Makabayan seeks Comelec, NBI probe on red-tagging, harassment

Metro Manila, Philippines - The progressive Makabayan coalition has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate activities it deemed as red-tagging and harassment in the campaign for the midterm polls.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Kabataan party-list 3rd nominee Jpeg Garcia, and Gabriela party-list 5th nominee Miriam Villanueva submitted a letter to the Comelec main office in Manila on Tuesday, March 25, detailing incidents reported in the Southern Tagalog areas.

“These incidents include negative campaigning, disinformation, and abuse of state resources by elements of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police),” the coalition claimed.

“We have documented black propaganda, hateful and red-tagging messages to our candidates, deepfake AI-generated videos and photos, and forceful attempts to prevent our candidates and supported in holding campaign sorties and house-to-house campaigning,” it added.

NewsWatch Plus sought comments from the AFP and PNP.

Castro also wrote to NBI Director Jaime Santiago on Thursday, March 27, to review the red-tagging against the coalition.

The lawmaker asked the NBI to investigate a certain YouTube channel, which uploaded a video, claiming that Castro died of heart attack upon learning of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment.

She also noted the “misleading” thumbnail and edited photos to portray her in bad light. The video has been seemingly taken down, Castro said.

“We believe that spreaders of red-tagging and false information online only get more vile and damaging to the public with every second that they are allowed to exist on YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms unchecked,” Castro’s letter read.

She said the investigation should observe due process.

Makabayan’s appeal followed Bayan Muna party-list’s call to the Comelec to include red-tagging and black propaganda campaign materials in the illegal posters being removed by its Task Force Baklas.

READ: Bayan Muna to Comelec: Take down red-tagging, black propaganda campaign posters

In February, the Comelec included labeling individuals and groups as “‘vocal dissenters’ and activists or subversive group sympathizers or terrorists, or belonging to a criminal group/syndicate without evidence” as an election offense.

The party-list groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, and Act Teachers form the Makabayan coalition, which has fielded 11 senatorial candidates.