Kabataan Partylist (KPL) continues to face threats and backlash as the 2022 elections draw near. The partylist condemned the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) disqualification petition against them.
“Isa ito sa mga pinakamalaking banta sa pormal, direktang politikal na partisipasyon ng mga kabataang Pilipino dahil kung hindi ibabasura ng Comelec ang ikinaso ng NTF-ELCAC, hindi na makakasama at makakatakbo ang Kabataan partylist sa 2022 elections,” Kabataan Representative, Sarah Elago said.
Elago filed an appeal last October 18, Monday, to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), calling to junk the disqualification bid against the party-list.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, youth group Kabataan Tayo ang Pag-asa enumerated KPL’s achievements and contributions through the years, having filed over 600 Resolutions and House Bills. KPL is also the principal author of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, Free Public Internet Access Act, National Student’s Day Act, Free Irrigation Act, Mental Health Law, and many others.
“Kabataan Partylist is known to be the sole and genuine representation of the youth in the congress and stands as an active voice of the Filipino people that amplifies its calls and grievances,” the group stated.
The partylist filed their Certificate of Nomination Acceptance (CONA) last October 4. Raoul Manuel, first Representative of Kabataan Partylist, emphasized the role of the youth in advancing the politics of change and hope in his speech after the filing.
In November 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte baselessly claimed that KPL, together with Gabriela and the Makabayan bloc, are organizations headed by the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the New People’s Army (NPA).
The NTF-ELCAC has been insistent on red-tagging and disqualifying the partylist since May 2019.
KPL regards NTF-ELCAC as possessing “no juridical entity of its own,” denouncing its brazen red tagging and baseless accusations on both KPL and Gabriela Party-list. Gabriela was previously red-baited, and petitioned for a disqualification bid as well, following groundless claims by the NTF-ELCAC of receiving funds from foreign non-government organizations.
Several youth groups protested on Tuesday, October 19, in front of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to defend Kabataan Partylist and to express their support to the group’s firm decision to continuously represent the youth in the Congress.
Featured image courtesy of SCOUT Magazine
