Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said Congress should pass a law that clearly defines and expressly penalizes “what is loosely called” red-tagging.
“If the Congress is minded to criminalize red-tagging, it should enact the appropriate legislation,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.
“Right now, complaints may revolve around defamation, harassment, coercion, unjust vexation, or violation of privacy laws, but not for an offense called ‘red-tagging,’” he added.
If the law is enacted, the Justice Secretary said it “may help reduce the problem of reckless endangerment.”
“It’s really something for the Congress to ponder,” he said.
Guevarra made the statement after House of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed a resolution asking the Commission on Human Rights and the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the red-tagging and profiling activities that forced the closure of several community pantries.
Guevarra said he would study the possibility of a probe.
“I will discuss the matter with the NBI ASAP,” he said.
In filing a resolution, Rodriguez said one community pantry in Barangay Kauswagan in Cagayan de Oro City was closed after its organizer was “red-tagged and systematically harassed with leaflets being circulated and posted everywhere.”
He said a restaurateur had also complained of being approached and “profiled” by individuals who introduced themselves as police officers.
Meanwhile, 15 senators led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon filed on Tuesday Senate Resolution No. 709, which censures Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., for his disrespectful, derogatory and demeaning statements against senators, calling them "stupid."
"I have been in the Senate for almost 24 years. This is the first time I hear of a member of the armed forces who called the senators stupid," Drilon said.
The senators also questioned the appointment of Parlade as spokesperson of the government’s anti-insurgency task force, saying this violated the Constitution.
“It should be emphasized that members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines should always remain apolitical while in active service, otherwise, it threatens the democratic principle of civilian supremacy over the military,” the senators said in their resolution.
Apart from Sotto, the other senators who co-authored the resolution include Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri and Senators Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, Leila de Lima, Richard Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel IV, and Joel Villanueva.
“The Senators’ reprimand of Lt. Gen. Parlade is justified and scrutiny of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s use of its budget is warranted, in light of the deplorable acts and pronouncements of Lt. Gen. Parlade as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson,” they said in the resolution.
“Instead of engaging in a constructive debate, Lt. Gen. Parlade has chosen to demean and disparage the senators, through statements that display his limited grasp of Congress’ role in the budget process and show his lack of respect not just for the Senators as duly-elected representatives of the people but also for the Senate as an institution,” they said
The 15 senators also defended the rise of community pantries, which were subjected to red-tagging by NTF-ELCAC, as they stressed that that “progressive thinking is not communism.”
“Contrary to the assertions of Lt. Gen. Parlade, progressive thinking is not communism and expression of opinions or criticisms and purposeful involvement in humanitarian community efforts do not constitute rebellion, sedition, or terrorism,” they said.
They added: “If Parlade’s pronouncements and profiling of community pantry organizers were done pursuant to NTF-ELCAC's policy direction, then the agency has clearly departed from its mandate and members of the Senate have basis to realign its funds to more worthy causes that would make better use of taxpayers’ money, such as providing much-needed aid to people suffering from the effects of the pandemic.”
Drilon said he is certain that the resolution will be adopted when session resumes on May 17.
“This is as good as adopted when we resume the session on May 17. It is a certainty that Parlade will be censured by the Senate for this kind of conduct when we resume session,” he said.
The senators likewise asserted their “power of the purse” in the resolution.
Meanwhile, the Palace said President Rodrigo Duterte was keeping his hands off the controversy over Parlade’s statements.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said it is up to the government’s counter-insurgency task force to fire its spokesperson over his attacks on community pantry organizers and lawmakers.
“Our President does not micro-manage. It is up to NTF-ELCAC officials whether they will heed the call of Senator Lacson,” Roque said in a televised briefing. Parlade, along with Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, has been criticized by lawmakers and civil groups over the perceived “baseless” and “unsubstantiated” claims against community pantry organizers.
Roque made the remarks after several senators called on Duterte to remove Parlade as the task force spokesperson.
Also on Tuesday:
* A member of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives condemned the alleged red-tagging and harassment against a frontline health worker identified as Jane Ruiz in Cagayan. Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas said the incident "adds up to the reasons why the government's red-tagging agency NTF-ELCAC should be abolished." Brosas said since 2018, Jane Ruiz has been at the receiving end of intense red-tagging and vilification for being the Cagayan provincial coordinator of Gabriela Women's Party and advocating for women's rights, Brosas said. The NTF-ELCAC has yet to respond.
* A congressional leader asked the Commission on Human Rights and the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the reported red-tagging of community pantry organizers. Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez filed House Resolution 1725, saying the effort by civic minded citizens started by Quezon City resident Ana Patricia Non to provide food to the poor amid the pandemic “exemplifies the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos.”
