Even administration ally Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel is questioning the basis of government security and intelligence officials for branding activists as communists and enemies of the state.
In a radio interview Saturday, April 10, Pimentel said he agrees that it is high-time to discuss the proposal to criminalize "red-tagging" as the crackdown of the government on activists and progressive groups become more pronounced that even unions of government employees are being identified as communist front organizations.
Pimentel, in seeking an explanation on the basis of their claims, conceded that such activities by government officials already affect democracy in the country.
"Ganoon na ba kababaw ngayon ang label ng komunista just because ikaw ay aktibista (Is that how shallow their definition of communist is, that just because you are an activist you can already be labelled a communist)?" he told radio DWIZ.
"Just because aktibista, sa tingin niyo na komunista? Eh 'di kayo mismo anti-democratic forces kung gano'n (they are activists, you look at them as communist? Then you yourselves are becoming anti-democratic forces)," he told the authorities.
"Ano ba nasa isip niyo? Ano ba, dapat lahat ng tao parang robot na lang? Ang kilos mo para kang robot, tanggapin mo na lang 'yong sitwasyon mo? Hindi ganon (What are you thinking? What, that all people should be like robots? Act like robots and just accept their situation? No, it does not work that way)."
An involved citizenry, Pimentel said, is key to democracy.
He further stressed: "Kailangan ng activism sa demokrasya, otherwise, hindi magbabago. Parati tayong status quo…Kailangan may activism para may pagbabago ng polisiya (Activism is a necessary part of democracy, otherwise, there will be no change. We will always stay in the status quo. We need activism to change our policies)," he continued.
"We are constantly looking for improvements…So you always question the status quo, legal naman lahat 'yan, eh (and all of it is legal, anyway). Freedom of speech, freedom to think, freedom to question -- part po lahat ng democracy 'yan (all of that is part of democracy)," he pointed out.
Opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan also echoed this view, slamming the government intel officials for their "misplaed" red-tagging activities despite the problems brought about by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Hindi naman tayo diktadura, hindi naman ito (We are not in a dictatorship, this is not an) authoritarian regime. Our Constitution upholds to the tenets of democracy, and part of democracy is free speech and the right to dissent, and the right to criticize," Pangilinan said in separate DWIZ interview.
He appealed: "Sana naiintindihan ng ating mga kababayan 'pag tayo, halimbawa ay pumunta sa restawran, nagbabayad tayo, hindi ba, tapos ang sinilbi sa atin ay merong ipis, alangan naman sabihin sa atin huwag tayong magreklamo, tumulong na lang tayo doon sa mga naglilinis doon sa restawran (I hope our countrymen understand that for example, we are in a restaurant and we are paying, but we are served with food with a cockroach on it, they cannot discourage us from complaining and tell us to just help those who are cleaning the restaurant)."
"We are taxpayers. 'Pag hindi tama ang palakad nong mga kumukuha ng buwis at ginagamit sa pamamahala, eh karapatan natin bilang taxpayer na magreklamo (If those collecting our taxes are not using them properly, we have the right to complain)," he pointed out.
Despite their statements and social media posts, government officials have repeatedly denied that they are engaged in red-tagging activities.