Journalist Alfonso Tomas “Atom” Araullo won a civil case he filed in Quezon City against National Task Force-Elcac employees Lorraine Badoy-Partosa and Jeffrey Celiz, for red-tagging him. The ₱2.08 million fine was imposed for the moral and exemplary damages their actions inflicted on Araullo. Movement Against Disinformation lawyers represented Araullo.

In September 2023, Araullo filed the case due to the relentless vilification and spreading of lies committed by Badoy-Partosa and Celis against him and his family through their SMNI television program and social media. The complaint Araullo filed stated that the accused violated due consideration to his rights as an individual, to human relations and dignity which ended up seriously damaging and destroying his reputation, peace of mind and personal relationships.

“Their accusations have no basis. They clearly intend to strike fear, vilify, and incite public hatred against me and my family by spreading intrigues,” Araullo earlier stated upon filing the case. He added that he sees the attacks and Red-tagging as part of a broader strategy of harassment and persecution of freedom of expression.

On the court’s 27-page decision on December 12, Judge Dolly Rose Bolante of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 306 ruled that the defendants’ red-tagging against Araullo abused the freedom of expression. This type of court decision is unprecedented.

The judge cited the Supreme court’s decision on the case of Deduro v. Maj Gen. Vinoya, which stated that “red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association constitute threats to a person’s right to life, liberty, or security.”

The court emphasized that the Red-tagging damaged the Araullo family’s relationship in humiliating Atom and his mother Carol Pagaduan-Araullo. Carol is Bagong Alyansang Makabayan emeritus chairperson. She also filed a ₱2.1 million claim against the two in July 2023.

In its decision, the court stated, “Red-tagging, being a threat to a person’s fundamental rights, is inherently malicious.” It noted that in the civil case Araullo filed, all elements of defamation were present. Badoy and Celiz clearly endangered Araullo’s life by implicating him with “terrorism.”

Upon filing the case, Araullo clarified that he did not file a criminal case against the two. He emphasized his opposition to the criminalization of libel, as it is used to repress legitimate media.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) applauded Araullo’s victory in the case. “Apart from the moral victory and vindication, this court win shows — as activists and rights defenders have repeatedly raised —that Red-tagging causes actual damage and harm,” the group said.

Furthermore, the case also points to a potential avenue for redress for the dozens of people and organizations that Badoy-Partosa and Celiz, and others of their ilk, have maliciously labeled and accused on air and on social media.