Cruise red tag

SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3rd said he was “inclined” to support a proposal to criminalize red-tagging after the security sector — without proof — accused the Senate employees’ union of having links with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Alex Paul Monteagudo tagged the Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon (Senado) as the “eyes and ears” of the CPP at the Senate.| “These are dangerous allegations to make,” the Senate minority bloc said in a joint statement as it called for the immediate passage of Senate Bill 2121 or the proposed “Act Defining and Penalizing Red-Tagging.” Senado President Rosel Eugenio in a separate statement denied Monteagudo’s claim. Asked whether he would call for an investigation on Monteagudo’s claim, Sotto said, “He sent word saying they are just telling our people that the CPP has tentacles even in the halls of the Senate through ... » Learn More about Senate employees union red-tagged

SENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday filed Senate Bill (SB) 2121 or the proposed “Act Defining and Penalizing Red-Tagging.” The bill seeks to criminalize red-tagging and provide penalties that include up to 10 years imprisonment and disqualification from holding public office. “Contrary to popular assertions, there are no sufficient and available legal remedies for victims of red-tagging,” Drilon said, noting that victims are left without proper recourse against their perpetrators and are forced to file seemingly-inappropriate-but-not-quite-cases, like libel and grave threats. “This bill therefore seeks to fix the legal gaps, address impunity and institutionalize a system of accountability by criminalizing red-tagging,” he added. SB 2121 defines red-tagging as the act of labeling, vilifying, branding, naming, accusing, harassing, persecuting, stereotyping, or caricaturing individuals, groups, or organizations as state enemies, left-leaning, subversives, ... » Learn More about Drilon bill seeks to criminalize red-tagging

Last of 2 parts In the advent of this 1Sambayan coalition, the narrative of the left (Yes, it is still the left driving it) will definitely shift to another major issue, which is a common ground to these strange bedfellows in the coalition — the Chinese at the West Philippine Sea (WPS). At this point, we need to educate our readers more on the background of this sensitive issue, lest I be accused of red-tagging the entire coalition. WPS story 1992 — The Senate booted out the US bases in the Philippines. We lost the 13th Air Force, USAF in Clark while Subic, the home of the Seventh Fleet was also abandoned by the Americans. But did the Senate have plans on what would replace the “de facto” armed forces being provided by the US at that time, starting from 1935? None. What was left with us were aging and decrepit war materiel sold to the AFP through the Foreign Military Sales program of the US. Realizing this, in that same year therefore, the Senate had to rush a law that ... » Learn More about The unending story of red-tagging, courtesy of CPP

Former Rep. Neri Colmenares and Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. MANILA, Philippines — Just a few months ago, military and government officials were rebuked for Red-tagging apparent critics, including celebrities, of the Duterte administration. These hushed as holidays came and many had worried about the surge of Covid-19 cases in the country, especially as the government continues to scramble for vaccine supplies to inoculate its citizens. But a verbal fight erupted anew between activists, advocates and left-wingers, and government security actors when the Department of National Defense (DND) unilaterally terminated its accord with the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, which the military alleges as a hotbed of communist recruitment. INQUIRER.net recently talked to Bayan Muna chair and former Rep. Neri Colmenares and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Insurgency (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson, Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade – two of the ... » Learn More about Red-tagging, as explained by an AFP top brass and a premier activist

FILE PHOTO: From left, Senators Francis Pangilinan, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, and Senator Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON MANILA, Philippines — Opposition senators on Wednesday took up the cudgels for members of the Senate union after they were red-tagged by no less than the head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the primary intelligence-gathering and analysis arm of the government. “We strongly condemn the red-tagging of the union of Senate employees and we vehemently denounce government officials who continue to label, brand, vilify, and harass individuals and organizations such as SENADO as state enemies and subversives,” a joint statement signed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Senator Leila de Lima and Senator Francis Pangilinan read. “Hindi lang ito pag-atake at paninira nang walang batayan sa mga empleyado, kundi mismong sa institusyon ng Senado na kanilang kinakatawan,” it further stated. ... » Learn More about Minority senators say red-tagging of Senate workers ‘tantamount to attack on the Senate’

