Kabataan Partylist

Reports 41 cases of poll-related fraud and violence in 37 towns,cities nationwide

Kabataan Party-list strongly condemned the numerous cases of poll-related terror and violence that is marking the 2007 elections.

The youth party-list made the statement following the brutal murders of Jun Bagasbas, 20 years old, and Ronilo Vallevare, 16 years old, both Kabataan organizers and poll watchers in Camarines Norte.

Bagasbas and Vallevare were found dead of multiple gunshot wounds after they were abducted by suspected military elements last May 15. The AFP in Bicol quickly attributed their deaths to an alleged encounter between the New Peoples’ Army and the military in the province.

“We do not believe it for one minute and we are disgusted by this obvious attempt by the military to cover-up. This malicious and false finger-pointing is similar to the school-burning incident in Batangas which was reportedly carried out by NPA rebels but turned out to be the doings of none other than police forces,” said Raymond Palatino, national president and nominee.

Palatino held the Arroyo government accountable for failure to stem poll-related terrorism and violence.

Task Force Poll Watch 2007, a monitoring, documentation and quick reaction team formed by progressive party-lists Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Kabataan and Suara has presently documented 41 separate cases of poll-related fraud and violence covering 37 towns and cities, including areas in Masbate, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Isabela and Camarines Norte. (see attached table)

Aside from Kabataan’s Bagasbas and Vallevare, Palatino also cited the cases of Anakpawis poll watcher Noly Gonzales of Cagayan Valley who went missing since May 16. Before his disappearance he was banned by police and goons to perform canvass watching tasks for Anakpawis.

In Puerto Princesa, Palawan, intelligence officers of the AFP West Command abducted Joven Abrina and a certain Saam of Bayan Muna at around 3pm on May 18. They remain missing as of press time.

“These killings and cases of political harassment are the worst forms of electoral fraud. They are setting a dangerous climate of election-time terror. They plunder our votes, prosecute innocents and put to death young defenders of democracy,” Palatino said.

Palatino cited TFPW’s documented forms of military and police involvement in the 2007 elections as follows:

Abduction and salvaging of progressive party-list leaders and poll watchers;
Illegal presence inside canvass areas or roaming around polling places and cavass areas;
Harassment of voters and forcing them not to vote progressive party-lists and instead vote for Bantay, TUCP, etc.;
Transporting of ballot boxes in canvass areas;
Banning party-list pollwatchers inside the canvass areas and selecting only those they want to allow to enter;
Acting as bodyguards of candidates;
Presence of APC and 6×6 trucks near polling places and canvass areas;
Police counting votes in precincts;
Shooting and wounding of party-list leaders;
Burning of school rooms;
Illegal arrest of poll watchers, and;
Threatening Comelec officials. ###

Palatino held the Arroyo government accountable for failure to stem poll-related terrorism and violence.

He added, for instance, that cases of military harassment against members and organizers of progressive party-lists escalated in the Bicol region since election campaign period kicked in. (see attached table)

“These killings and cases of political harassment against the youth are the worst forms of electoral fraud. They are setting a dangerous climate of election-time terror. They plunder our votes, prosecute innocents and put to death young defenders of democracy,” Palatino said. ###

ELECTION-TIME TERROR
CASES FROM THE BICOL REGION
Updated 1PM / May 18, 2007

May 16, 2007
Capalonga, Camarines Norte — Jun Bagasbas, 20 years old, of Ulipanan Jose Panganiban; and Ronilo Vallevare, 16 years old, of Brgy. Old Camp Capalonga, both Kabataan organizers and poll watchers, were abducted by suspected soldiers on May 15.

The two were on their way home after delivering food to Kabataan Party-list volunteers when they were abducted by uniformed men near the Brgy. Old Camp Capalong polling place.

They next day, May 16, they were found dead along the boundaries of Brgys. Mataqui and Catabaguangan, Capalonga, Camarines Norte.

On the same day, the military issued a statement that Bagasbas and Vallevare were civilian casualties of an encounter between the New People’s Army and the AFP on May 15.

May 14, 2007
Brgy. Pinaghaluban, Barcelona, Sorsogon — Bayan Muna Partylist poll watchers were denied entry to precincts by the BEIs citing a military briefing branding Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Kabataan, Suara as communist fronts.

Bulan, Sorsogon – Canvass watchers were forced to leave the canvassing center due to intimidation by known military intelligence operatives in the vicinity of the canvass center.

Gubat, Sorsogon — Gunsalo Escolano alias Piket, a member of the AFP intelligence division, together with his two companions conducted an illegal body search on Bong Olivares, a poll watcher of the five progressive partylists, while the latter was buying E-load outside the canvassing area.

