activist mind as I searched my mind for answers if ever there was an overt act I may have done to be red-tagged dragging the organization which I represent. If there is such a repressive and arbitrary political environment practically letting one short circuited and irregularly discredited, this is it.
    Where red-tagging takes from one possessing a belief to an ideology then the reciprocal means to address should be a healthy debate of the belief or ideology of another. From an ideology springs activism, a bulwark for the common good, for precious democracy, siding with people’s interest and welfare. A belief to an idea or an ideology as a persons’ right to exercise one’s mind, free will given by God, for a longing for humanity, for the common good.  For isn’t common good the way and the direction of governance. Otherwise, what is governance for?

Activism    

The activist wants the common good. I would like to think anyone wants the common good, isn’t it. Unless one thinking for one’s personal good only is the end of existence of life which is unfortunate should it be so.

    Let me elaborate further. For people are not born and reared the same way, did not go to the same school, did not read the same books for I must have read Ayn Rand and the redtagger must have read Barbara Cartland if ever you did  though we both must have read Bannawag, did not have the same friends and relatives and parents,  had diverse situations of growing up, do not have the same minds nor think the same way, had differing amounts of money in one’s pockets, had differing works and experiences, had differing struggles and difficulties in life and differing perspectives in how one thinks and sees life and have differing IQ (intellectual quotient) and EQ( emotional quotient). And with the diverse background and orientation, evolved differing beliefs and reason for being. That is, one cannot take another’s existence and appropriate for one’s self. Shame on you.  

    To be blunt, you redtagger did not feed me since birth till the present nor sent me to school and you were not part of my joys and difficulties in life. And you did not pay my loans or electric bills or fares to my travelling destinations. I owe you nothing.  Shame on you..

    Worse, I am shocked to find out that me and my person meant MPCI. Me getting red tagged does not automatically disrepresent the organization here which is MPCI. It’s a shame that MPCI has not been given the chance to be represented in any of the special bodies because of the its chairperson getting redtagged.

    The chairperson is not the organization. The chairperson is a member of an organization composed of many members. To those who earlier founded MPCI, you will be saddened how MPCI was treated this way. 

    Two years which had not been maximized and concretized as what the law calls for. Again, I repeat, because of ugly, cowardly, paranoid, unfounded redtagging.  

    What is the issue here as far as peoples organizations or rather CSOs are concerned relative to intentions of the PCA-NAPC-LACMS.

    Redtagging CSOs and POs defeat the very purpose of the law which calls for them in community participation and local governance. Redtagging prevents organizations and the members therein on their involvement to local development, threatens their security to life and movement, leaving one short circuited and arbitrarily denied of rights to participation. Individuals redtagged belong to organizations who exist for public interest thereby threatening public welfare. Redtagging therefore is anti- good governance, anti-development, anti- community, anti- people and anti- rule of law.

    Now here’s the PCA meant to provide a platform to address basic social sectoral issues. The PCA is composed of sectoral organizations from the women, youth, children, migrant workers. Indigenous peoples, fisherfolks, labor, persons with disabilities, (PWD) farmers and urban poor. The PCA then is supposed to be in defense for these sectoral groups much as that is its mandate and state for being.

    That is, to uphold even redtagged persons and groups whether they belong to activist groups or not. For activist social groups and individuals are progressive, committed to public interest and welfare, and critical to government if power is abused. Welcome to the 21^st century, a millennial state of pluralism, democracy, a state of letting a thousand flowers bloom, of progress and peoples’ participation to their development and the progress of the community as one.   

    Fast forward 2021. Redtagging continued where ‘persons of interest’ were identified among Sagada-based activists and other activists in Mountain Province’.  The Charlie Company of the 54rth Infantry Battalion of the PA during the dialogue held early this year did not clearly answer questions why identified persons were called ‘persons of interest’ and why redtagged persons were invited to a meeting conducted by the municipal mayor. As noted, the Charlie Company  “do not know” and referred the question to “higher headquarters’. Otherwise such is malicious, false identification or systematic propaganda.