QC probes hate speech, posters vs Bayan Muna

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government on Tuesday said it will thoroughly investigate the reported hate speech and terrorist-tagging posters against Bayan Muna personalities in several public places in Quezon City “to ensure that the rights and safety of each citizen are fully protected.”

City lawyer Orlando Casimiro confirmed that his office received on Tuesday the letter from Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate dated Nov. 9.

“At the onset, the posters cited were put up without the knowledge and consent of the QCG (Quezon City government). The City does not and will not condone any form of hate speech or terrorist-tagging directed against any person or group,” Casimiro said.

The “black propaganda” tarps and posters were discovered in the Welcome Rotunda area in late October and were later removed by Bayan Muna members. It was unclear who put up the tarps and posters.

Casimiro noted that the Local Government Code mandates the city lawyer to “be in the front-line of protecting human rights and prosecuting any violations thereof.”

Since its creation in 1999, Bayan Muna has held its national headquarters in Quezon City.

Zarate noted that many of their members and leaders are also residing in the city.

In a letter to Casimiro, Zarate said that seeing posters containing hate speech and terrorist-tagging against Bayan Muna and personalities affiliated with it in public places “creates an atmosphere of fear for us and puts our security and lives in danger.”

“It restrains us from performing our advocacy work and chills us in the exercise of our freedoms without fear of reprisal and physical harm,” the lawmaker said in his letter.

Zarate asked the city government for intervention and called for an investigation of the matter.

“As such, we humbly ask your good office for intervention and call for an investigation of this matter, to the end that we ensure that Quezon City would continue to be a place where rights are exercised freely, and the inhabitants can live and exist peacefully,” Zarate said.

The letter was forwarded to Casimiro’s office on Tuesday as members of Bayan Muna held a protest in front of the Quezon City Hall to denounce the smear campaign against progressive groups.