Kabataan Party-list strongly condemns ¬¬the abduction and murder of two of its poll watchers in Capalonga, Camarines Norte.

Jun Bagasbas, 20 years old, of Ulipanan Jose Panganiban; and Ronilo Vallevare, 16 years old, of Brgy. Old Camp Capalonga, both Kabataan organizers and poll watchers, were abducted by suspected soldiers on May 15.

The two were on their way home after delivering food to Kabataan Party-list volunteers when they were abducted by uniformed men near the Brgy. Old Camp Capalong polling place.

They next day, May 16, they were found dead along the boundaries of Brgys. Mataqui and Catabaguangan, Capalonga, Camarines Norte.

On the same day, the military issued a statement that Bagasbas and Vallevare were civilian casualties of an encounter between the New People’s Army and the AFP on May 15.

“This is a very sad period for all vigilant youth and citizens. First the heroic deaths of two teachers in Batangas and now the senseless killing of two youths who have vowed to protect the votes of the youth and people,” said Raymond Palatino, national president and nominee.

“We condemn the brutal murders of Jun and Ronilo. This extra-judicial killing is undoubtedly election and political-related. We hold the government accountable for failing to address the climate of impunity that has permeated this election period at the onset. We will not rest until justice is served.”

Kabataan Party-list called on the Comelec to immediately conduct an investigation on the killings.

Kabataan Party-list is set to hold an indignation rally in front of Comelec at 4pm today. ###

Kabataan Party-list received reports last night of vote-shaving in Gamay and Lavirez towns in Northern Samar.

According to Kabataan’s official canvass watchers in the province, 200 votes for the youth party-list became a mere 14 votes during the canvassing.

Kabataan’s canvass watchers protested but the Board of Election Inspectors refused to correct the irregularity.

Party-list Task Force Poll Watch is set to send a legal team to look into the matter. ###

Kabataan Party-list received reports at 12:10pm today that two of its canvass watchers in La Union were harassed by military elements and prevented from entering the provincial canvassing center.

Luis Santos and Paula Espiritu recounted that they were on their way to the provincial capitol to relieve the morning canvass watch shift when they were blocked by military and police elements in a checkpoint.

They were asked to line up and present their identification. Santos and Espiritu complied and showed their canvass watch IDs.

Upon seeing that they were members and volunteers of Kabataan Party-list, one of the soldiers reportedly said, “Nandito ang best friend mo.”

The chief of police immediately approached them and told them that they were not needed in the canvassing.

While undergoing verbal harassment by the soldiers and policemen, the two noticed that an intelligence officer was taking their photographs and video footages.

Santos and Espiritu eventually decided to quit their attempt to reach the provincial capitol and headed back home. ###

Kabataan Party-list, the leading youth party-list participating these elections, today decried the ‘very dirty and disappointing course of the 2007 elections’.

Kabataan said that the recently concluded voting process and the ongoing counting and canvassing of votes are ‘cause for youth disillusionment in the Philippine electoral process’.

“We negate statements by the administration, the Comelec and the AFP that the 2007 elections is generally peaceful. Nothing can be farther from the truth,” said Raymond Palatino, national president and nominee of Kabataan Party-list.

“We are not too naïve to have hoped that these elections may be different from the past ones. But we also do not have to be political analysts or election experts to perceive that the 2007 elections is not what the administration, the Comelec or the AFP paint it to be.”

Palatino cited the continuing culture of impunity marring every election, these elections no exemption with more than 100 election-related killings.

He also said that the Comelec appears to be turning a blind eye to numerous cases of electoral fraud and violence being reported in various media outfits and poll watch institutions. “These are not isolated cases but the reality of perhaps the most dirty electoral process in the country and what we have are Comelec and administration officials patting each others’ backs for a so-called job well done.

Palatino added that youth voters have also expressed disappointment over the lack of transparency and the ‘marginalization of party-lists’ in the ongoing media and NAMFREL quick counts.

“We demand that media counts and especially NAMFREL give due attention and import to party-list election results. We are placing much faith in party-lists that truly represent marginalized sectors like the youth. The lack of transparency in the party-list elections contribute greatly to the administration’s ploy to downplay and destroy the very objective of the party-list system,” Palatino said.

Kabataan party-list said that it is also conducting its own quick-count in coordination with Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and Suara Bangsamoro. Results of the quick count will be divulged to the media later this week ‘to counter NAMFREL’s apparent malicious trending in the party-list election results.’ ###

Kabataan Party-list, the leading youth party-list participating in the elections, today released Cool Tips for Youth Voters on May 14:

7. Bring your Voter’s ID. For those who don’t have them yet, at least know your precinct number

6. Bring your own pen. Only 5 minutes allotted per voter inside the booth. Don’t waste it looking for a pen that actually has ink.

