‘Red October’ open season on activists–rights group

“Red October” is not so much a plot to oust President Duterte but an “open season” on militants and activists across the country, a rights group claimed on Friday.

The alarming spate of “attacks” against activists and human rights defenders is the result of the government’s “relentless red-tagging in line with its fictitious destabilization plot,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

“How convenient for the government to … frame itself as the victim of a grand scheme, when on the ground, activists are those being hunted down, illegally arrested and forcibly disappeared,” Palabay said.

Hatched by communists

The Armed Forces of the Philippines had earlier said the Red October plot was hatched by the Communist Party of the Philippines and certain members of the political opposition.

At least nine activists belonging to militant organizations Gabriela, Anakpawis and Bayan Muna have been arrested since last week.

Foremost among those arrested was Adelberto Silva, a consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

The 71-year-old Silva was arrested in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, along with Erineo Atader, 55; Edicel Legaspi, 60; Hedda Calderon, 63; and Julio Lusania, 53.

Police claimed they recovered a .45-caliber pistol, a rifle, a hand grenade, an improvised explosive device from Silva’s group.

Silva’s wife Sharon told the Inquirer the arrests were merely part of a “trend … to attack human rights defenders and activists.”

‘Clear fantasy’

“It’s clear that these are trumped-up charges [as] a justification to throw him in jail. This Red October plot, nobody believes it, it’s a clear fantasy,” she said.

A few days earlier, police arrested youth and farmer activists Yolanda Ortiz, Eulalia Ladesma, Rachel Galario and Elaine Emocling in Rizal town, Nueva Ecija, for allegedly conducting “recruitment, propaganda and extortion” activities at Barangay Agbannawag.

Like Silva, the four were also charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Even more worrisome were the disappearances of several peasant leaders, including Joey Torres Sr., Central Luzon organizer for Bayan Muna, who was last seen at North Edsa in Quezon City on Sept. 22 after a meeting with farmers’ groups.