MANILA — The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to put an end to red-tagging and eliminate its anti-insurgency task force after the Supreme Court recognized that the practice endangers a person's right to life, liberty, or security.

In a statement, the HRW also urged Marcos to "appropriately" discipline or prosecute government officials who engage in red-tagging.

The non-governmental organization pointed out that the Philippine government has been using red-tagging — or linking an individual to the communist movement — "to harass, threaten, and at times assault or kill critics of the government."

"The Supreme Court's important ruling affirms that red-tagging is a dangerous form of harassment that violates people's rights," Carlos Conde, senior Asia researcher at HRW, said in the statement.

"This decision acknowledges the suffering of countless victims of this government policy," he said.

READ: SC recognizes danger of 'red-tagging,' says may justify writ of amparo

'ELIMINATE ABUSIVE TASK FORCE'

The Marcos administration should eliminate the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), Conde said, describing it as an "abusive task force promoting" red-tagging.

The HRW said red-tagging has long hounded the Philippines. In 2018, it said red-tagging "intensified" as former President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 70 that created the NTF-ELCAC.

"The task force has become the main agency behind the red-tagging of leftist activists along with journalists, Indigenous leaders, teachers, and lawyers," the HRW said.

Conde said that foreign governments that have spoken out against red-tagging should also pressure the Philippine government "to put the Supreme Court ruling into effect."

READ: Red-tagging among concerns raised in talk with UN expert: NTF-ELCAC'

LAW VS RED-TAGGING

Atty. Kristina Conti, secretary general of the National Union of People's Lawyer, said legislation should now follow after the Supreme Court's recognition of red-tagging as a threat to people.

"'Yung depinisyon ng SC sa red-tagging, ito ay isang threat at sa ating criminal law, krimen ang grave threats or even slight threat. Baka puwede mo nang kasuhan 'yung mga nangre-red-tag ng threat," Conti said.

"Kailangan ng legislature na magpasa ng batas. 'Yun lang ang paraan para maging outright krimen ang isang bagay," she said.

Conti said the development was not only a win for activists — who are usual targets of red-tagging — but also for ordinary citizens.

"Kailangan lang alamin kung paano ito mag-move further kasi limited ito sa writ of amparo pero puwedeng magamit sa ibang paraan," she said.

The writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.

The SC decision said that red-tagging might justify the issuance of the writ of amparo.