The National Security Council (NSC) refuted an international non-governmental organization (NGO) report that accused the Philippine government of restricting freedom of expression in the country.

NSC spokesperson, Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya, said  Amnesty International (AI) provided a “one-sided portrayal” as it failed to account for the administration of President Marcos Jr.’s efforts to protect freedom of speech and the press.

“We take very strong exception to the one-sided, misleading, and baseless report of Amnesty International for making rash judgments of the Marcos, Jr. administration so far removed from reality,” Malaya said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Malaya also denied that the government is leading a “coordinated campaign” against human rights defenders to stifle dissent and freedom of expression in the Philippines. 

“Freedom of expression in the Philippines is constitutionally protected, and we can see that in the robust and healthy traditional and social media environment where opinions are expressed freely every single day,” he stressed. 

AI report

In AI’s latest report released on 14 October, the AI said the government authorities supposedly weaponized digital tools, misinformation, and vague anti-terror laws against young activists, “including those who investigate alleged human rights violations by the military, police, and other government agencies.”

The report titled “I Turned My Fear into Courage”: Red-tagging and State Violence against young human rights defenders in the Philippines” offered an overview of how the Marcos administration of “red-tagging” occurs when leading political figures and state security officials vilify human rights activists and other perceived opponents of the state as alleged “Communist rebels” and “terrorists,”

“Activists and other critical voices are being red-tagged and identified as targets by the government and then pursued online. However, in the Philippines, the issue does not only concern online harassment; it also results in tangible harm offline," said Damini Satija, Director of Amnesty Tech.

Propaganda vs. gov’t

The AI also pointed out how the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a government task force established in 2018 to end communist insurgency in the country, allegedly resorted to red-tagging through Facebook posts and press statements despite the Marcos Jr. administration’s attempts to present itself as “more respectful of human rights.”

The NTF-ELCAC, according to AI, shares numerous posts and press statements on its Facebook page, “many of them wrongly vilifying young activists as ‘terrorists’ or falsely accusing them of being associated with armed groups.”

Malaya criticized AI for not asking the side of the Philippine government before releasing its report. 

“The National Security Council should have been given the opportunity to rebut each of their so-called findings before this was released to the public. This only fuels speculation that the report is more for propaganda purposes to vilify the state rather than an honest assessment,” he said. 

According to Malaya, the NSC would like to see the AI’s methodology in pursuing the findings of its report and is willing to sit down with the NGO’s researchers to exchange “constructive, fair, and balanced engagement.” 

“What due diligence did they undertake to ensure that their respondents were unbiased and had no political agenda against the Marcos administration? Remember, it's election season. How did AI choose their respondents? The government and the public have the right to know,” he said. 

“Our doors are open to AI if they are open to listening to the side of government. We are willing to investigate if there is a probable cause," he added.

NTF ELCAC

Malaya said the AI took exception to the portion in the report where it is claimed that the NTF-ELCAC shares numerous posts and press statements on its Facebook page where many young activists are allegedly vilified or falsely accused of being associated with armed groups.

“What the NTF-ELCAC shares on its Facebook page are testimonies from expert witnesses, some of them former rebels, who speak about their own personal experiences. Most of these were given under oath in Senate hearings or in public fora. These individuals also have freedom of expression, which we cannot stifle,” he further stressed. 

Malaya also insisted that the NTF-ELCAC's online presence “seeks to inform the public about the real threats” posed by terrorist organizations, contrary to AI's assertion that digital tools are weaponized against activists. 

He said the AI also overlooked the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which has been critical to disrupting terrorist activities in the country.

Malaya said the law was “not a tool to silence activists, but a necessary measure to protect national security.”

“We have the last remaining Communist insurgency in the world. In fact, we are still 19th in the Global Terrorism Act. We need an Anti-Terrorism Law,” he pointed out. 

Malaya said the government remains determined to end terrorism and insurgency in the country by continuing the programs and projects under the NTF-ELCAC. 

"Abolishing the NTF-ELCAC would leave vulnerable communities exposed to insurgency threats, hinder the government's ability to deliver essential services, and render all our efforts to end terrorism from the CPP-NPA-NDF futile,” he added. 

Malaya then urged AI “to adopt a balanced and more objective and circumspect view of the situation rather than parroting the lines of the NTF-ELCAC detractors.” 

The AI must recognize the importance of countering violent extremism while respecting freedom of speech and human rights, he added.