PINAIIMBESTIGAHAN ni Senador Leila de Lima ang red tagging ng Armed Forces of the Philippines sa ilang graduates ng University of the Philippines matapos ang unilateral termination ng 1989 UP-Department of National Defense accord.

Sa kanyang Senate Resolution 628, binatikos ni de Lima ang patuloy na akusasyon ng AFP sa mga itinuturing nilang kalaban ng estado bagama’t ang mga ito ay law-abiding citizens.

“These instances of red-tagging and spreading of misinformation are no longer uncommon as it forms part of the Duterte administration’s strategy to end the decades-old communist insurgency in the Philippines,” pahayag ni de Lima.

“In recent months, these red-tagging campaigns have gone on to target peasant leaders, indigenous peoples, activists and human rights defenders, among others,” dagdag pa ng senador.

Tinukoy pa ng senador ang Facebook post ng AFP Information Exchange na nag-akusa sa 27 katao na sinasabing UP students na naging miyembro ng New Poeple’s Army at namatay.

Kasama sa talaan ang walong indibidwal na journalists, dating government officials, lawyers, teachers, o entertainment personalities at walang asosasyon sa NPA.

Dahil dito, sinibak sa pwesto ni Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana si MGen. Alex Luna bilang Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence.

Iginiit ni de Lima na kailangan ng independent investigation upang matukoy kung sino ang pumayag at naglabas ng mga mali-maling impormasyon.

“This exercise by the AFP is tantamount to grasping at straws and distracts the public from other more pressing issues, such the government’s plan to resuscitate our economy and the national COVID-19 vaccination program,” diin ni de Lima.

Idinagdag pa ng senador na kailangan ng mga aksyon upang matiyak ang proteksyon, promosyon at garantiya sa academic freedom sa higher institutions of learning. (DANG SAMSON-GARCIA)