PAHRA backs urban poor group tagged as source of 'rebel returnees'
MANILA, Philippines — Rights coalition Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates on Tuesday came to the defense of a member urban group who were tagged in a September 28 broadcast by media network SMNI as a source of "rebel returnees", or guerrillas who have surrendered to the government.
PAHRA called out SMNI and the government's anti-communist task force for an "erroneous" broadcast that alleged that around 100 members of urban poor group Samahan ng Mamamayan — Zone One Tondo Organization were surrendering to the government.
The supposed "rebel returnees" were presented in a ceremony in Caloocan City in early October.
SM-ZOTO, which was organized in the 1970s, is a legally-registered organization, PAHRA said, and has "been in constant dialogue with the National Housing Authority" on housing issues.
"Not only are their facts muddled, but since the group is called SM-ZOTO and not ZOTO as SMNI identified the members, it is also aiding and abetting [National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict] in using legitimate grassroots groups to boost its propaganda about returning rebels," PAHRA said.
Rights groups, including the UN Rights Office, Commission on Human Rights and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly warned that the practice of labeling activists and dissenters as terorrists and rebels is dangerous. PAHRA said Tuesday that the broadcast "did not only put its members in real danger, it also undermined the members' rights to assert their right to adequate housing and right to remedy or redress."
According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, SM-ZOTO will file charges against NTF-ELCAC over the allegations.
PAHRA is just the latest to call out SMNI, the network owned by controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy, for baseless accusations of rebel links made on its programs.
LGBTQIA+ alliance Bahaghari this month called out baseless accusations of being a front for communist rebels for campaigning for more inclusive haircut regulations at the Iloilo City National High School.
"[T]hese accusations hold no water when placed beside Bahaghari’s long, near-decade track record of pursuing campaigns for the SOGIESC Equality Bill, holding gender sensitivity trainings for schools, organizations, and agencies, and engaging rights mechanisms such as the Philippines' Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review," Bahaghari chairperson Reyna Valmores said earlier this month.
SMNI red-tagged Bahaghari AGAIN. For the 3rd time this week alone.
— Reyna Valmores (@ReynaValmores) November 2, 2022
This is a serious concern. Hindi po dapat manormalisa ang red-tagging ng LGBTQIA+ advocacy work. @chrgovph #NoToRedTagging #DefendQueerAdvocates pic.twitter.com/LVn4pTDn1K
The Commission on Human Rights, in response to the red-tagging, said it "continues to admonish against blanket labeling that endangers and threatens human rights defenders and advocates, including LGBTQI leaders, who endeavor to help address the concerns of their sector."
PAHRA on Tuesday said while it "supports free speech, we believe that SMNI's continued amplification of NTF-ELCAC lies and smear merits a closer look into other ways to exact accountability."
"The ties between SMNI and NTF-ELCAC must also be examined in order to ensure that there is no taxpayers money being spent on a highly undemocratic act such as red-tagging."
The Philippine Army announced in late October that it had signed an agreement with SMNI "toward supporting the programs and efforts of the Philippine Army to inform the people and stakeholders in the country and abroad about the command’s efforts on security, peace, and nation-building."
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