TONGTONGAN ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance (TTU-CPA) slammed Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s support for a state-driven passage of the Anti–Terrorism Bill.
TTU-CPA Secretary-General Jeoffrey Mhar Larua said the group denounces Benjamin Magalong’s backing of the "unconstitutional" anti-terror bill.
“Mayor Magalong’s support for the anti-terrorism bill contradicts his former pronouncement that activists are safe in Baguio and that the city is a haven for free-thinkers. There can be no safety or assurance to security for any freethinker once the anti-terror bill passes into law,” Laura said.
Laura clarified the TTU-CPA condemns terrorism but elaborated the anti-terrorism bill will only strip away respect for human rights and civil liberties.
“We as freedom and peace-loving Filipinos will not allow that. Surely, we can formulate measures that will stop terrorism without the curtailing of our basic freedoms as a people. If Mayor Magalong is truly for Baguio being a character city, then there should be no space for any kind of attack to democracy. A character city in a thriving democracy upholds freedom of speech, the rights to assembly and association, the right to expression of beliefs, and other inalienable rights of the people,” Laura added.
On Monday, youth leaders from Kabataan Partylist (KPL)-Cordillera and Anakbayan-Cordillera slammed another incident of red-tagging, citing printed tarpaulins posted along Legarda, Governor Pack and Harrison Roads.
Names and faces included in the tarpaulins include KPL Cordillera Regional Coordinator Christian Dave Ruz and National Union of Students of the Philippines-Cordillera Spokesperson Louise Montenegro.
“They are the same youth leaders who have been active in engaging in various roundtable discussions and dialogue with the local government of Baguio and various government offices, even including BCPO (Baguio City Police Office) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). Especially that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier made a pronouncement that activists are safe in Baguio,” KPL-Cordillera said.
KPL called on the city government to stand by its word that activists should be safe in the city.
Weeks ago, online news portal Northen Dispatch lodged a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights for alleged red-tagging and harassment by local police.
In a statement, TTU – CPA deplored the bill’s broad definition of "terrorism," which is described to “unjustifiably penalize activities which are legitimate exercises of our constitutionally protected freedoms – which include legitimate dissent, free expression, and privacy.”
Laura added they fear for their safety with the numerous forms of political vilification and threats that they had to face since the start of the year.
“We have received death threats. We continue to face vile social media campaigns that slander our leaders and youth activists, some being instigated by our police force and just recently, our youth leaders even became the subject(s) of malicious public materials hanged over conspicuous places in the City,” Laura added.
He said he has also been a target for threats the past weeks and has reported anonymous tormentors to the police.
“If the mayor truly respects the constitution and values democracy then he should backtrack from his support of the Anti-Terror Bill. We also call for the mayor to support, instead, legislative measures such as the Anti-Political Vilification Ordinance and the Human Rights Defenders Ordinance, both of which are currently lodged in the Sangguniang Panglungsod for their deliberations,” TTU-CPA said.
TTU-CPA is a network of progressive people’s organizations in the city advocating for people’s rights and welfare.