MANILA, Philippines – Various healthcare workers under the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) filed administrative and criminal complaints against serial red-tagger Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy over defamation and red-tagging of their leaders.  

On Thursday, April 7 – coincidentally World Health Day – leaders of the AHW went to the Office of the Ombudsman to file cases against the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson. 

“Usec. Badoy insulted and demeaned our dignity as leaders and damaged the good reputation of our organization. As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been at the forefront in consistently and wholeheartedly serving the Filipino people as we also fight for our safety, protection and welfare,” said Robert Mendoza, the national president of the AHW.

According to the group, on April 12, 2021, Badoy issued a press release, which accused Mendoza and AHW secretary general Benjamin Santos of being alleged operatives and cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front. 

Santos, AHW’s secretary general, said they filed the complaints against Badoy because the latter put their lives in danger. 

“We are suing Usec. Badoy because she is vilifying our organization and thus putting our lives in imminent danger. Many critics and leaders of different legal organizations who after being red-tagged were detained with trumped-up charges and extra-judicially killed. Filing this case is a way of protecting our lives and our organization,” Santos said. 

The AHW official added that they also call on the Ombudsman to issue a preventive suspension against the NTF-ELCAC official. 

“Thus, we earnestly urge the Office of the Ombudsman to issue an immediate preventive suspension and ultimately dismiss Usec. Badoy from the service, cancel her civil service eligibility, and permanently disqualify her to enter any government service.” 

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The AHW is an accredited organization under the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Labor and Employment. The group, over the years, has been pushing for the rights of workers in the health sector. 

The cases filed by the AHW against Badoy are the latest complaints filed against the controversial red-tagger. In March alone, complaints from two separate groups were filed against Badoy. 

After red-tagging Vice President Leni Robredo and members of the progressive Makabayan bloc, some 26 activists and concerned citizens filed three separate cases accusing Badoy of multiple violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

A week later, petitioners from various progressive groups also filed another complaint against Badoy over the same reasons. – Rappler.com