EDITORIAL - The ill effects of paranoia

Is no one safe from the red-tagging of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)?

Lately, there started a movement that consisted of Filipinos helping Filipinos through a community pantry; a drop-off point where people who had a little bit extra of anything can drop off food, fruits, vegetables, groceries, or anything that other people are in dire need of at this time.

However, the other day, the Maginhawa community pantry, the first-ever initiative that was set up, had to stop operations, had to stop helping others. The reason? They were accused of being a front for the communist movement.

The accuser? The NTF-ELCAC. Yes, that same group that is so fond of tagging activists, groups, and private individuals as communists for whatever reason.

According to reports, the task force even had the audacity to ask for the contact number of the Maginhawa community pantry organizer. Fearing for their lives, the organizer and her volunteers had to stop operations.

It is good that as of yesterday, the Maginhawa community pantry has resumed operations with a lot of backing from different sectors. However, we can still imagine that the NTF-ELCAC won’t hesitate to label other such initiatives as fronts for communist interests.

Is no one safe from red-tagging by this task force? Is there any group that they don’t see as a threat at all? No move involving public initiative that they don’t see as a move to undermine the government?

The NTF-ELCAC seems to be seeing communists everywhere. Who knows? Maybe if they stared long enough in the mirror they might even start seeing red.

There is really no telling what will set off NTF-ELCAC’s alarm bells. Perhaps it’s the word “community” and its close derivatives. Perhaps it’s just people coming together, or maybe people speaking their mind.

This latest accusation isn’t only ridiculous, it is killing the only chance some people have at getting some form of help during this particularly difficult time.

Now, thanks to the paranoid suspicions of a task force that may be doing more harm than good, some Filipinos who want to help other Filipinos in this time of need may now be having second thoughts.