Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the increasing use of “red-tagging” in the Philippines, a practice in which labor leaders and union members are falsely accused of being linked to communist rebels.
The New York-based organization warned that this tactic endangers lives and undermines labor rights.
“The Philippine government’s sinister and at times deadly practice of ‘red-tagging’ has become a serious threat to labor rights in the country,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at HRW.
HRW’s report, based on research in the Southern Tagalog region, described how local officials, police, and military personnel routinely visit union leaders’ homes, accusing them of sympathizing with the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
These accusations have left labor leaders and their families in constant fear, particularly following the deaths of several activists who were red-tagged before being killed.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should direct officials to end this abusive practice and ensure that government authorities uphold the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively,” Lau added.
The report documented over a dozen cases of harassment and threats by government officials and security forces against union leaders.
Red-tagging, which has long been used to target leftist activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, has intensified since 2022, specifically against leaders of at least seven unions engaged in collective bargaining.
“It’s clear to us that the Philippine government is using red-tagging to prevent workers from organizing and unionizing,” said Jerome Adonis, secretary-general of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), one of the most affected organizations.
Adonis said that since 2016, at least 72 union leaders and members have been killed due to red-tagging. The practice has also led two unions to cut ties with KMU, contributing to the reduction of unionized workers in the Philippines.
HRW’s report underscored the psychological toll red-tagging has on union leaders and their families. One KMU-affiliated leader explained how she was forced into hiding after being red-tagged and laid off from her job.
“I’m not safe wherever I go,” she said. “I’m fearful for my life and that of my family.”
In May, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that red-tagging, vilification, labeling, and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty, and security.
Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Church, hailed the ruling as a crucial step in protecting human rights defenders.
“This decision is a victory for justice and a crucial step for a safer Philippines,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines. He emphasized that red-tagging had instilled fear and silenced dissent for far too long.
HRW also linked red-tagging to the infamous March 2019 “Bloody Sunday” raids, in which police and military forces raided union offices in three provinces, killing nine people. Many of the victims had been red-tagged or were affiliated with red-tagged groups.
The current surge in red-tagging can be traced back to 2018, when then-President Rodrigo Duterte created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
HRW criticized the task force for encouraging local officials to engage in red-tagging by offering funds for development projects in exchange for reports of alleged NPA activities.
HRW noted that the practice of red-tagging has expanded beyond labor leaders to target student activists, environmentalists, Indigenous peoples, and journalists.
The organization called on the Marcos administration to disband NTF-ELCAC and issue a clear directive to police, military, and local government officials to stop red-tagging.
Environmental law expert Ian Fry, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of human rights in the context of climate change, also urged the Philippine government to disband the NTF-ELCAC in November.
Fry said that the task force “is operating beyond its original mandate and is red-tagging people from the community and Indigenous peoples.”
UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, echoed this call during her visit to the Philippines in February.
She emphasized that dismantling the NTF-ELCAC “will not only address some of the most critical drivers of red-tagging, but it will also allow this administration to modernize peace-building approaches.”
Khan further noted that abolishing the task force could create a more inclusive peace process involving women, peacemakers, and communities, aligning with a genuine whole-of-nation approach to achieving peace.
International organizations have increasingly expressed concern over red-tagging. Earlier this year, a high-level International Labour Organization (ILO) mission found that the Philippine government had done “very little” to address red-tagging or other labor rights violations. The ILO condemned the “mindset” that equates unionism with communist insurgency.
HRW called on the international community, particularly trade partners such as the European Union (EU), to press the Philippine government on red-tagging during ongoing free trade negotiations.
HRW also highlighted the new EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which obliges companies to ensure human rights standards are upheld throughout their supply chains. HRW warned that companies sourcing from the Philippines risk complicity in abuses if they fail to address red-tagging.
“Companies sourcing from the Philippines should specifically consider the risks of red-tagging when they conduct human rights due diligence,” said Lau. She urged companies to “take all appropriate measures to avoid complicity in abuses.”
In April 2023, President Marcos issued Executive Order 23 to expedite the resolution of labor cases. However, HRW noted that at least four union leaders have been killed since then, and red-tagging continues to be a rampant issue.
“Red-tagging violates workers’ rights in often debilitating and brutal ways,” said Lau. HRW called on the Marcos administration to take immediate steps to end red-tagging, prosecute those responsible for abuses, and comply with international labor rights standards.
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