Magre-red tag, sampahan ng libel — Sen. Sotto

ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | December 1, 2020

Hinamon ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III na magsampa na lang ng libelo ang mga nais gawing krimen ang red-tagging sa bansa.

Pahayag ni Sotto, “I’ve heard it thrice already from this morning up to now, from the CHR (Commission on Human Rights) also, that we should study, or we should criminalize red-tagging. I think, why don’t you just file a libel case?

“Because if we criminalize red-tagging, we have to criminalize narcissistic-tagging and fascist-tagging samantalang it falls in the category of libel.”

Aniya, “Eh, di file-an na lang ng libel. I think that should be food for thought for those who are offended by being called ‘Reds’.

"For the record, just so you may think about that, instead of having Congress discuss it and file a bill criminalizing red-tagging, which at this point would be very difficult to do, I think so.”

Samantala, ayon naman kay Bayan Muna Chairperson Neri Colmenares, iba ang red-tagging dahil sangkot umano ang ilang government resources.

Aniya, "Iba ang red-tagging sa ordinary expressions naman ng mamamayan. Nabanggit nga kanina ng CHR, ang red-tagging ay paggamit ng government funds, public funds, government resources... to vilify other people.

"Hindi siya kapareho ng sa level ng freedom of expression kasi rito, ang puwedeng defense lang palagi nila as government officials is good faith. ‘Eh, public duty namin, good faith ito.' Kaya ang ordinaryong tao will have to hurdle that. Good faith 'yan, sasabihin ninyo, pero klaro naman ang malice.”

Ayon naman kay Sotto, hindi exempted ang mga opisyales ng pamahalaan sa kasong libel.