Concerned OFWs urge Canadian government to declare red-tagger ‘Ka Eric’ inadmissible to Canada
“Given Celiz’s direct role in this practice, his continued presence in Canada contradicts Canada’s commitment to human rights and public safety.”
MANILA — Filipino human rights groups in Canada sent a joint letter to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, and Member of the Parliament Jenny Kwan urging the Canadian government to declare Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz inadmissible to Canada.
Social media posts showed that Celiz has been actively organizing in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario as a nominee for the Epanaw Sambayanan Partylist, a party-list group flagged by election watchdog Kontra Daya for having military connections.
Filipino grassroot organizations Migrante Canada, Bayan Canada, together with the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines in Canada, expressed their grave concern on his presence in the country.
In their joint letter, the groups reiterated Celiz’s history of red-tagging, and how his actions have continuously put activists, human rights defenders, and even journalists at grave risk.
“His ongoing activities in Canada threaten the safety of individuals who sought refuge here from persecution in the Philippines and of Filipino Canadians critical of the Philippine government human rights record and policies,” they said.
The groups said that under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), individuals like Celiz who engage in activities that endanger lives or violate human rights may be deemed inadmissible to Canada.
In December 2024, the Philippine court ordered Celiz and his co-accused Lorraine Badoy-Partosa to pay PhP2 million (US$34,552.16) in damages as civil liability for red-tagging Filipino journalist Atom Araullo.
In the landmark case, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court ruled that red-tagging poses a threat to life, liberty, and security, marking the first judicial application of the Philippine Supreme Court’s decision recognizing the serious risks associated with this practice.
“Given Celiz’s direct role in this practice, his continued presence in Canada contradicts Canada’s commitment to human rights and public safety,” the letter stated. “This ongoing threat requires urgent action to prevent Celiz from using Canada as a platform to continue his attacks on progressive organizations and individuals.”
They called on the Canadian government to direct the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to investigate his activities and monitor any affiliations that promote red-tagging and endanger Filipino human rights defenders in Canada.
They also ask for the Canadian government to initiate inadmissibility hearings and deportation of Celiz since he is already in Canada, revoke his visa and residency (if applicable), and ensure the protection for Filipino activists and refugees at risk due to Celiz’s red-tagging activities.
“Allowing human rights violator and red-tagger Jeffrey Celiz to operate in Canada is a gross contradiction of Canada’s commitment to human rights and public safety,” said Danilo de Leon, chairperson of Migrante Canada. (DAA)
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