UNRESOLVED KILLINGS The families and friends of activists killed in Negros Island and Iloilo City demand justice during a candle-lighting protest in Iloilo City held following the killing of Zara Alvarez, a former education director of human rights group Karapatan, on Aug. 17, 2020 in Bacolod City. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — A bill that would make red-tagging punishable by up to 10 years in prison and disqualify persons convicted of such an act from holding public office has been filed in the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed Senate Bill No. 2121, which seeks to criminalize red-tagging and provide for penalties “in order to fix the legal gaps, address impunity and institutionalize a system of accountability.” “The passage of this bill will reverse the ‘increasingly institutionalization and normalization of human rights violations’ and put a stop on the attacks against the members of the legal profession,” Drilon said in the bill’s explanatory ... » Learn More about Senate bill criminalizes red-tagging, proposes jail time of up to 10 years

A Senate bill has been filed to make “Red-tagging” a criminal offense, pushing back against recent efforts and pronouncements of the police and the military accusing certain people of being members or supporters of the communist insurgency and terrorist organizations, often with little or no proof. The measure makes the act punishable by up to 10 years in prison and aims to stem “the increasing institutionalization and normalization of human rights violations,” according to its author, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. The phrase “Red-tagging” has come into use under the Duterte administration to describe how state forces have accused some activists, journalists, academics, lawyers, judges, labor leaders or even celebrities of being members or supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army. Drilon’s Senate Bill No. 2121—“Act Defining and Penalizing Red-Tagging”—would “fix the legal gaps, address impunity [and] institutionalize ... » Learn More about Drilon bill to outlaw ‘Red-tagging’ filed, cheered

Image: Facebook/Ogie Diaz, Instagram/@lizasoberano Comedian Ogie Diaz,  Liza Soberano’s manager, expressed his gratitude to those who have been expressing their support for the actress following her appearance in a Gabriela Youth livestream. Soberano has garnered mixed reaction from netizens after she delivered an emotional talk on the struggles women face in society at the Gabriela Youth webinar ” “Mga Tinig ni Nene: Reclaiming Our Voices on the International Day of the Girl Child” last Tuesday, Oct. 13. “Maraming salamat sa lahat ng pumupuri sa pagpoprotekta ni Liza Soberano sa mga kababaihan at kabataan (Thank you so much to those who are commending Liza Soberano for protecting women and the youth),” Diaz said on Twitter yesterday, Oct. 15. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng pumupuri sa pagpoprotekta ni Liza Soberano sa mga kababaihan at kabataan. Ganon talaga ang may tunay na malasakit sa kapwa. — ogie diaz (@ogiediaz) October 15, 2020 “Ganon talaga ang may tunay ... » Learn More about Ogie Diaz thanks fans for supporting Liza Soberano, defends her against red-tagging

MANILA, Philippines — The bill in the Senate that seeks to criminalize red-tagging activities is “worrisome” and “very dangerous” to the country as it can be used as a “weapon” to “silence” those who want to expose the legal fronts of the communist rebels, an official of the government’s anti-insurgency task force said Wednesday. National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy said this after minority senators called for the passage of Senate Bill 2121 or the proposed “Act Defining and Penalizing Red-Tagging” after condemning the alleged red-tagging of Senate workers’ union by Director-General Alex Monteagudo of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA). “It’s really worrisome that our senators, senators themselves are using a word (red-tagging) that our Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, has already said doesn’t exist. There is no such thing,” she said in a press conference. “This is a weapon used by the ... » Learn More about Bill criminalizing red-tagging ‘worrisome,’ ‘dangerous’ to PH — NTF-ELCAC spox

Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite was among those who questioned on Tuesday the recommended reinstatement of two generals sacked over an erroneous list of UP graduates who had alleged become communist rebels. (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net) MANILA, Philippines — “Did they give the same second chances to the so-called ‘nanlaban’ victims of Tokhang? What about the victims of the Bloody Sunday who were red-tagged?” Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite posed these questions as he and other members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives questioned the recommendation to reinstate Maj. Gen. Alex Luna and Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, both of whom were sacked for putting out an erroneous list of University of the Philippines alumni who had allegedly become communist guerrillas. “While condemnable, the condonation of the two generals isn’t really peculiar for a regime that is known to be fond of recycling erring officials, even the corrupt ones,” Gaite said in a ... » Learn More about Solons question recommended reinstatement of 2 generals sacked for red-tagging