NSC denies ‘red-tagging’ on Rizal high school seminar pamphlets

The National Security Council (NSC) on Monday said the pamphlets distributed during a seminar at the Taytay Senior High School in Rizal did not have “red-tagging" content.

In a statement, the NSC refuted the allegations made by the Kabataan and ACT Teachers party-lists that the pamphlets depicted students and rallyists as terrorists for opposing several government policies.

“A careful perusal and review of the said pamphlets will easily prove that there is no ‘red-tagging’ in the said materials. Nowhere in the said materials does it characterize rallyists as terrorists,” the NSC said.

“It merely informed the students of the modus operandi of recruiters of the New People's Army (NPA) which is factual and based on evidence,” it added.

For the NSC, the seminar aimed to inform the Rizal students of the indicators or “red flags” that they are being recruited by communist rebel group organizers, which is aligned with the Rizal Provincial Resolution No. 03, series of 2023.

“We strongly deny any accusations of ‘red-tagging,’” the NSC said.

On Sunday, Kabataan and ACT Teachers called out the Department of Education’s (DepEd) office in Rizal and the Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion as their logos were printed on the concerned pamphlets.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said the government should focus on providing quality education and protecting the youth, not spreading fear and misinformation.

“This is a clear case of harassment and intimidation of our youth and a blatant disregard of the Supreme Court's ruling that red-tagging is a dangerous practice that puts lives in peril,” she said.

“It is unacceptable that the military, and DepEd in coordination with the [National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict], is using taxpayers' money to spread disinformation and terrorize our students," she added.

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said the military and the NTF-ELCAC allegedly want the youth to blindly follow anti-people policies of the government and suppress their critical thinking.

“Lason sa utak at banta sa buhay ng mga kabataan ang ganitong disinformation and redtagging drive. Alinsunod sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema, aaralin natin ang aksyong ligal na pwedeng gawin para maimbestigahan at mapanagot ang mga nasa likod nito,” Manuel added.

(This kind of disinformation and red-tagging drive is poison to the brain and a threat to the lives of the youth. Based on the decision of the Supreme Court, we will study the legal action that can be taken to investigate and hold accountable those behind it.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News