Top executives of the University of the Philippines have called out the red-tagging allegations made by officials of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
The UP President’s Advisory Council (PAC) said in a statement that it viewed with grave concern the NTF-ELCAC’s allegations that UP students are disruptors and destabilizers of peace and order following rallies after the May 9 elections.
In addition, National Security Advisor Hermogenes Esperon also alleged that the state university was a prime breeding ground for recruitment by the communist New People’s Army.
“Such statements maliciously misrepresent legitimate forms of protests as ‘breeding grounds for terrorist recruitment,’ violate civil liberties and carelessly endanger our students in their democratic exercise of constitutionally protected freedoms,” the UP-PAC statement read.
It added that such accusations were “baseless and paranoid” and could sow the kind of discord that security officials are trying to prevent.
“We will not stand down when our students’ lives are at risk. We will continue to defend our academic spaces. We will protect our students vigorously against red-tagging, harassment and intimidation,” it said as it emphasized the need for free and critical thinking in learning institutions in the country.
Red-tagging university students is a lazy and irresponsible reaction to protest actions that should only be attributed to the country’s thriving internet troll industry. However, such behavior is totally unacceptable from government officials such as National Security Advisor and those from the NTF-ELCAC who should know better than to dish out baseless and dangerous allegations against frustrated young critical thinkers who are simply exercising their constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
It is ironic that the government officials involved should know fully well that branding activists as “terrorists” and/or “communists” without substantial proof of any unlawful conduct is a practice that has dangerous and deadly consequences, especially in this country where the red-tagged face threats of harm or death by unidentified assailants who have sown their brand of terror with impunity. It is worrying that they continue red-tagging, this time even students of the University of the Philippines.
Until a law against red-tagging is finally passed, who will keep these overzealous public officials in check and remind them that it is not part of their job?*
