Turuan ng leksyon! 9 lawmakers propose jail time, public service ban for gov’t officials guilty of red tagging

By Billy Begas

Nine congressional representatives have jointly filed a measure to criminalize red-tagging.

House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, one of the authors said that “red tagging has to stop because it not only vilifies individuals and organizations without credible proof but also sets them up for harassment, illegal arrest and even assassination as what is prevalent now in the country,”

Under the measure, red-tagging is defined as the “act of publicly labeling, vilifying, branding, naming, accusing or caricaturing individuals, groups, or organizations of being state enemies, subversives, armed rebels, communists or terrorists or fronts thereof thereby implying or insinuating involvement or engagement in armed rebellion, acts of terrorism or any wrong doing or criminal acts.”

“Red-tagging has become a very dangerous action or conduct by public officials and their agents. It brings about a chilling effect and poses a great danger to the people’s Constitutional right to freedom of expression and the right to political belief without fear of prosecution,” the explanatory note of House Bill 9437 read.

Red-tagging can be committed through statements, social media posts, announcements, declarations, signage, streamers, placards, public fora and other similar venues or media.

Violators will be facing fines and imprisonment depending on what happened to the individual that was red-tagged.

Public officials and employees and their agents who will be found guilty of the offense will be perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Aside from Zarate, the measure was authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, Quezon City Rep. Christopher Belmonte, La Union Rep. Pablo Ortega, Bayan Muna Representatives Eufemia Cullamat and Ferdinand Gaite, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Jane Elago.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)