We, the undersigned, demand an immediate stop to the tagging of activists and progressive organizations worldwide as “communist terrorist groups” by the Duterte regime.
Progressive, migrant-serving and human rights organizations and their leaders including Migrante International, United Filipinos in Hong Kong, BAYAN HK-Macau, GABRIELA HK, MIGRANTE Aotearoa, MIGRANTE Australia, Anakbayan Europe, GABRIELA USA and BAYAN USA have been the victims of such terror-tagging as a result of their continued services to migrants and overseas Filipinos, advocacy for human rights, democracy, and sovereignty in the Philippines. These attacks led to attempted deportation of a Filipino worker in Taiwan and are carried out through government officials’ Facebook pages, such as that of Lorraine Badoy, the Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and Spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Moreover, anonymous Facebook pages such as “For the Global Public” and “Enlightened Youth” are also used to spread false information and black propaganda.
Terror-tagging, or “red-tagging”, is a dangerous tactic used by fascist governments in an attempt to discredit individuals and organizations that express critical views. In the Philippines, red-tagging is used to justify harassment, arrests, and assasination by state forces and its armed goons. Jory Porquia, a former MIGRANTE International organizer abroad and coordinator in Iloilo City was killed inside his home after long series of redtagging. Zara Alvarez, a human rights worker who was placed on a government “terror-list” in 2018, was recently murdered this August. Similarly, Brandon Lee, an environmental activist who survived an assassination attempt by state agents in 2019, was vilified by the Philippine military for years prior. With Duterte’s Terror Law now in effect, we can only expect more brazen attacks.
As human rights abuses and poverty continue to worsen under the Duterte administration, it is important that Filipinos and their allies overseas continue to raise their voices against tyranny. We understand that this commitment to justice will only elicit further contempt from the Duterte administration. Despite this, we affirm our commitment to supporting and defending the necessary work bravely being done by the Migrante International, Anakbayan Europe, GABRIELA USA BAYAN USA and the many other progressive organizations fighting for genuine change in the Philippines.
Signed,
(Initial signatories of organizations)
BAYAN USA
MIGRANTE USA
GABRIELA USA
ANAKBAYAN USA
Asia -Pacific
Abra Migrant Workers Welfare Association
Association of Concerned Filipinos
BAYAN Hong Kong & Macau
Gabriela Women Organization Hong Kong Bank Chapter
GABRIELA Hong Kong
Filipino Migrant Worker’s Union
Filipino Friends
Filipino Lesbian Organization
Filipino Women Organization (FILWOM)
Filguys Gabriela Association
Friends of Bethune House
Likha Filipino Migrants Cultural Organization
Migrante Artista ng Bayan
Migrante Pier
Mission Volunteers (MOVERS)
Samahang Migrante
Sta Maria Migrants Association
Cuyapo OFW Association
Hong Kong
Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Union
Filipino Migrants Association (FMA)
Filipino Mission-Ward Methodist
Filipino Women Migrant Association (FILWOM)
Luzviminda Migrante
Migrante Shatin
Migrante Tamar
Migrante Tsing Yi
Migrante Tsuen Wan
Migrante Tuen Mun
Migrante Visayas
Migrante Yuen Long
Organic Environmental & Cultural Organization
Pangasinan Organization for Welfare and Rights (POWER)
Philippine Independent Church- Choir
Pinatud A Saleng Ti Umili (PSU)
United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL MIGRANTE HK)
Promotion Of Church People Response (PCPR Hong Kong)
KASAMMAKO
MIGRANTE EPS
New Era Foundation
Pag-Iribang Bicolnon in Korea
Aguman Kapampangan
TERESA
Migrante Taiwan
Bayan Australia
Gabriela Australia – Victoria
Philippine Australia Womens Association (PAWA)
Gabriela Greater Sydney
Gabriela Central Coast
Gabriela Western Australia
Migrante Melbourne
Migrante Melbourne East
Migrante Melbourne North East
(Samahang Tatak Pinoy – STP)
Migrante Melbourne West
Migrante Southwest (Sydney)
Lingap North (Sydney)
Migrante Perth (WA)
Anakbayan Melbourne
Philippine Studies Network of Australia (PINAS)
Advance League of Peoples Artists (ALPA)
Promotion for Church Peoples Response – Australia
Philippine Caucus for Peace (PCP)
Europe
AnakBayan Europe
Campaign for the Human Rights in the Philippines – United Kingdom
Europe Network for Justice and Peace in the Philippines
Promotion of Church Peoples Response (PCPR) – Europe
Filipinol Ecumenical Migrants Ministry – IFI
Federation of Domestic Workers Association – United Kingdom
FOA-Au Pair (Denmark)
Gebriela Germany
Gabriela London, UK
Gabriela, Rome Italy
Gabriela Switzerland
Kanlungan Filipino Consortium – United Kingdom
Kasama Ko – Greece
Makabayang Samahang Pilipino – The Netherlands
Migrante Austria
Migrante Bologna
Migrante Como
Migrante Cyprus
Migrante Denmark
Migrante Firenze-Italy
Migrante Iceland
Migrante Ireland
Migrante-Mantova, Italy
Migrante-Milano, Italy
Migrante Amsterdam
Migrante-The Netherlands-The Hague
Migrante -Utrecht
Migrante Sectoral Partylist – Europe
Migrante-Zurich, Switzerland
Milan OFW Kapitbisig – Italy
Nagkakaisang Pilipino sa Pransya
Pinay sa Holland – Gabriela
Samahan ng mga Kabataan sa Netherlands
Ugnayang Pilipino sa Belgium
Umangat Migrante Italy