5. Be ready with an umbrella, a cap/hat and a handkerchief/hand towel. PAGASA weather forecast says May 14 will be a regular-weather day (read: hot) with scattered showers in Visayas and Mindanao.

4. Bring your kodigo. Unlike in school exams, these are not prohibited in the poll booths. Saves time and means that you’ve made up your mind 100 percent on who to vote.

3. Bring a camera and/or a camera phone. And keep an eagle-eye watch for suspect and illegal activities in your respective polling places. Keep election watch hotlines at hand.

2. Bring your barkada. One way to encourage all your friends to exercise their right to vote. Make May 14 your barkada day!

1. Wear blue. Against electoral fraud. For youth representation in Congress. Make your votes count!

KA - Karapatan sa Edukasyon at Empleyo (Right to Education and Employment)
BA - Batayang Serbisyong Panlipunan (Basic Social Services)
TA - Talino at Galing sa Pamamahala (Excellence in Governance)
AN - Anak ng Bayan para sa Maningning na Kinabukasan (Sons and Daughters of the Nation for a Bright Future)

Our future IS our choice.

This coming May 14, vote for honest officials, for principled leadership and for change. Now more than ever is the time for the youth to be involved.

Vote for KABATAAN PARTY-LIST. Tayo naman sa Kongreso!

BLOGS AND BLOGGERS IN SUPPORT OF KABATAAN PARTY-LIST:

• - Lolo’s
• A Boy’s Life
• a journey of thousand miles begin with one step
• absurdity. - my crazy world.
• adarna’s attic
• Agham Youth
• antala at kaligta*
• Apol the Great’s Journal
• asteroid b-162
• atomicgirl writes about life
• AUTUMN BLOSSOM
• bikoy.net
• Bintana sa Kasingkasing
• bittersweet coffee
• Book of Josua
• Cheese to go with my whine*
• click! *.*
• dalawangmandirigma
• dashisip
• Enter the insanity!!!
• ES2PIDO | Estudyanteng Pinoy Dormitorian
• Etsapwera: mga taong nasa laylayan ng lipunan
• Hiraya: Endless Journey
• I Am Katerin. Personified.
• In this journey, you’re the journal, I’m the journalist…
• Intentional Relief
• Judges 6-8
• Just That Bad
• kalabaw farm - pinuy-anan
• karatula
• Kaulayaw
• kitrotsky
• Knit your brows and you will hit upon a stratagem
• LeiL AnniaH - stainedbutterflywings
• Life in between banana split
• Mainit na Sabaw
• Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose
• marifested
• Masunuring Bata
• MISTERYOSA - The Personal Website of Shari Cruz
• mongster’s nest
• my heart-shaped box
• myepinOy’s bLOG
• ngrksz.. for more!
• Nobel Laureate
• NUSP
• one hand clapping
• Punong Bathala - Henrie’s
• Rebong Baby
• Rob & The Blogosphere
• RobbyCruz.info
• Rowjielogy
• sentimiento
• Sinukuan v.3
• sometimes it just isn’t worth it.
• stephani333
• studentstrike hq
• taghoy ng diwatang dagat
• The Four-Eyed Journal > On technology, the web, health and life
• The little boy clad in Black and White
• The Philippine Experience
• This Other Eden
• Tinig.com
• tonyo
• TXTPower
• wagkamakulit! blog ko ‘to.
• wave function: hindi sagka ang potential well na ito
• We’ll walk in fields of gold
• whatnots
• young radicals

YES to Youth Representation in Congress! Link up and join the Kabataan Cyber-Fever! Enter your site name and link below if you’ve caught the fever, and I’ll add you to my list above. Put up a banner on your site, mention KABATAAN on your blog, link up link up!

you can also visit misteryosa.com

For immediate download: http://textbackusa.mstore.xingtone.com/

ARTISTS ACROSS THE U.S. UPLOAD FREE RING TONES WITH TEXT B.A.C.K. USA;
US FILIPINO YOUTH LAUNCHED E-BOTO KABATAAN CAMPAIGN

Hip-hop artists, BLUE SCHOLARS and KIWI, and metal/punk bands, FLATTBUSH and KADENA condemn the political killings in the Philippines and have joined the TEXT B.A.C.K . USA (TEXT Brigade Against Cheatings and Killings USA) campaign, uploading their music as ring tones to literally ROCK THE VOTE for the Kabataan Party list on May 14, 2007 and to further advance the ÒStop The KillingsÓ campaign.

