Journalist Atom P. Araullo on Monday, Sept. 11, filed a P2 million civil suit against former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Marie T. Badoy-Partosa and television host Jeffrey “Ka Eric” L. Celiz for allegedly “red-tagging" him and his family.

Red-tagging is the practice of blacklisting a person or organization for alleged involvement in communist or terroristic activities. Red-tagged persons suffer from intimidation, harassment, and surveillance.

“I am doing this for the safety and well-being of my family, but I also hope it contributes in a modest way to protecting press freedom in general,” Araullo said in a statement.

Araullo said the defamatory assaults were made public by Badoy and Celiz “through their talk show, ‘Laban Kasama Ang Bayan,’ aired on the SMNI News Channel, and an online video interview of Celiz posted on the ‘Today’ Page on Facebook.”

“Specifically, throughout early 2022 to the end of January 2023, Mr. Araullo and his mother, Dr. Carol P. Araullo, found themselves at the center of a ‘red-tagging spree’ initiated by Celiz and Badoy-Partosa. They faced serious accusations, being branded as ‘spawn’ of an ‘active CPP Central Committee leader,’ among other derogatory remarks, the complaint stated.

Also, the complaint stated that Araullo was falsely painted as an orchestrator of attacks against the government, accused of membership in the ‘communist party,’ and vilified as a journalist producing content that aligns with the alleged propaganda of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front)."

After learning about the statements made by Badoy and Celiz from friends and family members, the complaint stated that “Mr. Araullo felt profound ‘public humiliation’ and realized the severity of the damage being done to his reputation.”

“Mr. Araullo, as a seasoned journalist, television anchor, documentary filmmaker, and co-founder of an independent media organization, has built a credible reputation centered around integrity and truth-telling. These baseless and malicious attacks not only tarnished his reputation and professional credibility but also endangered his personal safety and that of his mother,” it stated.

Assisted by lawyers from the Movement Against Disinformation (MAD), Araullo filed the civil case before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Araullo said he is not yet filing criminal cases against Badoy and Celis at this time as the journalist explained he is “against the criminalization of libel and would prefer not to invoke it because it also endangers legitimate journalism.”

“Still, malicious perpetrators of disinformation must be stopped and held accountable,” he stressed.

“This is a unique challenge of our time, especially for journalists who are duty-bound to uphold the truth,” he also said.

MAD explained that the civil suit that was filed “pursuant to Articles 19, 20, 21, 26, and 33 of the New Civil Code of the Philippines, which are designed to safeguard every individual's personal rights, human relations, and dignity.”

“In seeking redress, Mr. Araullo claims nominal, moral, and exemplary damages amounting to Two Million and Seventy Thousand Pesos (PhP2,070,000), MAD said. In addition, he is pursuing reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of litigation, highlighting the fact that the need for legal action arose directly from the need to vindicate his rights and assert the truth against the false narratives presented by the respondents,” it added.