By JACINTO LINGATONG
Bulatlat.com
SANTA CRUZ, Laguna – Cavite-based human rights group reported the continued harassment of state agents against student activist Paolo Tarra.
On August 4, agents from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) visited Tarra’s family in Trece Martires City, Cavite threatening him with charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
The visit marks the latest in a series of harassment against Tarra, who has been under surveillance since February this year.
Read: Cavite student activist decries harassment
Defend Cavite, a local rights group, reported the agents accused Tarra of involvement with “leftist groups”. The accusation stems from his participation in humanitarian missions and his attendance in the recent State of the Nation Address as a guest of Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel.
Tarra decried the baseless accusations made by the NTF-ELCAC, but emphasized that his primary frustration comes from the persistent harassment directed at his elderly parents, saying that the “state’s terrorism knows no bounds.”
According to Tarra, the agents explicitly warned his family that failure to cooperate could lead to filing of Anti-Terrorism Act case against him.
“They did not just threaten me with legal action,” Tarra told Bulatlat, “they also implied they might resort to illegal measures, including abduction, to get what they want.”
Defend Cavite condemned these actions, describing them as an attempt to intimidate and criminalize activism, pointing out that this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of harassment against activists and rights defenders in the region.
Since last year, youth activists from Southern Tagalog were similarly targeted with trumped-up terror charges.
Read: Student leader remains strong despite continuing repression
Read: Quezon rights defenders charged with terrorism financing
The group called for an urgent investigation into the harassment against Tarra, noting that his case bears similarities to other incidents in the province, such as the killing of labor leader Emmanuel “Ka Manny” Asuncion in 2021 after he faced similar harassment from state forces.
“These threats are not just about Paolo Tarra,” Defend Cavite stated. “They reflect a broader strategy to silence dissent and stifle any voices that challenge the status quo. This is a tactic of fear and repression that targets anyone who dares to stand up for human rights and social justice.”
The group is also appealing to lawmakers to review the Anti-Terrorism Act, which they argue is being weaponized to suppress political opposition and activism.
“We must remain vigilant because an attack on one of us is an attack on all,” said Tarra. (JJE, RVO) 
