Southeast Asian media groups slam red-tagging of news editor on national television

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Different media groups from Southeast Asia condemned on Wednesday the red-tagging of an online news editor on national television.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) had also slammed the red-tagging of Philstar news editor Jonathan de Santos, who is also the Union’s chairperson.

“We strongly condemn the recent red-tagging and baseless accusations made against members of the [NUJP] by Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celis during their show ‘Laban Kasama ang Bayan’ aired on Wednesday (3/5/23),” said the Gerakan Media Merdeka from Malaysia, Journalist Association Timor Leste, and the Cambodian Center for Independent Media in a joint statement.

De Santos was publicly accused of being an affiliate of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) by Badoy and Celis on the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), which is owned by Apollo Carreon Quiboloy—a man wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for alleged sex trafficking.

READ: FBI releases ‘Wanted’ poster for Quiboloy

Other journalists from Rappler and the NUJP were targeted in the segment as well.

The three Southeast Asian press groups said that red-tagging has dire consequences, which include harassment, threats, and violence.

“We call on the Philippine government to state clearly that the practice is not state policy, is unacceptable and violates freedom of association as well as other civil and political rights,” they said.

Meanwhile, the NUJP had denied the allegations made on SMNI, saying that the “rampant and unabated red-tagging on live television must stop.”

“The allegations are absurd, hilarious and—to borrow the woman’s words by which she was accused of indirect contempt—straight from the bowels of hell,” said the NUJP and Philstar in a combined statement.

While the NUJP did not name Badoy in their statement, it pointed to “a woman facing an indirect contempt charge before the Supreme Court.” Badoy faces such a charge.

READ: SC orders Badoy to answer indirect contempt petition

While the government has said that red-tagging is not a part of its policy, reports of red-tagging and harassment have persisted among progressive groups and reporters.

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