Our freedom of political beliefs and the right to political participation are guaranteed by our Constitution – stated in the Article 3 Section 8(1) and Section 18(2) of the Bill of Rights that reads, “the right of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions, associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged (1) and no person shall be detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations (2).”

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Thus, any person, regardless of his employability – be a student or a person of privacy, can join unions or organizations that may engage into progressive activities or activism.

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Activism, in its truest form, can be described as taking actions to effect social change.  This can happen in various ways and in a variety of forms. It can be led by individuals but is often done collectively through social movement, according to Permanent Culture Now.

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People can be activists and many actions can be interpreted as activism. But not all reformist actions constitute activism and not all less-progressive movements do not form activism. From this misconception drives the unfair treatment to persons who carry out activism on their aspirations. 

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Red-tagging is born out of this misconception – rather, a deep rooted malicious blacklisting and othering people of dissent in the name of state manipulation. Red-tagging can be traced way back to Spaniard colonialism. Myths about aswang and elementals were prepared to keep residents restricted and exposed to encomienda rule, while the individuals who revolted were marked beasts and tulisan, their names made to bear hostile, silly fanciful stories that were difficult to confirm, according to Pineda.

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Little to no shift has changed since then. Terms are rephrased, leaving the very same intentions for the use of the word – from aswang to communists, communists to activists, and activists to terrorists. It became too easy for individuals of authority to brand progressive and activist citizens of any country as communists just because of expressing discontent and challenging social injustice, and to label persons who campaign for political and social change as forth bringer of terror and unlawful violence.  

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With the enactment of Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the thin line that distinguishes activism, communism, and terrorism from each other is now feared to be obliterated by men of influence. Given from history that men of power rephrase terms for tactless usage to describe individuals of opposition, activists have to rely now on good faith that the government will not misuse the supremacy of anti-terror law as risk of arrest, detainment, and being designated terrorists are getting putative at the bus where they take platforms. But what good faith could it do when the man who supposedly is the model of justice in the country decided to point his finger at your face and name you as someone as perilous as a terrorist?

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What’s more dangerous for this under-assessed and vague anti-terror law is that this could be weaponized to jail individuals in which authorities have considered as enemies of the state by manipulating proof and accusing identified persons of being involved with illegal activities. 

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If the drive to demonize activists, progressive leaders, broad-minded students, and anyone who speaks up for the marginalized will continue to prosper, then the urge to exercise basic human rights and to demand government reforms will be consumed by fear. There will be no more protests, rallies and marches, and the citizens that signify the democracy of our country will be suppressed of their rights. What future can it bring for us?

From the college where communication arts is mastered, student leaders heed for a call to end the widespread red-tagging against activists and progressive groups. They shared their causes for activism, and appealed to the proliferating red-tagging of the government towards them. Despite the COVID-19 hurdles, these student leaders have continued their fight with integrity, nationalism and fervour for social change.

 

Dominic Gutoman, College Editors Guild of the Philippines

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Dominic, a staff writer of The Catalyst – PUP’s official student publication, since 2019, joined College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), an alliance of tertiary student publications and student journalists nationwide. This is because he believes that writing alone the voices of the unheard is not enough to tackle injustice, but as a journalist, they ought to amplify these stories in a greater medium so that the masses can hear the cry of the poor and act deeper against these social inequalities. 

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Joining mobilizations against Anti-Terror Bill, Martial Law Commemoration, and International Human Rights Day in the midst of pandemic; Dominic denounces the blatant red-tagging of the government towards activists and some progressive groups. To explain, he wrote:

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“The government’s red-tagging is self-defeating. It will only intensify the resistance and the number of people striking against the consecutive and multi-folds of crises that we are experiencing: pandemic (health), inadequate socio-economic response (economic), continuous killings against the basic masses and human rights defenders (human rights and democracy), and the ineffective learning modalities/response (education).

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“Kung gusto talagang tugunan ng pamahalaan ang suliranin sa “insurhensya,” dapat nilang suriin at ugatin ito. May armadong pakikibaka dahil may lumalaking puwang at kahirapan na nararamdaman ang mga mamamayan. Kung tunay na gusto nilang solusyunan ang insurhensya sa bansa, hamon na simulan nila ito sa pagsusulong ng mga programa para sa mamamayan. Dahil habang nagpapatuloy ang pagsadlak ng bawat isa sa kahirapan, lolobo pa ang bilang ng mga nag-aaklas.”

