04-07-2025
NTF-ELCAC urges House to reconsider bill penalizing ‘red-tagging'
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Friday called on the House of Representatives to reconsider the bill penalizing 'red-tagging.'
In a statement, the anti-insurgency task force's Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) pointed out that the possible punishment for red-tagging may be used against legitimate government actions against rebels.
'The NTF-ELCAC, through the LCC, therefore urges Congress to carefully reconsider House Bill No. 213,' the task force said.
'Instead of introducing vague new offenses, we call for the strengthening of existing legal remedies and support for institutions that protect both national security and civil liberties,' he added.
Red-tagging is the practice of accusing people and groups of having ties to communist rebels or terrorist groups.
The NTF-ELCAC said that without clear legal standards, the bill risks punishing constitutionally protected speech and creating a 'chilling effect' on lawful disclosures, especially those with verified intelligence and testimonies from former insurgents.
'By seeking to criminalize this term without statutory clarity or proof of actual harm, the bill invites abuse, misapplication, and political weaponization,' the task force said.
'Such an approach risks shielding genuine threat actors behind legal ambiguity while penalizing public servants for performing their sworn duties,' it added.
The NTF-ELCAC stressed that public officials are duty-bound to warn communities about security threats.
'Criminalizing such disclosures weaken national security efforts and obstruct the government's mandate to maintain peace and order,' it said.
In House Bill 213, party-list representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT and Renee Co of Kabataan cited the Supreme Court's ruling in 2024 that red-tagging poses "threats to a person's right to life, liberty, or security."
'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. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
