The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomed the statements issued by incoming National Security Adviser Dr. Clarita R. Carlos against the practice of red-tagging, also known as red-baiting.
Carlos has urged those from the government, particularly the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), to end red-tagging as she pointed out that "labels do not do anything."
"Why are you ID-ing people as if you are concluding already? Stop this red-tagging," she said.
"Empirical evidence after empirical evidence, the military route never works, so 'wag na. Para naman tayong loko-loko niyan, paulit-ulit na alam mo na ngang hindi nagwo-work 'yan eh (Stop it. We are like fools, knowing that it never works but we still repeat it). Do what works,” she pointed out.
CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the commission has long warned the government against the dangers of red-tagging, which results in harassment and intrusion to right of privacy once people are identified as "enemies of the State.
"Some even face unlawful arrests, enforced disappearances, injuries, and even killings,” De Guia, a lawyer, lamented.
"Instituting a policy barring red-tagging will go a long way in protecting the life, liberty, and security of various individuals and groups, especially those unfairly labelled," she said.
"In turn, CHR equally welcomes the proposal from Dr. Carlos to instead focus the government's efforts in addressing inequalities and lack of opportunities on the ground that drive insurgency," she stressed.
She pointed out that by addressing the root causes of conflict, the country will finally be able to move towards a more just and humane society.