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When asked about his message to people who equates activism to terrorism and what can he say to correct their mindset, Dominic quotes:

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“Kung ang tanong naman na ito ay tumutukoy sa normal na mamamayan: ito ay depende sa pag-iimbestiga (social investigation). Dapat na mag-spark ng conversation kung ano ang pinakamalapit na kaisahan sa kanila, kung ito ay maralita, pag-usapan ang kabuhayan. Doon ilapat na ang pakikipaglaban para sa nakabubuhay na sahod at libreng pabahay ay terorismo para sa estado (isangguni ang mga kaso sa maralitang lungsod tulad ng Kadamay, demolisyon sa panahon ng pandemya, at marami pang iba). Kung tayo ang mas nakahihigit na kaalaman hingil sa isyu, huwag ito gamitin bilang moral high ground kundi mas oportunidad para maging mapagkumbaba at mataimtim na suriin ang kanilang kalagayan bago magbigay ng kung anong salita o opinyon. We can only “correct” their mindset if we know their plight. If they have backward views, then put maximum effort and leverage for yourself to understand where they are coming from: social media na batbat ng fake news, mga programa ng gobyerno na may halong black propaganda, amplification ng mga sabi-sabi ng mga politiko sa pambansang telebisyon, at marami pang iba.”

 

Marc Rechelle Buntag, Kabataan Partylist PUP - COC Spokesperson

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“To contribute to the further movement of the calls of people for health, livelihood, and rights.”

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This is what Rechelle accounts for when asked about her reasons on joining activist groups. Rechelle has been part of Kabataan Partylist for six months now, currently assigned as its spokesperson in the PUP College of Communication. Even with the scare of COVID-19, Rechelle’s advocacies to help the marginalized through mobilizations are attested to be unstoppable. She has joined mobs on SONAgkaisa, International Youth Day, and Bonifacio Day this year.

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For her, red-tagging would not stop them for their cause. She quotes:

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“You can call names and label anyone who fights back whatever you want but the fact that poverty and injustice occurs systematically and being perpetuated by the same group of people that their power have been bestowed by the broad masses of Filipinos, the sound of our chants as battlecry of masses will always resonate, haunt them, and eventually, burn them down.”

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And when asked about her stance on the issue of equating activists to terrorists, she wrote:

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“We need to recognize the roots of their mindset which is the continuous bombardment of black propaganda by the state that also suppress and oppress their lives, making the illusion to occur systematically and default. If we will anchor our efforts to the never-ending struggle of the people, tireless persuasion will work. Just always remember that the true battle will always be outside of our homes, our comfort zones. The true battle occurs in informal settlements where urban poor are forced to live due to homelessness that is beyond their control, in the factories where workers are being exploited and suppressed, in the farms where farmers are being robbed of dignified livelihood and land they are tilling.”

 

Aira Siguenza, Kabataan Partylist PUP – COC

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Aira is a member of Kabataan Partylist PUP as she joined the organization last year. She attended different mobilizations in the midst of the pandemic crisis including mobs on International Students' Day, Bonifacio Day/Anakbayan Anniversary, and International Human Rights Day. For Aira, anger and disappointment against social injustices perpetrated by the authorities propelled her aspirations to join progressive groups.

 

To expound her causes, she wrote:

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“Harap-harapan at lantaran na yung pambubusabos sa karapatan ng mga Pilipino. Hindi ka na mapapalagay na wala kang ginagawa e kasi namulat ka na. At kasunod ng pagkamulat ay ang pagkilos at pagiging organisado. Gusto kong mas matuto at mapalalim ang kaalaman tungkol sa lipunan natin at ang mga teoryang nakonsumo ay dapat maisapraktika. Kaya't kung tayo mismo, bilang kabataan, ay nagtatanong sa sarili natin kung ano pwede nating gawin para sa bayan, masasabi kong ang pagkilos at pagsali sa mga makamasang organisasyon ang sagot.”

