Defend Bicol: Stop the Attacks Network condemned the new incident of red-tagging and the disinformation campaign in communities and schools across Bicol.

Posters red-tagging progressive groups, development workers, and individuals were reported posted on March 29 at the crossing in Barangay Fabrica, Bula, Camarines Sur. Peasants noticed the posters while holding their activity for the Global Day of Landlessness. They immediately took the posters down.

While removing them, they discovered that the posters were printed on paper bearing the letterhead of the 9th CMO (Kaagapay) Battalion. The battalion is based in Camp Francisco V. Canuto, Pili, Camarines Sur.

Posters red-tagging students, activists, and journalists also proliferated inside the Bicol University Main Campus on the same day. They were maliciously accused of being members of revolutionary organizations.

In Masbate, the 96th IB distributed leaflets containing disinformation and lies in Barangay Estampar, Cataingan town, on March 24.

Defend Bicol called on the Commission on Human Rights and concerned agencies to conduct an urgent, independent, and transparent investigation into the incident. If proven, the involvement of military units in red-tagging civilians and students is a grave abuse of power and a violation of human rights standards.

Krokis Publication, the official publication of the Institute of Design and Architecture of Bicol University, also condemned the red-tagging in their university. It said this is a direct attack on academic freedom, press freedom, and the fundamental rights to organize and to expression. It also endangers individuals and exposes them to heightened harassment, surveillance, and violence.

“We stand in solidarity with those targeted and assert that students and campus journalists are not enemies; they are essential voices in exposing truth and advancing the people’s interests,” Krokis stated.