A LAWMAKER on Monday said a memorandum issued by the Philippine jail management bureau is tantamount to red-tagging, which could open the agency to lawsuits if not retracted.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) last week issued a memorandum ordering jail wardens to monitor “suspected CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) members” and their visitors.
“This is a dangerous and malicious act of red-tagging by the BJMP,” Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. France L. Castro said in a statement.
“If the BJMP fails to retract this memo and issue a public apology, we will not hesitate to file appropriate charges, including administrative cases and claims for damages,” she added.
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that red-tagging can be considered a threat to a person’s right to life, liberty or security, which could warrant protection orders for those facing allegations of being a communist.
Red-tagging is the act of accusing an individual or organization of sympathizing with communism. It is used by the Philippine government as a strategy against those perceived “enemies of the state,” according to a dissenting opinion of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen in a 2015 case. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
