De Lima wants Senate probe into red-tagging of UP alumni

Sen. Leila de Lima. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Leila de Lima is seeking a Senate investigation into “recent instances of red-tagging” of University of the Philippines (UP) alumni by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following the unilateral termination of a pact that prohibits unauthorized military and police presence in the university’s campuses.

De Lima sought for the inquiry in a Senate Resolution No. 628, wherein she lamented how the AFP “continues to make false or misleading statements and sweeping generalizations against law-abiding citizens to support their pre-formed conclusions against its perceived enemies.”

“These instances of red-tagging and spreading of misinformation are no longer uncommon as it forms part of the Duterte administration’s strategy to end the decades-old communist insurgency in the Philippines,” De Lima said.

“In recent months, these red-tagging campaigns have gone on to target peasant leaders, indigenous peoples, activists, and human rights defenders, among others,” she added.

Last Jan. 22, the AFP Information Exchange released a list of 27 people as supposedly “UP students who became NPA (died or captured).”

The AFP Information Exchange has since apologized for the “inconsistencies” of the list and has taken down the post.

Aside from the apology, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana relieved Maj. Gen. Alex Luna from his post as deputy chief of staff for intelligence following the publication of the erroneous list.

De Lima, a former justice secretary, underscored the need to conduct an independent investigation to determine “who allowed for the creation and release of such false and malicious information” and hold them accountable.”

“This exercise by the AFP is tantamount to grasping at straws and distracts the public from other more pressing issues, such the government’s plan to resuscitate our economy and the national Covid-19 vaccination program,” she said.

Further, she said that there is a need to “introduce safeguards in order to protect, promote and guarantee the enjoyment of academic freedom in higher institutions of learning as enshrined in the Constitution.”

She cited the University of the Philippines Charter of 2008 which declared that the university has the right and responsibility to exercise academic freedom.

The Department of National Defense (DND) unilaterally abrogated its decades-old accord with the university, saying the agreement had been a hindrance to operations against communist rebels, especially recruitment of cadres in UP.

JPV