Google map of Cagayan de Oro City.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Media organizations have condemned the red-tagging of two local journalists based in this city, saying the allegation was dangerous and an affront to free speech.
In a statement on Friday, the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) described the red-tagging of Leonardo Vicente Corrales and Froilan Gallardo as “unfounded accusations”.
Corrales is an associate editor of Mindanao Gold Star Daily and current member of the COPC board of directors, while Gallardo, a veteran journalist and photojournalist, writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mindanews, and Benar News.
COPC said it can vouch for Corrales and Gallardo, describing the journalists as “fair and unbiased in their reporting”.
Philippine jurisprudence defines red-tagging as “the act of labelling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists," or worse, "enemies of the State".
Red-tagging is commonly employed by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, according to the various jurisprudence on the subject.
COPC maintained that "obtaining stories from non-government entities as sources, even if they are perceived to be critical of the government, does not make a journalist a communist rebel or a terrorist”.
In a separate statement released on the same day, the Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC) said red-tagging "is tantamount to suppression of the freedom of the press and the right to free expression".
"Such baseless allegations could force any targeted journalist to exercise self-censorship and smacks of prior restraint,” MIPC said.
The council also noted that Corrales has been a victim of the same harassment in the past.
“Journalists can be critical in their stance about the issues that they are passionate about. Just like any other citizen, they can hold varying political and social beliefs and these are protected by law,” the group said.
MIPC said that when media practitioners go out of line, libel laws can be invoked by any injured party. “In short, legal venues are available when any citizen, journalists or not, is deemed to have broken the law," it said.
“There is no recourse, however, when phantom personalities resort to vicious propaganda against any member of the press whose lives are public in character and whose views are readily accessible to the general public,” it added.
For its part, the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) said it “finds the red-tagging of journalists and media organizations baseless and irresponsible".
"This does not only endanger the profession and render chilling effect but also put the lives of those red-tagged and their families at risk,” PPI said.
“We urge the government to hold accountable the perpetrators of such false, malicious and dangerous propaganda,” the PPI added.
Meanwhile, Mayor Oscar Moreno said he deplored the red-tagging as well as other forms of baseless accusations against any person.
“I am not aware of any governmental action or tactic (in which I am involved) employing tagging of any form, and am squarely against that,” Moreno said in a statement on Friday.
Moreno said he himself has been subjected to relentless, vigorous and orchestrated demolition jobs and character assassinations. “But I have found refuge in my clear conscience and in the thought that democracy must have space for dissent and conflicting views.” he said.
The mayor said he personally knows Gallardo and Corrales, “and I have no reason to believe at all that they should be subjected to any form or manner of demolition; neither do I doubt – even for a moment – their love of country and firm adherence to democratic principles”. (PNA)
