No gov’t communication plan to red-tag groups, individuals

MANILA – Malacañang on Monday denied claims there is a government-led communication plan to accuse people, including students, of joining the communist movement.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana assured that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will apologize to people wrongly included in a list of supposed members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

“Secretary Lorenzana has apologized for mistakes, let’s leave it at that. But there is no overall communication plan on red-tagging. We leave that to the defense establishments, sila po ‘yan (that’s just them),” he said in a press briefing from Samal Island, Davao del Norte.

Roque said he had no jurisdiction to advise military officials against red-tagging but suggested they be more careful in making such accusations.

“They’re out of my jurisdiction; I can only speak for the President. I can only suggest that they be more prudent para hindi na po napapa-apologize ang ating Secretary of National Defense (so the Secretary of National defense won’t have to apologize),” he said.

On Sunday, Lorenzana said that AFP would apologize for its “unpardonable gaffe” specifically to Free Legal Assistance Group member Raffy Aquino, who was one of those included in an NPA list published on social media.

Lorenzana, however, said he does not know why the military came up with such a list.

Lorenzana earlier drew flak from activist groups, students, faculty members, former students and even government officials following the termination of the 1989 accord that bars unauthorized entry of security forces into campuses of the University of the Philippines.

He has so far expressed willingness to discuss the matter with UP President Danilo Concepcion.

Meanwhile, Roque said he would refer to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) reports that a graphic posted in the Facebook page of the City of Batac Police Station which said joining protests, helping relief drives that aren’t state-sanctioned, and retweeting memes as grounds to classify someone as a terrorist.

“Malinaw po ang batas tungkol diyan. Tingin ko kung ‘yang mga gawain lang ‘yan ay hindi po sapat (The law about that is clear. I think those activities are not enough grounds to classify someone as a terrorist) but we will refer that to the DILG and the PNP leadership,” he said.

Republic Act 11479, also known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, states that acts intended to cause death or serious injury to any person, extensive damage to a government facility, and extensive interference with destruction to critical infrastructure are likewise considered as terror acts.

It also states that individuals who either use weapons, explosives, and chemical weapons or release dangerous substances causing fire, floods, or explosions are considered terrorists.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the anti-terror law on July 3, 2020.