Lawmakers Accuse AFP, DepEd of Red-Tagging Near Rizal School
Two lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have accused an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) battalion and the Department of Education (DepEd) of engaging in red-tagging activities near a school in Rizal province.
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel claimed that pamphlets distributed by DepEd and the 80th Infantry Battalion labeled students and youth as terrorists for opposing government policies. The incident occurred at the Taytay Senior High School.
According to Castro, this action goes against a recent Supreme Court ruling that recognized the dangers of red-tagging. She criticized the use of taxpayers’ money by the military and DepEd, in coordination with the NTF-Elcac, to spread disinformation and intimidate students.
Manuel added that the red-tagging incident contradicted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s claim that the government does not engage in such activities. He emphasized that accusing Filipinos of being terrorists for opposing certain policies is misleading and a waste of public funds.
In response to the lawmakers’ claims, the NTF-Elcac denied that red-tagging occurred at the school. They clarified that the pamphlets focused on informing students about the recruitment tactics of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The NTF-Elcac stated that the seminar conducted by the 80th Infantry Battalion aimed to raise awareness about national security threats and promote patriotism among youth. They emphasized that the seminar did not target any specific organization and provided factual information for informed decision-making.
Despite the NTF-Elcac’s explanation, Castro and Manuel insisted that the contents of the pamphlets were misinformation, posing a threat to democratic institutions. They vowed to pursue legal action to investigate the matter and hold those responsible accountable.
