SC justice to grill NSA on red-tagging of community pantry organizers

Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang will question National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. regarding the alleged "red-tagging" of community pantry organizers.

The query will be made during the ongoing oral arguments concerning petitions against the anti-terror law.

Carandang's decision came after Assistant Solicitor General Raymund Rigodon stated he lacked personal knowledge about the basis for associating organizers with the communist movement.

Esperon, who is also the vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), was suggested by Rigodon as the one to address Carandang's concerns.

Previously, NTF-ELCAC spokespersons Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy had made controversial remarks against community pantry organizers, prompting the Cabinet official to ask them to refrain from further statements.

The alleged red-tagging has drawn criticism and led to the temporary closure of some community pantries.