As nat’l security adviser, Carlos wants red-tagging to be a thing of the past

Incoming National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos. Image from Bander / Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Incoming National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos on Friday said that she wants to put a stop to red-tagging, saying  “labels do not do anything.”

Carlos said that while she wants to continue the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), red-tagging should be a thing of the past.

The NTF-ELCAC has previously been linked to red-tagging controversies.

“When you have success, ituloy mo siya. Para namang katangahan na success ka na nga, tapos hindi mo itutuloy. Pag failure, edi huwag mong ituloy,” Carlos said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

(When you have success, continue that. It would be stupid to stop a successful endeavor. If it’s a failure, then don’t continue it.)

“To the extent of my mandate as NSA, I would like to stop red-tagging. Labels do not produce anything. Hindi siya productive (It’s not productive),” she added.

As NSA, Carlos will serve as vice-chairperson of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) who will have authority to classify groups or individuals as terrorists under the Republic Act No. 11479 or the “Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.”

The ATC shall be chaired by the Executive Secretary — in the case of the incoming administration, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, who currently serves as President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ‘s chief-of-staff.

For Carlos, red-tagging is a “lazy way” to “identify people.”

“Tapusin na natin ‘yung mga red-tagging na ‘yan because it is not productive. Ang energy natin ilagay natin on the ground — addressing inequality, lack of opportunities,” Carlos said.

(Let’s put an end to red-tagging because it is not productive. Let’s use our energy on the ground—addressing inequality, lack of opportunities.)

“Kapag pinatay mo ang kanyang kinabukasan, hahawak yan ng baril. Is that too difficult to understand? Tigilan na ‘yung red-tagging… Parang waste lang ng laway natin,” she added.

(If you kill the future of a person, that person will hold a gun. Is that too difficult to understand? Let’s stop red-tagging… It’s just a waste of saliva.)

Asked what she will do to NTF-ELCAC engaging in red-tagging, Carlos said in jest: “Well if they have a contract, I will allow their contract to lapse.”

Carlos said she is not yet familiar with the nitty-gritty of the structure of the NTF-ELCAC. She added that current national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon has not contacted her yet.

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NTF-Elcac: Comparing ATC reso to red-tagging waters down gravity of terrorism

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