‘Red tagging’ of ‘Lawin’ responders slammed

From InterAksyon (Nov 14): ‘Red tagging’ of ‘Lawin’ responders slammed

Environmental and disaster response groups blasted the military’s “persisting harassment and surveillance” of relief workers who came to the aid of people affected by typhoon “Lawin” in Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya provinces.

Alay Bayan-Luson Inc. executive director Lorena Villanueva said in a statement that their relief operations, including the distribution of food and clothing, and medical missions, had been “greatly delated due to incessant stalking and persecution by the” Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Armed men have been following us for several days as we scour communities affected by Lawin,” Villanueva said as she noted that “this wasn`t the first time we have been (subjected to) the AFP`s red-tagging and harassment tactics. ″

ABI is the nongovernmental organization once headed by Dutchman Willem Geertman who was murdered in July 2012 by gunmen believed to be soldiers. Before his death, Geertman and the ABI had been openly accused by the military of acting as “fronts” for communist rebels.

Villanueva said ABI workers had reported the military “spying on their daily operations, listing names and questioning their community members,” as well as “spreading black propaganda” in the villages they went to.

The most recent incident, she said, was on November 4 when “a certain Lieutenant Cruz of the 7th Infantry Division in Tarlac (phoned) one of the ABI staff” and inquired about the group’s address and the nature of its work.

She said these incidents had prompted them to put their humanitarian work on hold, denying beneficiaries, particularly members of the Bugkalot tribe, of their assistance.

Frances Quimpo, executive director of the Center for Environmental Concerns, which works closely with ABI, lamented the continued harassment even under the Duterte administration, which has resumed formal peace talks with communist rebels.

“It is upsetting to think that in the face of the Peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front, these military aggressions against communities and individuals still occur,” Quimpo said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/134293/red-tagging-of-lawin-responders-slammed