De Lima welcomes incoming Security Adviser Carlos's remarks vs red tagging

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima welcomed the remarks of incoming National Security Adviser (NSA) Clarita Carlos expressing disapproval of red-tagging, which has become rampant under the Duterte administration.

De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said she hopes that the next administration could properly address the decades-old communist insurgency in the Philippines with respect to the rule of law.

"Sa kasalukuyang administrasyon, nasaksihan natin kung paano kinasangkapan at inabuso ang red-tagging para gipitin at takutin ang mga human rights defenders, mga aktibista, mga miyembro ng oposisyon at mga progresibong organisasyon na nakikipaglaban para sa hustisya, katotohanan at demokrasya. Isang baluktot na mekanismo ng gobyerno na naglagay sa maraming buhay sa peligro at nagbahid dungis sa kredibilidad ng mga inosentemg indibidwal," she said.

"Prof. Carlos's pronouncement that the incoming administration should address the lack of opportunity and injustice is a step in the right direction in our fight against decades-old communist insurgency in the country," she added.

Carlos, a former University of the Philippines professor, said that she disapproves of red-tagging, maintaining that nothing can be gained from it. "Siguro let's not use labels. Wala naman tayong mahihita nang ganyan."

"Pakialaman na lang natin, let's put our energy on the operational aspects of really rooting, looking at the roots of insurgency, 'yung lack of opportunity, 'yung injustice na hindi naa-address, 'yan 'yung pakialaman natin," Carlos noted.

The lady Senator from Bicol said she hopes that the culture of violence and red-tagging will stop, once and for all.

"Umaasa tayong matitigil na ang kultura ng dahas, panghaharass at red-tagging, at sa halip ay may gobyerno nang handang makinig sa mga hinaing at suliranin ng marami nating kababayan, upang tunay na silang masagip sa kumunoy ng kahirapan na matagal na nilang gustong maalpasan," she said.

"We hope that the government will always remember that the fight against insurgency is not a fight against truth-seekers and human rights defenders; and by addressing its root causes instead of red-tagging people, our hopes are high that we can win the fight against insurgency," she added.

In February 2021, De Lima filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 628 urging Congress to investigate the instances of red-tagging of University of the Philippines (UP) alumni by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following the unilateral abrogation of the 1989 UP-Department of National Defense (UP-DND) accord.