March 28, 2024

Agency heads who signed the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (RLECC) resolution supporting the tokhang-style in convincing “left-leaning” personalities in government and media not to support the Marxist-Maoist inspired rebellion are standing by their decision.
Only Commission on Human Rights Regional Director Romel Daguimol withdrew his resolution to RLECC Resolution 04-2021.
The RLECC has not released a statement in res-ponse to Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) and the National Union of Peoples Lawyers statements that questioned the legality of the recently passed resolution.
Instead, the Police Regional Cordillera Director, B/Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan, has announced it has listed around 300 left-leaning personalities.
The PRO-Cor, through its spokesperson, Cpt. Marnie Abellanida, said in a radio interview the RLECC resolution does not suppress press freedom nor does it focus on the media alone.
The BCBC has asked PRO-Cor to divulge those in its list and prove that these personalities are supporters of the leftist movement.
The BCBC said inclusion of media in the tokhang is a reprehensible assault on the nature of the free press and security if and when law enfor-cers go knocking on the doors of journalists.
The BCBC also challenged the 44 signatories to explain the basis of their signing the resolution.
The group said the RLECC has wittingly branded the media as left-leaning or communists without due process.
“The BCBC finds RLECC Resolution 04-2021 an affront to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press. It is an abridgment of the freedom of the press since media had been categorically tagged and included in the sector to be subjected to tokhang,” the BCBC said.
Meanwhile, officials of the PRO-Cor led by Pagkalinawan, National Bureau of Investigation, CHR, media organizations, and human rights lawyers are expected to attend the session of the city council on March 8 after councilors Mylen Yaranon; Isabelo Cosalan, Jr.; and Arthur Allad-iw filed a proposed resolution inviting them to share their insights on their signing of RLECC Resolution 4.
The councilors said since they are concerned with the rights and welfare of their constituents, they want to know the rationale behind the approval of the resolution and see their possible effects to the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression and of association. – Rimaliza A. Opiña