Leaders of progressive groups which included a Bishop and a medical doctor filed blotter reports at the Sta. Ana Police Station on Monday regarding another incident of red-tagging posters in Davao City.
The groups are up in arms over “Wanted” posters printed with their images posted around Davao City, describing it as another episode of vilification plot against activists and progressive leaders in Davao City.
Karapatan Southern Mindanao Region reported that on August 13, 2020, several personalities belonging to progressive groups in Davao City were informed by its community-based paralegal volunteers that a new set of posters were seen posted outside of Sta. Ana Church along Sta. Ana Avenue crossing Chavez Street, in Cabaguio Avenue, Agdao Public Market, Dumanlas and along J.P Laurel Avenue.
This led to the filing of a supplemental complaint addressed to Jose Luis “Chito” Gascon, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
The posters bore the pictures, names and organizations of known progressive leaders previously tagged in the first wave of posters escalated in the city but this time it includes five new personalities: Bishop Hamuel Tequis of United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), who was allegedly branded as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP); environmental activist and Gabriela-SMR chairwoman Dra. Jean Lindo; Meggie Nolasco, executive director of Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Inc (STTICLCI); Kharlo Manano, former secretary general of the children’s rights group Salinlahi based in Manila; and Marites Rafiola of KMP-SMR.
The police blotter identified the complainants as Jay Apiag, 32 years old, human rights worker and a resident of Malvar, Barangay 7-A Davao City; Carl Anthony Olalo, 34 years old and a resident of Purok 1 Brgy 14-B; Jean Suzanne Adrales Lindo, 59 years old and a resident of Villapark Subdivision in Buhangin; Jong Latiban Monzo, 28 years old and a resident of Madapo Brgy. 8-A; Maria Eugene Miran Nolasco, 35 years old and a resident of Madapo Brgy 8-A and Hamuel Tequis, 65 years old and a resident of Madapo Brgy 8-A.
The posters had a heading “Wanted” along with the images of the said leaders and messages like “Human Rights Violators”, “Berdugo”, and “Pumapatay ng Tribu”. The posters had no signatories.
The complaint stated that the posting of new posters is another chapter of attacks against their end is extreme alarming as these posters, which second of its kind, come into sight in just less than a month since the Anti-Terror Act came into being.
The complaint also alleged that these series of smear campaign has gradually created a detrimental atmosphere on human rights defenders, development workers, and cause-oriented groups.
