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TO cap off its fact-finding efforts on acts that may constitute red-tagging, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) held the final session of its Public Inquiry on Red-Tagging on March 24, 2025. This last leg brought together key officials from the Philippine government to inform the Commission's assessment of the practices and patterns associated with red-tagging and their possible human rights consequences.
The undertaking, officially entitled the "Public Inquiry on the Current Situation of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) with Focus on Incidents of Red-Tagging," aimed to broaden the conversation on this phenomenon across all relevant sectors through a non-adversarial approach.
"Grounded in our mandate to gather information on human rights violations and abuses, the Commission carried out the proceedings with a balanced approach — ensuring transparency while safeguarding the security and well-being of participating stakeholders," said CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc.
The perspectives shared by government representatives significantly contributed to the Commission's formulation of recommendations for all relevant stakeholders to effectively address red-tagging. As duty-bearers of the State, the CHR emphasized the importance of collaboration among government agencies in crafting mechanisms to continuously protect and promote the rights of every Filipino.
The CHR launched the first session of the Public Inquiry on July 29 to 30, 2024, bringing together domestic and international experts known for identifying patterns of systemic violations before, during, and after acts constituting red-tagging.
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The Commission also conducted regional sessions, where victims of red-tagging were invited to share substantive inputs based on their experiences. These were held separately across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
In reflecting on the completion of the public inquiry, Palpal-latoc underscored the Commission's approach and the significance of stakeholder participation.
"The CHR conducts this discourse to (1) understand the concept of red-tagging from the perspective of all sectors of society and know what the government is doing to address this, (2) to determine the acts or practices constituting red-tagging or red-baiting and the corresponding systemic pattern of violation of human rights, (3) to surface existing accountability measures against perpetrators of human rights violations, and (4) to recommend other possible redress mechanisms for victims of human rights violations due to red-tagging or red-baiting," Palpal-latoc said in his opening statement during the Public Inquiry.
"Let me remind everyone that this public hearing is dialogic and not adversarial. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to engage in a meaningful discussion and information-sharing on red-tagging and public accountability," Palpal-latoc added.
During the hearing, members of the 6th Commission en banc, including Commissioners Beda Epres, Faydah Maniri Dumarpa, Justice Monina Arevalo Zenarosa (Ret.), and Judge Maria Amifaith Fider-Reyes (Ret.), also took part in the exchange with government representatives to explore and discuss the matter of red-tagging. Some of the issues raised included the role of government agencies in supporting victims of red-tagging, the legal basis for various initiatives and projects to address the issue, and the importance of employing evidence-based approaches.
In pursuit of justice, freedom of expression, and the promotion of every Filipino's fundamental rights, CHR continues to encourage all stakeholders to take part in constructive dialogue such as the Public Inquiry to further develop mechanisms and recommendations that uphold a culture of respect and accountability in a democratic nation.
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