DICT says it does not actively monitor online red-tagging
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas questions DICT Sec. Henry Aguda on online red-tagging, which he said the department does not monitor, on June 5, 2025.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) does not actively monitor online red-tagging, a practice of vilifying and deploying guilt by association by labeling critics of the government, including opposition lawmakers, as communist rebels, if not terrorists.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), which is under DICT, has yet to establish any guidelines in place to identify red-tagging posts and threats.
'The CICC has a threat monitoring center, but right now, we don't have a strict monitoring on that one [red-tagging],' Aguda said during the House TriCom probe into the proliferation of false information online.
'If we're given guidelines and monitoring, we will include it in the threat monitoring center. And if it's mandated by Congress to act on it, we will act on it immediately po,' he added.
Gabriela Party-List Representative Arlene Brosas then said that red-tagging is also a form of peddling false and harmful information, as a Supreme Court decision already defines red-tagging as a threat to life and liberty in 'the act of labeling individuals or organizations as subversives or terrorists, regardless of their actual political beliefs and affiliations.'
Likewise, Brosas said the same Supreme Court ruling also states that red-tagging 'is a type of harassment that has pernicious effects on its targets.'
'Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda defines red tagging, vilification, labeling, and guilt by associatio as acts that threaten a person's constitutional right to life, liberty, and security, which may justify the issuance of a rate of amparo [protection]. It means, it is really a form of disinformation and human rights violations that we need to address and taken seriously,' she said.
Aguda then said that CICC's priority is monitoring illegal gambling, financial scams, where there are clear guidelines on which posts need to be taken down.
'We don't have any guidelines yet on red tagging, so it's hard for us to monitor all the news except for ones wherein the posts gets flagged [by others] or because there is a certain violation, then we coordinate with the [social media] platform immediately,' Aguda said. — BM, GMA Integrated News
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GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Marcos urged to intervene for release of Pinoy seafarers jailed in Algeria
With only four months left before Algeria's Supreme Court hands down its verdict, the wives of three Filipino seafarers convicted of drug trafficking there appealed to President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to personally speak with the Algerian government and help bring their husbands home. At a press conference, the wives — who identified themselves only as Joy, Marie, and Rose — said their husbands were sentenced to 15 years in prison. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said the seafarers were among the eight Filipinos arrested in July 2023 after 35.8 kilos of cocaine were found on MV Harris, a Malta-flagged container ship. While all eight were initially convicted by a trial court, five were later acquitted by Algeria's Court of Appeals, leaving only three to face final judgment. The ruling of the Supreme Court is expected to be released in October 2025. The three are a 43-year-old Chief Officer, a 54-year-old Bosun, and a 29-year-old Ordinary Seaman. Joy said since the last chance to save their husbands is the Supreme Court, a government to government approach should be done. "Kung puwede may government to government approach or diplomatic process na puwede gawin (If government to government approach or diplomatic process is possible, they should do it)," she said. Marie, wife of the Bosun, tearfully appealed to the President for help. "Matanda na ako, 58 years old. Maawa po kayo President Marcos sana po matulungan ninyo kami sa aming mga daing at kahilingan. Please po President Bongbong Marcos," she said. (I am already old, 58 years old, please have pity with us, President Marcos, help us with our concerns and wishes.) The families clarified they have received support from the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs, including legal assistance and help with their March 2025 visit to Algeria to see their husbands. "May meeting kami kahapon (DMW, DFA). sabi nila they're committed sa kaso na 'to at hindi sila nagpapabaya. Nakikita naman namin nandyan sila to assist pero ang kailangan po namin ay urgency. Baka puwedeng makausap ng Pangulo 'yung government ng po namin aksyon talaga galing mismo sa Presidente. Umaaksyon po ang DMW at DFA, pero iba po talaga ang magagawa ng ating Pangulo," said Rose. (We had a meeting yesterday with DMW and DFA, they said they're committed to this case and they were not negligent. We really see that they are there to assist us but what we need is urgency. Maybe the President can talk with the government of need action from the President. DMW and DFA do their part but it is really different if it is the President.) Cacdac open to appeal Cacdac said he is open to personally appeal to the Algerian government the release of three Filipino seafarers, however, he stressed the need to consult first with the DFA. 