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ASEAN Parliamentarians urge Duterte admin to 'end red tagging' opposition lawmakers

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<h2>Palace says appeal doesn&#x27;t deserve attention</h2><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/12/17/20201028-anti-red-tagging-protest-md-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Women&#x27;s rights advocates picket in front of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on October 28, 2020 calling against red-tagging of activists and human rights defenders. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia on Thursday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to end the dangerous campaign of red tagging opposition lawmakers allegedly as an attempt to silence his critics, which Malacañang rejected.</p><p>“Red tagging has had extremely violent consequences in the Philippines, and the fact we are seeing President Duterte leading the way on such a menacing practice is utterly inexcusable,” Charles Santiago, a Malaysian Member of Parliament (MP), and chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said in a statement.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/30/20/we-are-identifying-you-as-communists-duterte-blasts-makabayan-bloc-lawmakers">&#x27;We are identifying you as communists&#x27;: Duterte blasts Makabayan bloc lawmakers</a></li></ul><p>Santiago said red tagging not only attempts to silence political opposition and undermine democracy but it “also directly put people’s lives at risk, particularly those who oppose his agenda.” </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BUjsVFX4Yjs?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div><p>Duterte&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque said the call for Duterte to stop red tagging is not &quot;representative of the views of the overwhelming majority of parliamentarians.&quot;</p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s a view of a very few ASEAN Parliamentarians, and I don&#x27;t think it deserves any attention,&quot; Roque, once active as a human rights lawyer, said in a press briefing. </p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s part of their freedom of expression, which probably they don&#x27;t even have in their own respective states. We leave it at that, let that be their view,&quot; he added. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B8Ng_AH7MA4?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div><p>Duterte has been accusing progressive groups in Congress of being alleged legal fronts of the communist movement. Members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have denied these accusations.</p><p>The Philippine Senate began tackling the issue of red tagging after some military officials labeled as communist supporters several opposition lawmakers and celebrities who expressed dismay over the government&#x27;s COVID-19 response plans.</p><p>Constitutional expert Antonio Laviña, a former Ateneo School of Government dean, urged senators to criminalize red tagging. But Duterte just <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/02/20/duterte-laughed-at-proposal-to-criminalize-red-tagging-sotto">laughed off</a> the proposal, Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said.</p><p>“How can lawmakers be expected to fulfil their role as a check on the executive when they themselves are being attacked? We urgently call on President Duterte and the Philippine government to stop labelling directly-elected representatives as terrorists, and allow opposition lawmakers to effectively fulfil their mandates and freely express their opinions,” Santiago said. </p><p>In its Parliamentarians at Risk report published in September, APHR said all 6 lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have been red-tagged online and offline, in reports and in news articles.</p><p>Red tagging and the war on drugs are part of the widespread assault on democracy and human rights in the Philippines, the group said.</p><p>Recently, the International Criminal Court&#x27;s (<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/15/20/icc-finds-reasonable-basis-for-alleged-crimes-against-humanity-in-duterte-drug-war">ICC</a>) Office of the Prosecutor found &quot;reasonable basis&quot; to believe that Duterte&#x27;s 4-year-old anti-narcotics drive spawned crimes against humanity. </p><p>“We call on MPs in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia to use their positions to speak up against the practice of ‘red tagging’ in the Philippines, particularly by government officials towards political opponents, and ensure that their colleagues can effectively fulfil their mandates as elected representatives of the people,” said Mu Sochua, an APHR Board Member and former Cambodian MP. </p><p>Aside from lawmakers and celebrities, a group of lawyers and activist organizations have also been red tagged.</p><p>In October, Duterte said he wants the police and military to &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/26/20/palace-duterte-wants-police-military-to-keep-quiet-instead-of-red-tagging">keep quiet</a>&quot; while doing their job instead of red tagging.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v3Auhe47Ml0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div class="iwantbar"> </div>

<p>MANILA - Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia on Thursday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to end the dangerous campaign of red tagging opposition lawmakers allegedly as an attempt to silence his critics, which Malacañang rejected.</p>

MANILA - Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia on Thursday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to end the dangerous campaign of red tagging opposition lawmakers allegedly as an attempt to silence his critics, which Malacañang rejected.