PANAY Alliance Karapatan strongly condemns the recent memorandum reportedly issued by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on January 10, which directs jail wardens to impose heightened surveillance and monitoring on persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) suspected of being members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) or its allied organizations. This directive is a blatant act of red-tagging — an insidious practice that the Supreme Court has explicitly recognized as a grave threat to life, liberty, and security.
The BJMP memorandum is nothing less than a wholesale attack on human rights, steeped in paranoia and ideological profiling. Based on the baseless allegations of a discredited, red-tagging ex-general, it mandates draconian measures that violate the constitutional and human rights of detainees. This is a dangerous escalation of state repression aimed at silencing dissent, discrediting progressive organizations, and demonizing individuals fighting for justice and social change.
The recent BJMP directive is a clear violation of constitutional and human rights, imposing intrusive surveillance on detainees that undermines their right to privacy and dignity, as guaranteed by both domestic and international law. It disregards the fundamental principle of presumption of innocence by subjecting individuals to punitive measures without due process, while the mandated behavioral monitoring and isolation amount to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Such actions represent an alarming escalation of state repression and a blatant affront to human rights.
The allegations against Rep. France Castro and ACT Party-List are nothing but malicious fabrications aimed at vilifying a legitimate organization that has long championed the rights and welfare of teachers and education workers. This baseless attack must be seen for what it is: a calculated effort to undermine progressive forces ahead of the elections.
Panay Alliance Karapatan joins the call for the immediate revocation of the BJMP memorandum and demands accountability from the Marcos regime for institutionalizing harassment and repression. We urge the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate these reported measures and the continuing violations of detainees’ rights.
Furthermore, we call on all freedom-loving Filipinos to stand in solidarity with political prisoners, their families, and all organizations under attack. Let us resist the creeping authoritarianism that seeks to dismantle our democratic freedoms and stifle dissent.
To the BJMP and all government agencies: Stop the red-tagging. Respect the rights of all persons deprived of liberty. Uphold the rule of law and the dignity of every human being.
We will remain steadfast in our fight for justice, truth, and human rights. — PANAY ALLIANCE KARAPATAN
