MANILA, Philippines – Government anti-communist task force spokesperson Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy is facing another complaint, this time for red-tagging community pantries – an initiative where people can donate and take food supplies and other needs to help fellow citizens during the pandemic.

The complainant, Zen Bernardo, filed the case on Wednesday, April 13, before the Office of the Ombudsman for the “commencement of disciplinary proceedings to determine the administrative, civil, and criminal liabilities” of Badoy, an undersecretary at the Presidential Communications Operations Office and spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Bernardo is the mother of Ana Patricia “Patreng” Non, the organizer of the popular Maginhawa Community Pantry which has become a model of the initiative in the Philippines and some other countries.

Bernardo cited in her complaint Badoy’s red-tagging of community pantry organizers “insinuating that they are linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and a number of other absurd allegations.”

She said that a post by a Facebook page “Peace Philippines” red-tagging community pantry organizers was shared by NTF-ELCAC. The post, she said, labelled – without basis – community pantries as weapons of communists to recruit members.

“Badoy’s acts of red-tagging and disseminating false information and fake news online and offline against community pantries and the organizers thereof constitute disinformation, abuse and misuse of official authority and public resources, and worse, endangerment of the lives and safety ordinary citizens,” Bernardo wrote in her affidavit.

The complainant said that Badoy should be held accountable for the following acts:

• Torture and persecution under Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and other Crimes Against Humanity;

• Malicious disclosure of Non’s sensitive personal information under Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act

• Causing, through evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence, undue injury to me, other organizers and supporters of community pantries in the country, as well as all Filipinos to whom the service of community pantries mean so much, under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

• Violation of standards of personal conduct in the discharge and execution of official duties under Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, namely:
  • commitment to public interest
  • professionalism
  • iii.justness and sincerity
  • nationalism and patriotism
  • commitment to democracy

The case filed by Bernardo against Badoy is the latest in a series of complaints filed against the controversial official. On Monday, April 11, a group of health workers trooped to the Professional Regulations Commission seeking the revocation of Badoy’s medical license. – Rappler.com