Tag, Who’s It?

Written by Sophia Reyes

The state-sponsored blacklisting of leftists and progressives referred to as red-tagging is currently one of the most prominent issues in the Philippines we have faced since the beginning of President Duterte’s reign, and the dangers of this are only further aggravated by the Anti-Terror Law that was passed July 23, 2020.

Most victims of red-tagging are members of religious institutions, civil-rights groups, farmers’ groups, and critics of the current governance. One of the more known victims is PHSA Creative Writing alumna and activist Amanda Echanis, who, along with her one-month-old son, was arrested in December 2020, for allegedly possessing grenades and other types of explosives, which is a modus operandi employed by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Though this is known to be a violation of not only human rights, but also the Philippine Constitution, Duterte still declines proposals and protests seeking to criminalize the said act, countering that this exposes those involved with the New People’s Army (NPA). This further proves they are merely interested in undermining the armed struggle and not looking to solve the existing problems that push people to resort to force in order to reclaim the power, land, and money taken from them.

The government also advises us to remain silent if we don’t hold concrete evidence against them, which for one, they do not even adhere to as their armed forces continue to harass and attack targeted individuals regardless of whether or not they have done anything to violate the law. On that note, it would rarely lead anywhere given the fact that our justice system privileges those in power.

Naturally, knowing the threat being red-tagged poses, citizens have become increasingly afraid for their lives, but if no one is safe, this calls on more people to make their dissent known. There is not only strength in numbers, but also security in the fact that they cannot end a movement with this many people involved. In this, every attack on human rights will only bring on another wave of fed-up Filipinos, until they can no longer stay in power.