Pantry organizers red-tagged? No, it was ‘truth tagging’ – gov’t lawyer

EVOLVING Maginhawa Community Pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non arranges the food items donated to the Quezon City pantry in its new location, in this April 23 picture. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines – The government does not red-tag individuals or groups suspected to have communist ties, but rather does “truth-tagging,” a government lawyer told the Supreme Court.

During the resumption of oral argument on the petitions to nullify the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Assistant Solicitor-General Marissa Dela Cruz-Galandines said it was the “leftist” who coined the concept of  “red-tagging.”

Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario mentioned the community pantries whose organizers – particularly Ana Patricia Non – were tagged as a communist by NTF-ELCAC Spokespersons Antonio Parlade and Lorraine Badoy, also the undersecretary for communications.

READ: Solon says Parlade, Badoy pose ‘serious threat to public’

“How will the government ensure that the Anti-Terrorism Act will not unduly or unlawfully identify any person as a suspect of terrorism merely on the basis of suspicion? Does this incident support allegations of petitioners’ of future contingent surveillance and red-tagging,” Rosario asked.

Galandines said: “The government would not use the term ‘red-tagging.’ ‘Red-tagging is a term that was not coined by the government. It was a term used by the leftist.”

“The government is firm that what it does is ‘truth tagging’ and not red-tagging your Honor,” Galandines added.

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