(Left) ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (PPAB, Facebook)

By Dexter Barro II

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro condemned the recent statements of National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on her guilty verdict, which she labeled as blatant “red-tagging and disinformation”.

“These are nothing but further attempts to legitimize their red tagging and perpetuate their campaign of harassment against progressive individuals and organizations," Castro said in a statement.

Año called the Tagum court decision on Monday, July 15 as proof that “no one is above the law”.

He said the ruling belied Castro’s allegation that her group was only doing a rescue mission in relation to the supposed illegal acquisition and transportation of minors in Talaingod, Davao del Norte in November 2018.

Castro, former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, and 11 others were convicted for violating Section 10(a) of Republic Act (RA) No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

For Castro, Año’s statement was indicative of the red-tagging that was used on political opponents and dissenters during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"We know that Año's former boss Rodrigo Duterte is still influential in Mindanao and that the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) is hellbent on having us convicted on trumped up charges," the teacher-solon said.

Año served as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary under the Duterte administration.

Castro reiterated that she will appeal this guilty verdict even if it reaches the Supreme Court (SC).

“In this situation where the power and influence of red-taggers have become dominant, true justice is set aside,” she pointed out.

She noted that she will remain committed to fighting against injustice, as well as her advocacy for children's rights and welfare.

Despite this legal challenge, Castro said it will not deter her plans to run for the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections.