The Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER) filed a formal complaint before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on March 24 in response to a series of “red-tagging” incidents involving the organization in Quezon City.
The filing coincided with the CHR’s public inquiry on the situation of human rights defenders and red-tagging in the country.
According to EILER, three red-tagging incidents were documented between December 2024 and February 2025 in District 4.
In December, a sack bearing a message calling EILER a “terrorist recruiter” was found attached to the building where the group’s office is located.
In January, another sack with a similar message accusing Bayan Muna Partylist was placed on a nearby lot.
In February, a sticker was posted at the office entrance, again labeling EILER a “terrorist recruiter” and stating, “many have died because of EILER.”
EILER, a labor-focused non-governmental organization established in 1981, works on education and research related to labor rights.
It identifies itself as advocating for living wages, humane working conditions, job security, and the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ workers.
These rights, the organization said, are protected under international conventions, domestic labor laws, and the Philippine Constitution.
In its statement, EILER said there have been 80 cases of red-tagging and harassment involving labor rights defenders during the Marcos Jr. administration.
It also cited survey findings from the non-profit sector, reporting that 62 percent of organizations experienced red-tagging, surveillance, or other forms of pressure; 33 percent were accused of financing terrorism; and 17 percent were subjected to legal cases.
“The red-tagging incidents place the institution and the workers it serves in serious danger,” EILER said. The group also raised concerns about the red-tagging of election candidates, which it described as “the leading violation in the 2025 elections.”
EILER described red-tagging as “a tool of repression, primarily by the government,” and said it is used to link legal organizations to armed groups, creating grounds for attacks.
It added that such actions have resulted in human rights violations, killings, and restrictions on civil liberties.
The group called for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which it described as “the key agency behind red-tagging.”
It also said that red-tagging should be criminalized and that “perpetrators must be held accountable.”
EILER urged the government to implement the recommendations of the 2023 International Labour Organization–High Level Tripartite Mission, including the formation of an independent body to address violence and harassment against workers and union organizers.
The group said it had provided documentation and recommendations included in the mission’s report.
