Lack of media attention heightens dangers of red-tagging

CHEERS TO Bulatlat, MindaNews, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer for their reports on the red-tagging and arrest of a Lumad teacher last July 17. Another case which involved red-tagging and the denial of re-enrolment of a student on July 15 was reported only in Bulatlat. The reports highlighted important news that the rest of the media missed.

Bulatlat reported that Athea Beatrice Papa, a high school student taking the science strand, was denied re-enrolment in the Higher School of University of Makati after being accused of recruiting students into terrorist groups.

Citing a Kabataan Party list Makati statement, Papa said she was a consistent honor student before deciding to drop out of classes “due to the academic and mental struggles brought by the failed distance learning and education system amidst the pandemic.”

This was also the reason why she joined the youth sectoral party and became a volunteer teacher herself in urban poor communities in Makati. Papa said they also campaigned for education and other legislative measures for the youth. 

Bulatlat asked the University of Makati (UMak) for comment; the school replied via email that “no results were released yet regarding her re-enrollment.”

Further, Bulatlat, MindaNews, and the Inquirer reported the arrest of Gary Campos, a lumad teacher on July 17 in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.

The three media outlets cited human rights group Karapatan-Caraga’s statement that Campos was arrested on his way to a review center for the upcoming teachers’ licensure examination. 

Bulatlat and MindaNews noted that Campos was able to call his friends to inform them about the arrest. But the charges were unclear as of their writing. MindaNews called the Tandag City Police Office, which said they were unaware of his arrest. 

The Inquirer on July 20 quoted Maj. Jennifer Ometer, public information officer of the Caraga regional police office, who said that Campos was arrested for his alleged participation in an ambush by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in 2016 in Barangay Sto. Niño, Bayugan City.

Inquirer’s report added that Ometer was not aware which unit of the Philippine Army lodged the complaint against Campos as there was no information in the warrant of arrest.

The three reports noted that Campos, a Lumad-Manobo, is a graduate of  the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) and the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV). He also earned his education degree at St. Theresa’s College-Tandag through the help of the Indigenous Peoples Apostolate scholarship program of the Diocese of Tandag. 

Campos volunteered as a teacher in TRIFPSS after his graduation. He is currently a volunteer teacher at a local school in Tandag City under the Department of Education.

More media organizations should report on these cases to trace the patterns and dangers of red-tagging. The press has to continuously report the cases as attempts to discredit legitimate groups critical of the past and present administrations. Meanwhile, the media should urgently make efforts to provide analysis of the background of such dissent among these communities. More Filipinos should understand the injustice that so many of them suffer and the dangers that hound their already impoverished lives.