Progressives slam red-tagging of party-list groups in Cagayan de Oro

By FRANCK DICK ROSETE
Bulatlat.com

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Progressive organizations slammed the recent red-tagging of party-list groups in Cagayan de Oro amid the campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections.

This came after several posters were spotted in major streets of the city, tagging Kabataan Partylist, Bayan Muna, and the newly launched Alliance of Health Workers Partylist as allegedly part of the revolutionary groups Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“These red-tagging posters only prove the endless intimidation and deception of the State against organized and progressive voices,” Kabataan Partylist Northern Mindanao Region said in a statement.

A poster displayed along V. Castro Street near Carmen Public Market, tagging Bayan Muna Partylist as allegedly part of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front. Photo by Franck Dick Rosete/Bulatlat

Red-tagging is a practice of labeling individuals or organizations as communists or terrorists without due process. The Supreme Court already declared that red-tagging threatens a person’s right to life, liberty, and security.

Read: Read: Progressive groups welcome SC’s ruling on red-tagging
Read: Red-tagging as a policy

Neil Collins Velez, regional coordinator for Kabataan Partylist, told Bulatlat that based on their monitoring, these red-tagging posters were allegedly placed before the visit of some senatorial bets and partylist nominees under the Makabayan Coalition in Cagayan de Oro on February 11 to start the 90-day election campaign.

The posters are currently displayed near the Social Security System office along PN Roa Avenue, along V. Castro Street near the public market in Barangay Carmen, and around JR Borja corner Don Apolinar Velez Street.

A poster displayed near the Social Security System office along PN Roa Avenue, tagging Kabataan Partylist as allegedly part of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front. Photo by Franck Dick Rosete/Bulatlat

In a separate statement, Bayan Muna Partylist described the “black propaganda posters” as a shameless attack by anti-democratic forces to weaken the support of the masses for its comeback in the House of Representatives.

“Such efforts to spread fear and misinformation will not silence us. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serve as the voice of the masses, fighting for wage increase, lower prices of basic goods, and an end to corruption,” said Bayan Muna vice president for Mindanao and fourth nominee Eufemia Cullamat.

Both Bayan Muna and Kabataan Party lists reminded the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on its promise to release election guidelines against red-tagging. As of this writing, no such guidelines are posted on the Comelec website.

A poster displayed along JR Borja corner Don Apolinar Velez Street, tagging the Alliance of Health Workers Partylist as allegedly part of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front. Photo by Franck Dick Rosete/Bulatlat

Human rights group Karapatan called on Comelec and the Commission on Human Rights to take immediate action against this dangerous labeling practice amid the campaign period, which should be an opportunity for the Filipino people to hear the platforms of their future leaders.

“With the people’s right to vote is their right to know the platform and agenda of candidates and how they stand on various issues,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said in a statement, stressing that red-tagging is a dangerous scheme that violates the people’s basic right to suffrage and political participation. (RTS, RVO)