Youth party-list urges investigation on red-tagging case

By JIAN ZHARESE JOEIS SANZ
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – In a Facebook post dated March 2, Kabataan Partylist (KPL) called for an investigation and urged the Commission on Elections to intervene in the red-tagging of its Assistant Vice President (AVP) Thomas Franco.

The red-tagging, documented by KPL as the fourth incident involving Franco, occurred last February 26 around 10 AM at his previous boarding house in Brgy. Capehan, Tarlac City. 

According to KPL’s statement, four unidentified self-proclaimed Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) personnels barged into the boarding house. The non-uniformed personnels inquired about Franco’s whereabouts and claimed that the student-activist is an NPA recruiter.

KPL said that the first incident of red-tagging involving Franco happened in Hacienda Luisita while the second and third incidents were near Campus Aquino, his former high school. 

Franco is a student-activist based in Tarlac who leads campaigns for genuine free education and students rights. He took inspiration from his grandfather who was martyred in the Hacienda Luisita Massacre in 2004. 

KPL Rep. Raoul Manuel said that the CIDG should be investigated. He said that its use of the people’s money to investigate young people campaigning for genuine free education and for true youth representation in congress is a waste of government resources and a misuse of funds. 

Manuel stressed that student-activists like Franco should be supported on their progressive causes instead of threatened.  

He said that the continuous terrorist-labelling and red-tagging, builds a culture of justification on growing security threats for involved individuals. “This is an outright violation of COMELEC Resolution No. 11116.”

COMELEC Resolution No. 11116 was issued on February 19, 2025. It established anti-discrimination and fair campaigning guidelines for the 2025 elections. 

Red-tagging, defined as the labeling of individuals or groups as terrorists, subversives, or criminals without substantial evidence, is prohibited under the resolution. Such actions are now classified as election offenses with punishment of up to six years imprisonment without probation, denial of the right to vote, and perpetual disqualification from public office.

Other than KPL, numerous organizations like Kinaiya and National Union of Students of the Philippines – Tarlac condemned the red-tagging incidents. 

As of this writing, CIDG has not issued any statement on their alleged surveillance on Franco. (DAA)

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