Manila (AFP)

Every day spills on Philippine MP Sarah Elago's Facebook page her share of outrageous comments associating her with communist rebels.

Completely unfounded accusations according to her, but which could result in her ending up with a bullet in the head.

Widely used in the archipelago, the social network is plagued by an impressive wave of disinformation targeting activists, journalists, lawyers or elected officials that the government of Rodrigo Duterte and the army present as dangerous leftists who have been linked with the very old communist insurrection. .

An expression has even been created to describe the people who are victims of this modern day "witch hunt": "red-tagging", namely the fact of labeling so and so as "red".

"Red-tagging is an incitement to murder," said Elago, who refuses to mute her criticism of the Philippine president and who now lives on her guard at all times.

In the past 12 months, the name of the 31-year-old MP elected since 2016 has appeared in more than 14,000 Facebook posts also mentioning the New People's Army (NPA) - the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (PCP) - according to the site. CrowdTangle social media observation.

- "The hunt is on" -

AFP fact-checking teams have uncovered a lot of false information in these publications, including one that was picked up by the pro-government Facebook page "Duterte Fact News", which has more than 34,000 subscribers.

It shows a fake forensic photo of the MP with an impeachment order claiming she recruited fighters.

AFP has established that the photo had been retouched.

But it has been shared hundreds of times, sometimes with comments calling for the murder or rape of Ms. Elago.

Some posts targeting the MP can be found on the page of the National Task Force to End the Communist Armed Conflict, an official body, where they have been shared tens of thousands of times.

Red-tagging is nothing new.

But it has grown, according to human rights activists, in the context of Rodrigo Duterte's bloody "war on drugs" and his controversial anti-terrorism law.

Hundreds of activists, journalists and lawyers have been murdered since taking office, many of whom had been labeled "red".

"In fact, the hunt is on against anyone who criticizes the government and the army," said Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch.

- Peace process -

The "targets" can indeed have links with the communist movement.

But that doesn't necessarily make them armed fighters, he insists.

The authorities present them as a "legal showcase" of the insurgency, accusing them of recruiting or raising funds.

"The population must realize that these people are seeking to bring down the government," National Security Advisor Hermogenes Esperon recently accused.

Asked why prosecutions weren't taken if there was evidence of illegal activity, he told reporters: "There is a simpler solution: Why don't they condemn the NPA?"

M. Duterte presents himself as a socialist.

And his anti-Communist campaign is the result of a 180-degree turn from his start in office, when he was negotiating with the rebellion.

Since talks broke down in 2017, he has classified the PCP and the NPA as terrorists.

Then, in the foul language he is fond of, he has been heard urging the army to target female combatants in the genitals.

And you don't have to carry a gun to be a target.

Recently, a general warned actress Liza Soberano that she could die if she didn't cut ties with a feminist association accused of links to the rebellion.

These threats caused an uproar, and the opening of a parliamentary inquiry into the "red-tagging".

"It is not only reputation and image that are involved in red-tagging. There is also a risk of arrest and death," denounces Luz Rimban, of the University of Manila.

- "Fear of being killed" -

Since 2016, 13 members of the Karapatan human rights association have been assassinated.

The latest, Zara Alvarez was labeled as "red" before being shot in August.

"Frankly, I'm afraid of being killed too," says the head of the association, Cristina Palabay, who has received death threats.

She no longer sleeps two consecutive nights in the same place, avoids shopping malls and no longer visits her parents.

Most of the 73 million Filipino internet users have a Facebook account, according to the British firm We Are Social.

Many consult it on their cellphones, because Facebook offers a free simplified version of its services, as well as access to certain websites.

The tech giant is therefore for many an internet service provider.

Given this enormous influence, Facebook must be "pro-active" on disinformation, said Ellen Tordesillas of fact-checking group Vera Files.

The social network has cracked down on suspicious accounts several times.

Asked by AFP about its policy on "red-tagging", Facebook claims to remove content that "exposes the identity of any person belonging to groups" at risk ", when these allegations threaten their life.

The social network did not specify whether the NPA and the PCP were among the groups "at risk".

But a spokesperson said that publications targeting Ms. Elago and "violating our standards" had been withdrawn.

No one, however, has been held accountable for the threats, laments the MP.

© 2021 AFP