Filipino Journalist Challenges Meta Amid Red-Tagging and Disinformation Concerns

Filipino Journalist Fights Back Against “Red-Tagging” on Social Media

In the mountainous regions of northern and central Mindanao, Philippines, the indigenous Higaonon people have long faced challenges from mining and logging operations encroaching on their ancestral territories. When journalist Leonardo Vicente “Cong” Corrales reported on Higaonon evacuees fleeing military clashes in 2019, he found himself targeted in a disturbing online campaign that would span years.

Corrales became the victim of “red-tagging” – a dangerous practice where individuals are labeled as members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which the government designates as a terrorist organization. The accusation appeared on widely-circulated posters from anonymous sources, marking the beginning of a years-long ordeal for the veteran journalist.

Red-tagging emerged as a prominent tactic during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, used to intimidate government critics, journalists, academics, and human rights advocates. According to a recent study by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), state forces – particularly police and military personnel – were responsible for 60 percent of red-tagging incidents between 2016 and 2024.

The Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in 2024 formally recognizing red-tagging as a threat to life and liberty, despite government officials’ persistent claims that the practice doesn’t exist.

For Corrales, the harassment escalated in 2020 after he voiced support for ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcaster, which had been forced to shut down after allies of then-President Duterte blocked its franchise renewal. Upon returning to his workplace, Corrales discovered a funeral wreath bearing his name and those of other journalists – a clear death threat.

The attacks continued in 2021 when anonymous Facebook accounts shared a photo of Corrales holding what appeared to be a gun, suggesting he was an armed communist rebel. In reality, the image showed him with a toy weapon used during a safety training seminar for journalists.

By 2023, the campaign took another disturbing turn with a doxxing operation. An anonymous Facebook account published Corrales’ personal information obtained from a city government housing agency. The implicit message was clear: citizens who criticize authorities should lose access to government services like social housing.

After years of harassment, Corrales took action by contacting Meta, Facebook’s parent company, demanding the removal of the red-tagging posts and information about the accounts behind them. While Meta claimed to have removed the offending content, the company refused to identify the perpetrators without legal proceedings.

Undeterred, Corrales filed a case with the Philippines’ National Privacy Commission (NPC) against Meta. With support from the NUJP and volunteer lawyers from the Movement Against Disinformation, he pursued what they termed a “watershed litigation” against those responsible for red-tagging.

In July 2025, a breakthrough came through NPC-facilitated arbitration. Corrales and his legal team gained access to the identities of approximately ten of the thirty social media pages behind the harassment campaign. Notably, at least one of the accounts was traced back to a government establishment.

“They are no longer just neutral bulletin boards; they are now the primary battlegrounds for public discourse,” Corrales said of social media platforms in an interview with IFEX. “By failing to act decisively, these platforms become unwitting accomplices to human rights abuses. The algorithms that are designed to maximize engagement can amplify dangerous narratives like red-tagging, which puts lives at risk.”

Corrales emphasized that legal action was necessary to force Meta to respond appropriately. “Without legal action, these platforms can easily ignore our pleas,” he explained. “The legal route is not just about a single case; it’s about forcing a systemic change in how these platforms handle human rights issues.”

Looking ahead, Corrales calls for the government to unequivocally condemn red-tagging and ensure swift investigation of those who spread disinformation targeting journalists. He also advocates for stricter content moderation policies from social media companies, particularly for addressing state-sponsored disinformation campaigns.

From being the most heavily red-tagged journalist in his region, Corrales’ fight back represents a critical stand for press freedom in the Philippines and highlights the responsibility of tech platforms to protect users from orchestrated harassment campaigns that threaten both democracy and public safety.