Kabataan Partylist filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier today asking the agency to “urgently and immediately” investigate suspected military harassment of its nominees, members and supporters

The youth partylist pointed to the military as the perpetrators of “poison letters”, death threats and harassment of its nominees, members and supporters.

The poison letters and death threats were received via mail post from a group which calls itself “Samahan Kontra Korupsyon.” The letters allude to progressive partylists and Makabayan senatorial bets Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza as ‘candidates of the NPA (New People’s Army)’ and impart veiled threats to the lives and well-beings of the receivers.

Last April 16, Kabataan third nominee Kathrina Castillo, a known human rights lawyer in Eastern Visayas, received a death threat with a black ribbon mailed to her residence in Catbalogan, Samar. The letter was sent by a certain Ricardo Picardal of Torongan, Samar.

“We have reason to suspect military involvement and harassment in these electoral-related incidents. We condemn these acts of harassment and fear for the lives and safety of our nominees, members and supporters,” said Vencer Crisostomo, Kabataan Secretary-General.

For her part, Castillo said, “We have already brought this to the attention of the Comelec and we will also be filing a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights. Whoever are behind these malicious smear campaign and red-baiting are also the same ones responsible for extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and harassment of activists. They are toeing the same twisted line.”

Meanwhile, Kabataan second nominee Mark Louie Aquino and member Deo Fider who is running for councilor in Quezon City also received poison letters via mail. Letters with the same template have also been received by Kabataan members and supporters in Ilocos, Isabela, Tuguegarao, Pampanga, Bacolod, Negros and Mindanao.

“Only the military and the government have the machinery and resources to launch a smear campaign as systematic and wide-spread as this. And only they stand to benefit from all these red-baiting,” Crisostomo said.

He added that their teams on the field have also monitored the posting of letter-sized posters with the same malicious message.

“We maintain that KABATAAN Partylist is a legitimate and duly accredited partylist group. We are presently the sole youth representative in the House of Representatives and have a clean and transparent record of public service to speak of. We vow to work and fight for clean and honest elections on May 10 and to uphold the youth and people’s votes,” said Crisostomo. ###

Reference:
Vencer Crisostomo, Secretary-General,0917-4416739
Kathrina Castillo, Third Nominee, 0918-2063648