Red-Tagging is the Threat, Not the Cure: Why We Need the Anti-Red-Tagging Bill Now
- Defend NGOs Alliance
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Defend NGO Alliance strongly supports the passage into law of the Anti-Red-Tagging Bill or House Bill No. 213 filed by the Makabayan Bloc last July 3, 2025 at the House of Representatives. “This legislation is a vital mechanism to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of those working on the frontlines of development and humanitarian service. It aims to hold accountable those in power who vilify NGOs and people’s organizations for doing what the state has failed or refused to do. Far from shielding wrongdoing, the bill strengthens democratic space by allowing communities to organize, advocate, and develop without fear”, says Jazmin Jerusalem, Defend NGOs Alliance National Spokesperson.
The recent statement by NTF-ELCAC claiming that the proposed Anti-Red-Tagging Bill would “protect terrorism enablers” is both misleading and dangerous. Instead of acknowledging the real and documented harm that red-tagging has caused to civil society actors, the government is once again equating dissent and development work with insurgency. This narrative is not only false—it is an attempt to preserve a system of impunity that targets activists, human rights defenders, and humanitarian workers under the guise of national security. It is deeply concerning that an agency with a track record of red-tagging would so vehemently oppose a bill that simply seeks to hold state actors accountable for endangering civilian lives.
Despite NTF-ELCAC’s self-promotion, its flagship Barangay Development Program (BDP) reveals the gap between rhetoric and reality. The BDP has been plagued by inefficiencies, poor implementation, and political bias. The Commission on Audit flagged serious deficiencies in the program, including incomplete documentation, irregular fund disbursement, and procurement violations—raising red flags about transparency and accountability. In 2023, only 224 out of 1,253 targeted projects were completed—just 18%--with a disbursement rate of only 8.16%. By August 2024, none of the 885 approved projects for that year had been completed.
Even more troubling, a disproportionate share of funds was funneled into Davao and areas associated with former President Duterte and his allies, suggesting patronage rather than need-based governance. These failures in implementation and distribution not only undermine claims of successful development, but also expose how NTF-ELCAC wields state resources selectively—often red-tagging communities perceived as uncooperative or insufficiently aligned with its militarized framework.
Red-tagging is not a legitimate security measure—it is a dangerous and unlawful practice that has enabled surveillance, threats, arrests, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. It has been systematically used by state actors to silence dissent, delegitimize humanitarian and rights work, and restrict civic space. The Supreme Court has already ruled that red-tagging constitutes a credible threat to the rights to life, liberty, and security. And yet, agencies like NTF-ELCAC continue to oppose legislative efforts that would prohibit this practice outright. If red-tagging is not a policy of the government, then why are these institutions so adamantly against a bill that simply criminalizes it? Their resistance raises a disturbing question: are they safeguarding the state—or protecting their power to harass critics with impunity?
“The enablers of ‘insurgency’ are the NTF-ELCAC and those agents of government who caused the deprivation of humanitarian services to unserved and underserved communities by red-tagging NGOs and development workers like us,” asserts Estrella Catarata, spokesperson of the CERNET 27.
CERNET or the Community Empowerment Resource Network, including 27 of its former staff, Council Members and Board of Trustee members, is facing a legal battle on baseless accusations of financing terrorism. From the previous two hearings on their case, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) established CERNET’s legality and good standing; while the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) representative failed to present in court solid evidence to support the suspicious transaction report (STR) on CERNET’s financial transactions between April and August in 2023.
“Far from protecting communities, NTF-ELCAC has actively undermined efforts to deliver life-saving aid, education, health, and development services—especially in areas long neglected or lacking government support. It is a form of social injustice when NGOs, people’s organizations, and church workers are red-tagged for stepping in to fill the gaps left by the government. If the government truly values peace and inclusive development, it must stop persecuting civil society and end red-tagging as a weapon of repression”, Jerusalem said.
The Makabayan Bloc also filed House Bill 1272 seeking the repeal the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 or Republic Act No. 11479.#
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