“Kung mayroong certain acts ang mga red-tagged persons na masasabing against the law, then don’t just label them. File the necessary action against them, kung mayroong kayong ebidensya to prove they are committing offenses or violating our existing laws,” said Guevarra in a press briefing on Wednesday.
[Lede: If those who were red-tagged have committed actions that were against the law, then don’t just label them. File the necessary action against them if there is evidence to prove they are committing offenses or violating our existing laws.]
He noted that red-tagging people without evidence is endangering.
“Pero kung wala ka naman ebidensya to support anything, except to suspect na ito ay fronts ng communist terrorist groups, wag ka na lang magsalita. Dahil you are endangering certain people. Baka mamaya ma-target yung mga tao who are just vocal about their own political views,” said Guevarra.
[Translation: If you don’t have any evidence to support anything, except to suspect that these are fronts of communist terrorist groups, keep your mouth shut. Because you are endangering certain people. People who are just vocal about their political views might be targeted.]
Guevarra is part of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), several of whose officials were slapped with complaints for red-tagging certain groups and individuals.
But the justice secretary said red-tagging is not a policy of the NTF-ELCAC, it’s just that some officials are “vocal.”
“Yung sa red-tagging (On red-tagging), I don’t think it’s the policy of the NTF-ELCAC. Meron lang (There are just) certain persons associated with the NTF-ELCAC na who might have been vocal about their impressions about certain groups,” said Guevarra.
When asked if he has already informed the task force on his stand regarding red-tagging, Guevarra said he is not certain if they heeded his advice.
“As to how they reacted to that position ng DOJ, I wouldn’t really know if they heeded or they ignored it,” he said.
Guevarra said last year that he supports the move by some lawmakers to criminalize red-tagging.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 15) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra advised some anti-communist task force officials to avoid baselessly labelling certain individuals as enemies of the state, but file the necessary complaints instead if there is enough evidence.
