CHR to push for legislative measures vs red-tagging
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said on Sunday, July 28, it will push for legislative measures against red-tagging.
The CHR said in a statement that it will draft “its own set of recommendations to various stakeholders on possible legislative reforms, redress mechanisms, and accountability measures to address the matter.”
In the meantime, the commission said it will be holding this July 29 to 30 a “Public Inquiry on the Current Situation of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) with focus on incidents of Red-Tagging.”
“The CHR, headed by the Commission en banc VI, will be convening domestic and international experts for the first session, providing critical insights into the practice of red-tagging in the Philippines,” the commission explained.
“This will jumpstart a series of dialogues and consultations to be conducted by the CHR later in the year in order to understand the concept of red-tagging from the perspectives of all sectors of the society,” it added.
By the end of the Inquiry, the CHR stated “it is expected that there will be an established definition of red-tagging” that will be used in drafting legislative recommendations.
The CHR made the move after the Supreme Court (SC) declared that "red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association" as threats to one's right to life, liberty and security.
"In a society built on the rule of law, every citizen is entitled to the protection of their fundamental rights... against any form of unwarranted harassment or intimidation," the CHR earlier said in response to the SC ruling.
The commission pointed out that "red-tagging and similar practices not only violate the inherent dignity of individuals but also undermine the fabric of democracy and the rule of law,"
The SC decision also identified the Writ of Amparo as a direct remedy to address the threats being caused by these acts, which, the CHR, said covered enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
A Writ of Amparo is “a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity."