On World Press Freedom Day, 03 May 2023, hosts of the show “Laban Kasama ng Bayan” of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) red-tagged journalists affiliated with the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP).
The SMNI hosts alleged that NUJP is a communist-led organization and proceeded to accuse NUJP Chairperson and Philstar.com news section head Jonathan de Santos of alleged involvement with various communist organizations during his youth.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is gravely alarmed by this repeat incidence of red-tagging by this SMNI program [1]. As we have repeatedly warned, red-tagging exposes the tagged party to intimidation, violence, and unnecessary state surveillance, which directly impede journalists’ human rights, most notably their right to the freedom of opinion, expression and the press. In our CHR Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders [1], red-tagging has also resulted to the endangerment of the life, liberty, and security of targeted individuals or groups.
CHR reminds the state of its obligation to protect these freedoms as a state party to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both asserting that all people have the right to freedom of expression, opinion, and information through any media. When red-tagging is used to suppress these freedoms, it becomes a tool to shrink civic space. Further, it creates a climate of fear and silence that is not conducive to open exchange of views and ideas, which is essential to a free press that must bring to light legitimate social concerns.
As the country’s national human rights institution, CHR warns against sweeping political generalisations that undermine human rights, reinforce inequalities, and introduce hostile divisions in the Filipino society. As already affirmed in the Department of Education curriculum [2], we envision to teach our children that red-tagging is an explicit human rights violation. It cannot be overemphasized that this abhorrent practice is a threat to a just and democratic society, which said media program should endeavor to protect as part of the fourth state. We hope that those in the position to influence use their platform better to serve as better role models in using their own rights and freedoms toward promoting a just and humane society instead of harm and further division.
CHR has always been firm in its stance against the red-tagging in media and journalism, which have always been avenues for raising awareness on human rights issues, offering feedback and criticism of government actions and policies, and representing the voices of the marginalized and abused. ###
[1] Statement of the Commission on Human Rights on the red-tagging of an LGBTQI leader on SMNI news program: https://bit.ly/3VWe9A3
[2] CHR Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders: https://cdn1.chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08165055/CHRP-2020-Report-on-the-Situation-of-Human-Rights-Defenders.pdf?fbclid=IwAR21gKP_XSIM8vkq2n9E4b8KcKtphF6kShS4gPL_FMwtqq-4dP9C5wNrrDQAs
[3] Statement of the Commission on Human Rights welcoming the draft DepEd curriculum citing red-tagging and EJKs as human rights violations
https://chr.gov.ph/statement-of-the-commission-on-human-rights-welcoming-the-draft-deped-curriculum-citing-red-tagging-and-ejks-as-human-rights-violations/