'Kino-consider ko na rin na baka puwedeng ako ang magsagawa nung pag-apela. Pero ito'y ini-estima pa natin, tayo'y nakikipag-ugnayan pa sa Department of Foreign Affairs,' Cacdac said in an interview following a press conference held by the wives of the detained seafarers. (I am considering if I can make the appeal but I am still weighing it. We are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding this.) The DMW chief stressed caution in determining the appropriate course of diplomatic intervention beyond the existing legal appeal: 'Dito sa aspeto ng intervention na hinihingi nila, again, we need to seek the advice of the DFA and also our lawyers, our legal counsel, whether or not this would be the appropriate intervention aside from the appeal to the Supreme Court,' he explained. Cacdac said President Marcos has instructed the DMW to assist the families since the start, but any diplomatic or high-level intervention would have to be carefully evaluated. 'Ang utos ni Presidente, tulungan 'yung mga pamilya, of course, since day one. At this stage, we just need to carefully assess the situation as to whether there will be interventions aside from the appeal sa Korte Suprema,' he explained. He said he was set to meet with the three wives later in the day to reassure them of continued government support. 'Magtatatlong taon na natin silang tinutulungan… Patuloy namin ibibigay ang aming taus-pusong assurance ng assistance at suporta (We have been assisting them for three years. We will continue to give them assistance and support),' he said. The DMW has already facilitated two visits to Algeria for the families. Cacdac said they are willing to assist again should the families wish to return. 'Sinamahan namin sila doon sa dalawang beses… sasamahan namin uli sila para i-assist sila sa pagdalaw sa piitan (We accompanied them during their will accompany them again should they visit again),' he said. Should the Supreme Court rule against the seafarers, Cacdac noted that clemency may be explored—but added that it is too early to discuss that option. 'Kapatawaran could be an option… pero hindi ko muna ibibigay yung option na 'yun at this stage kasi hihingi muna tayo ng kaukulang payo sa DFA, pending yung kaso na nasa Korte Suprema (Clemency could be an option but I would not float that this early because we are still seeking advice from the DFA as the case is still pending with the Supreme Court),' he said. Consular services extended The DFA, for its part, said it has been extending regular consular services to the previously eight and now, three Filipino seafarers detained in Algeria despite challenges in coordinating with authorities in the delivery of those services. "We are coordinating with the Greek shipping company, which has provided legal assistance from the beginning. We assisted by providing consular services (jail visitation) and visa assistance for the next of kin to visit detainees via our ATN Fund," it added in a statement. On the request for diplomatic intervention, it noted that the judicial proceedings have not yet been terminated and that the case is with the Algerian Supreme Court. "While we are exploring all options, the DFA deeply respects a sovereign state's internal processes, and diplomatic interventions should be explored judiciously," it said. It further said that since the case is still ongoing and there is no final and executory decision yet, it may be more prudent to just let the company-hired lawyers to continue to represent the three seafarers at court for now as what they had successfully did for the five others who were acquitted. "Any other course of action, such as back-channeling, may be misconstrued to be maneuvering tactics to rig Algeria's judicial system, or questioning its fairness and impartiality," it explained. The DFA said all options are being explored and the department remains committed to the welfare of all overseas Filipinos. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
DICT says it does not actively monitor online red-tagging
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas questions DICT Sec. Henry Aguda on online red-tagging, which he said the department does not monitor, on June 5, 2025. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) does not actively monitor online red-tagging, a practice of vilifying and deploying guilt by association by labeling critics of the government, including opposition lawmakers, as communist rebels, if not terrorists. DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), which is under DICT, has yet to establish any guidelines in place to identify red-tagging posts and threats. 'The CICC has a threat monitoring center, but right now, we don't have a strict monitoring on that one [red-tagging],' Aguda said during the House TriCom probe into the proliferation of false information online. 