Bill penalizing public officials for red-tagging filed

GMA Network

a day ago

A bill penalizing red-tagging has been filed in the House of Representatives.
Red-tagging is the practice of accusing people and groups of having ties to communist rebels or terrorist groups, and during the Duterte administration was wielded against government critics, including lawmakers, activists, progressive groups, private citizens, and schools.
Several deaths have been linked to red-tagging, and in 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that it poses "threats to a person's right to life, liberty, or security."
In House Bill 213, Party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT and Renee Co of Kabataan cited the high court's ruling.
'This judicial affirmation validates the lived experiences of activists and the long-held position of human rights advocates that red-tagging is a direct and credible threat that warrants decisive legislative action,' the lawmakers said.
Under the bill, a public official, employee, and/or their agent who red-tags any individual will be meted a jail time of six months to six years.
If the individual was injured by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by a public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents will be punished by a degree higher than those in accordance with Articles 262 to 265 (Physical Injuries) of the Revised Penal Code and a fine not exceeding P6,000 plus damages.
In the event the individual is killed by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by a public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents will be punished in accordance with Article 248 or Murder of the Revised Penal Code.
If the individual involuntarily disappears by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by the public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents, will punished under An Act Defining And Penalizing Enforced Or Involuntary Disappearance.
Lastly, any public officer, employee, and/or their agents who are found guilty of any of the aforementioned offenses will be perpetually disqualified to hold public office.
The bill defines red-tagging as the act of publicly labeling, vilifying, branding, naming, accusing or caricaturing individuals, groups, or organizations of being state enemies, subversives, armed rebels, communists or terrorists, or fronts thereof, thereby implying or insinuating involvement or engagement in armed rebellion, acts of terrorism or any wrongdoing or criminal acts; provided, that such act is committed with the use, directly or indirectly, of public position and/or of public funds.
'To allow red-tagging to continue with impunity is to sanction violence perpetrated by the state. It is to surrender our fundamental freedoms and allow the state to operate as an instrument of repression rather than a protector of rights,' the lawmakers said.
'Criminalizing this heinous act is an urgent and necessary step to defend our democracy, uphold the rule of law, and protect the lives of the Filipino people,' they added. — BM, GMA Integrated News