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With the rampant red-tagging against activists and progressive groups, Aira calls for the denouement of this unjust treatment against them. She quotes:

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“Sobrang nakagagalit dahil imbes na tumbukin kung bakit ba may mga progresibong grupo sa simula pa lang ay mas pinagtutuunan nila ng pansin ang panre-redtag sa mga ito. Lalo na ngayon na kumahaharap tayo sa pandemya at iba't ibang kalamidad at problema na lubusang pumilay sa antas ng kalagayan ng mga Pilipino, hindi tama na mas bigyang prayoridad at budget ang militarisasyon at red-tagging para masupil ang boses at karapatan ng masang lumalaban. Hindi lang ang buhay ng mga aktibista ang nalalagay rito sa hukay dahil kahit sinong mamamayan ang naghayag ng disgusto at oposisyon sa ginagawa ng gobyerno ay maaaring maparatangang terorista at mataniman ng ebidensya. Ito ang napakalaking panganib na dulot ng red-tagging at mas lalo nila itong pinaiingay sa pamamagitan ng Anti-Terror Law at NTF-ELCAC upang tuluyang busalan ang masa. Kapag nangyari na ito ay malaya na nilang magagawa ang pamamasista, korupsyon, at iba pang pagtapak sa karapatan ng mga Pilipino.”

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When asked about her message to people who tag activists as terrorists, she added:

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“Ang mga aktibista, ang tanging gamit niyan ay placards at boses upang ipanawagan ang mga karapatan ng masang Pilipino. Pumupunta sa lansangan at komunidad para kalampagin ang estado na tugunan ang pangangailangan ng sambayanan at makilubog sa masa. Tanungin natin ang mga sarili natin kung sino ba talaga ang armado at mayroong mga armas panlaban gaya ng baril at batuta? Sino ba ang full-geared kapag may mga rally? Sino ba ang sinasahuran para ipagtanggol ang interes ng naghaharing-uri?

“Ang mga ganitong pag-iisip ay sobrang delikado dahil nare-redtag at naisasangkalan ang buhay, hindi lamang ng mga aktibista, kundi ninumang Pilipino na nagnanais maghayag ng opinyon at lumaban para sa karapatan at panawagan ng bawat isa. Lagi nating tandaan na dapat palaging maging kritikal sa pagtanggap ng mga impormasyon na inihahain sa atin. Kung mayroon tayong mga kakilala na ganito mag-isip ay maganda na makipagdiskurso tayo nang maayos. Tanungin natin ang rason nila kung bakit nasabi ito. Hindi natin alam na baka biktima lang sila ng propaganda ng estado na siyang bumibilog sa utak ng ibang Pilipino. Ipaliwanag mabuti kung ano nga ba ang ginagawa ng isang aktibista at bakit napakadelikado ng red-tagging. Sa ngayon, hindi nakatutulong ang patuloy na pang-aantagonize sa masa. Manghamig at huwag manghati at kung mulat naman tayo sa mga nangyayari ay dapat na magmulat at mag-organisa rin tayo ng ibang mga Pilipino tungkol sa kalagayan ng lipunan natin ngayon.”

 

Tristan Tuazon Solinap, Laban PUP

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Tristan, as his friends call him, is a member of Laban PUP, a transformation and progressive political formation of students in the university, since 2019. He participated in on-ground mobilizations for the issues on Negros, the Lumad schools, and the Anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos’ burial.  Even though mass gatherings including rallies are restricted during the pandemic crisis, he was able to continue his cause through attending some mobs including mobs on Andres Bonifacio Day.

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Tristan joined progressive groups because he believes that it could help him shape his ideas on different aspects. He said, “Back then, I really wanted to learn about the society which I live in, and about the obvious class struggle that has been happening. It may be very ambitious and idealistic of me but I really wanted to be a part of the nation-building where youth participation is critical.”

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When asked about his message to the authority who blatantly reg-tags activists, he wrote:

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“It is a very problematic issue that our own government calls its citizens terrorists, when in fact, they are just doing their part as citizens to be critical. I believe that when an administration starts to label people and organizations as terrorists, its credibility falls. As the government, they must be the ones who must secure the liberty of their people to speech, to expression, to assembly, and to life. It's funny how the Duterte administration calls these organizations as terrorists while he and his men are the ones people must be scared of.”

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In the end, Tristan believes that activists initialize progressive change for the people, for those who are in the margins. Activists do not create terror, but make things to prevent terror to happen. From this gives birth misconception, and Tristan only wants people to see their cause and stop the prejudiced action towards them. He quotes:

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“Surely, it is hard for us to make the people understand why an activist is not a terrorist in just a short span of time. But I can say that we should not equate these two things because one of them protects and actualizes our rights while the other one deprives us of it. And this, exactly, is how I try to correct their beliefs on activism. People tend to equate activists to terrorists because they see on-ground protests as an act of terrorism, standing up against the government, and maybe overthrowing an administration. While most of these are correct, these protests are not acts of terrorism. These are acts which actualize our rights to assembly and freedom of expression, and it is not bad to use your right for the benefit of others.”

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