'If we're given guidelines and monitoring, we will include it in the threat monitoring center. And if it's mandated by Congress to act on it, we will act on it immediately po,' he added. Gabriela Party-List Representative Arlene Brosas then said that red-tagging is also a form of peddling false and harmful information, as a Supreme Court decision already defines red-tagging as a threat to life and liberty in 'the act of labeling individuals or organizations as subversives or terrorists, regardless of their actual political beliefs and affiliations.' Likewise, Brosas said the same Supreme Court ruling also states that red-tagging 'is a type of harassment that has pernicious effects on its targets.' 'Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda defines red tagging, vilification, labeling, and guilt by associatio as acts that threaten a person's constitutional right to life, liberty, and security, which may justify the issuance of a rate of amparo [protection]. It means, it is really a form of disinformation and human rights violations that we need to address and taken seriously,' she said. Aguda then said that CICC's priority is monitoring illegal gambling, financial scams, where there are clear guidelines on which posts need to be taken down. 'We don't have any guidelines yet on red tagging, so it's hard for us to monitor all the news except for ones wherein the posts gets flagged [by others] or because there is a certain violation, then we coordinate with the [social media] platform immediately,' Aguda said. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
DICT: Meta agreed to demote Facebook posts which gov't tagged as fake news
"Pumapayag na sila ngayon na kapag CICC o PCO o any duly authorized agency ng gobyerno, kapag nagpadala kami sa kanila na ito po, fake news 'to, they will demote in their feeds," Aguda said. Meta, the company that operates Facebook, has agreed to demote in the social media platform's newsfeeds posts that the Philippine government would flag as fake news, Information and Communication Technology Secretary Henry Aguda told a joint House committee inquiry on Thursday. Addressing a hearing of the House Tri Committee on the proliferation of disinformation online, Aguda said Kumu, Google, and TikTok had agreed in a meeting on Wednesday to comply with whatever the government would say to protect the truth. Aguda said Meta wrote the Department of Information and Communication Technology on Thuesday to inform the agency that it would implement a demotion mechanism on posts that the government would flag as disinformation. "Pumapayag na sila ngayon na kapag CICC o PCO o any duly authorized agency ng gobyerno, kapag nagpadala kami sa kanila na ito po, fake news 'to, they will demote in their feeds," Aguda said. "Meaning, hindi naman totally mawawala pero mababawasan. Malaking bagay po 'yun. And we acknowledge na sumagot is Meta," he added. (Meta has agreed that if the Cybercrime Information and Coordinating Center, the Presidential Communications Office, or any duly authorized agency of the government flags a post as fake news, it will be demoted in the newsfeeds. They won't be removed, but they will be decreased. That is a substantial development. And we acknowledge that Meta responded.) Still, Aguda said the DICT would wish for legislation on disinformation for a proactive approach against fake news. At the hearing, the Presidential Communications Office chief Secretary Jay Ruiz and Aguda proposed that social firms which allow false information to be distributed on their platforms should be penalized. 'When you allow fake news in your platform, dapat may karampatang parusa sa [iyo mula] sa gobyerno. Kasi nga ilaw ang nagpapasok niyan e. Your platform is being used to be a purveyor of ignorance. You allow it,' said Ruiz, a former television reporter. 'As a social media platform, dapat lahat 'yan…dapat nalilinis mo 'yan. With the advent of new technology, deep fakes, artificial internet intelligence, and fake news spread like wildfire. It will reach hundreds of millions in just hours,' he added. Aguda likened the situation to a mall owner who won't allow fraudulent merchants and shops inside its premises. 'A mall won't allow stores which sell fake products inside its premises. So sa akin po, ang responsibility dyan, 'yung platform,' Aguda said. He also said that there was no reason for social media platforms to be spared from regulation because, under existing laws, broadcast contents, including those in journalism platforms, as well as movies and television shows, are regulated by both state-run and private entities. 'The KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster sa Pilipinas) regulate themselves, while MTRCB (Movie and Television Review Classificatio Board (MTRCB) regulated televisin and radio broacast. Social media, on the other hand, has a reach 20 times larger than a normal broadcast,' Aguda said. 'Dapat sila [ang ipenalize] kasi kumikita po sila ng pera pa sa platform na yan. Sila ang mga pinakamayayamang kumpanya sa mundo eh,' he added. –NB, GMA Integrated News
