MANILA, Philippines — Errors that the military played down as “inconsistencies” are a serious matter as it puts personalities incorrectly tagged as communist rebels at risk, the Commission on Human Rights said.
Lawyer Jacqueline de Guia, CHR spokesperson, noted the apology of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for publishing on Facebook an unverified list that wrongly tagged UP alumni as members of the New People’s Army.
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But De Guia stressed that the military’s gaffe is still concerning. “Similar lapses, if left unchecked, can put reputations and lives in serious danger,” she added.
The CHR has long stressed the dangers of red-tagging, or the practice of labeling dissenters and activists as rebels, terrorists or enemies of the state, puts lives in danger.
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers president Edre Olalia also said the military’s latest gaffe proves the danger of red-tagging as it shows that not only “the usual suspects” are indiscriminately damaged, but it could be anybody.
“With enormous resources and with all hands on deck, the government is still missing and messing the point on how to really address the armed conflict in our country,” Olalia added.
The AFP Information Exchange over the weekend tagged lawyers, former government officials and journalists as UP students who died or were captured after joining the NPA. Some of those on the list, who are former student leaders, appeared on an online briefing on Saturday to deny the allegations, including the claim that they had been killed.
The military has since removed the list and promised an investigation on how the list was published.
Government reminded: No innocent lives must be put in peril
The CHR again reiterated to the government that they have the obligation to respect and uphold the rights of all people. This duty to the people not only involves protecting them from harm but “ensuring that government actions do not put innocent lives in peril.”
De Guia reminded the government to “use their influence responsibly” and put their resources to good use.
She added: “[O]ne of the best ways to give life to the AFP’s motto of ‘Serving the People, Securing the Land’ is being loyal to the truth, fairness, and the rights enshrined and guaranteed by the Constitution, such as due process and presumption of innocence among others.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines, which also called out the military's "ridiculous red-tagging," earlier stressed that if lawyers and people with stature can be put at risk by the practice, ordinary citizens who do not have the means to clear their names are left even more vulnerable.
“They are unduly threatened, attacked, or even killed by the misguided and unscrupulous,” IBP president Domingo Egon Cayosa said.