“The government must be held accountable for continuing to fund and sustain avenues that manufacture malicious narratives.”

By Jian Martin Tenorio
Bulatlat.com

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — A Facebook page misusing the name of the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) continues to red-tag campus journalists, youth organizations, and university officials, prompting wide condemnation and calls for academic and press freedom.

In a statement jointly released on August 26, the UPLB Office of the Chancellor, University Student Council (USC), and UPLB Perspective denounced the attacks.

Created on April 4, he Facebook page continues to post photos and videos explicitly tagging UPLB student formations as sites for underground recruitment and insurgent activities while university officials are labeled as enablers.

Citing the landmark Supreme Court ruling Deduro vs. Vinoya (G.R. No. 254753), the statement decried the ongoing attacks as calculated acts meant to threaten UPLB constituents and their civic rights.

“Critical discourse, lawful assembly, campus journalism, and community advocacy are protected democratic rights. We categorically reject any attempt to criminalize student activism and independent campus press work,” the statement read.

UPLB also affirmed its role as a “safe haven” where community members are free to engage in societal critique and “progressive nation-building.”

On March 22, 2021, UPLB officials and sectoral groups signed the Safe Haven Resolution which upholds free critical thinking on campus. Student groups have long called for its stronger implementation as red-tagging against student council members and activists persists.

Attack on campus press

UP Solidaridad, the UP System-wide alliance of student publications of which UPLB Perspective is a member, also condemned the deliberate attacks on press freedom.

In its August 25 statement, UP Solidaridad cited the investigation of the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) in June 2026 which included “UPLB Perspective Exposed” as among the Facebook pages systematically red-tagging student formations and progressive organizations.

The alliance also called for government accountability for the persistent red-tagging of campus journalists which targets their right to freely “report, investigate, criticize, and hold institutions and those in power accountable.”

“The government must be held accountable for continuing to fund and sustain avenues that manufacture malicious narratives. Instead of protecting students and upholding their rights, the state enables campaigns that criminalize legitimate dissent, and expose them to different forms of state repression,” the statement read.

‘Chilling effect’

For Carl Mhel Tabora, editor-in-chief of UPLB Perspective and one of those targeted by the Facebook page, the red-tagging posts are intended to create a “chilling effect” on campus journalists and those who plan to join the publication.

According to Tabora, “UPLB Perspective Exposed” altered their promotional materials for their apprenticeship process using artificial intelligence (AI), discouraging participation and engagement with the student publication.

“The red-tagging will have a certain chilling effect to the people who see it and on how UPLB Perspective is perceived by the public because of those baseless accusations against the publication,” Tabora said.

Tabora also noticed how the red-tagging posts are shared to Facebook groups with thousands of members, including those intended for police officers and military reservists, putting their reporters at risk.

He stressed that this is not the first time UPLB Perspective was targeted by the same tactic, as a defunct Facebook page bearing the name “UPLB Perspective True Colors” also published similar content targeting the publication and those who engage with it.

Despite the persistent threats, he said that UPLB Perspective will remain steadfast in fulfilling its duty as a student publication.

“We affirmed in the editorial board that red-tagging will never be a reason for UPLB Perspective to abandon its duty to serve the people. At the same time, it only gives us more reason to intensify our pro-people journalism,” Tabora said. (RTS, DAA)

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