These artists, and others across the US have either held concerts or nation-wide tours as part of the Stop the Killings campaign earlier this year, and are now taking their music to the universe text-powered campaigning to draw attention to the escalation of extra-judicial killings and to bolster the campaign of the Kabataan Party with political support from around the world.

In support of the TEXT BACK campaign the US Filipino youth and students sector also launched “E-Boto Kabataan Campaign” youth-powered by Anakbayan-New York/New Jersey, Anakbayan-Los Angeles, Anakbayan-Seattle, Anakbayan East Bay, Anakbayan-Honolulu, League of Filipino Students (LFS) SFSU, Sandiwa National Filipino Youth Alliance, PF Youth will be spreading the word to thousands of youth via text and cyberspace. “We are using the technology of text messaging and the internet to spread our message. We call on all youth to download the ring tones, and text, e-mail, and
myspace message all their friends and families continuously over the next 3 days,” said Christina Hilo, member of Anakbayan-NY/NJ one of the
initiators of ÒE-Boto KabataanÓ.

TEXT Brigaders Against the Cheatings and Killings can now download exclusive, FREE ring tones at http://textbackusa.mstore.xingtone.com/ as part of the TEXT B.A.C.K. USA and “E-Boto Kabataan” Campaigns’ “Effort of the US Filipino youth to blast thousands upon thousands of “E” mails to the Filipino youth for last minute campaign for Kabataan Party. A SAMPLE BALLOT can also be viewed while downloading your TEXT B.A.C.K USA artists’ ring tones.

The launching of the exclusive TEXT B.A.C.K. USA artists’ ring tones also coincides with the re-launching of the TXTPOWER website (www.txtpower.org) that exposed the election fraud via the most popularly-downloaded “Hello Garci” ring tone in 2005. The “E-Boto Kabataan” Campaign is the response to the launching of the Kabataan Party’s “Kabataan Cyber Fever.”

Lyrics:

For the workers
For the students
For the peasants
For the women
For the poor
For the hungry
For the youth
KABATAAN (partylist)

Human rights
Education
For our people
For our nation
For our future
For our life
KABATAAN (partylist)

Kiwi:
This is our mission / this is our struggle
This is history rewritten… . this is for the children
Switchin’ up the drama of this system / now listen
The youth are in the building / bringing you a newer vision

It’s time to mobilize / take to the streets and organize
Take control of our lives / see the world with open eyes
The youth see through the lies / and we want what is just
They’re sayin we’re the future, so the future’s up to US!

It’s our basic right to get a decent education
So we can have the tools to really build a better nation
Para sa ating bayan nyayon ay lumalaban
Isangmahal sa lahat ng mga KABATAAN!!!

Kabataan Partylist has been receiving messages of support and endorsements from different youth personalities and groups in the homestretch of its electoral campaign.

Consumer and mobile rights advocacy group TXTPower officially endorsed Kabataan Partylist as it relaunched its website. Filipino-American youth organizations and cause-oriented groups have started sending messages through text and the internet as part of their TEXT B.A.C.K. Internet Blast in support of Kabataan Partylist.

This morning, Kabataan Partylist President and First Nominee Raymond Palatino met with fellow bloggers to finalize the “Kabataan Cyber-Fever” which aims to link up Filipino bloggers in support of Kabataan Partylist.

Present were Shari Cruz (misteryosa.com), who bagged the Best Personal Blog Award in this year’s Philippine Blog Awards; Victor Villanueva (bikoy.net), who is also a finalist in the same category; Jay Rocas from the De La Salle University in Dasmarinas (Four-eyed Journal), and; Vencer Crisostomo (Student Strike) and Sarah Katrina Maramag (Adarna’s Attic) of the Young Radicals blog.

Prominent blogger and analyst Manuel L. Quezon III (MLQ3) earlier endorsed Kabataan Partylist in his blog (www.quezon.ph)

Kabataan’s Palatino maintains his own blog (mongser’s nest) and is Global Voices Online’s Filipino correspondent

Here are some of the support statements for Kabataan:

On Hello Garci 3rd anniv, TXTPower relaunches site,
endorses Kabataan, warns vs fraud

http://www.txtpower.org/news/kabataan-partylist-is-texters-choice

Consumer advocacy and mobile activist organization TXTPower today openly endorsed Kabataan Partylist even as it warned against a repeat of the Hello Garci scandal in Monday’s elections.

Today is the third anniversary of the May 10, 2004 elections which were marred by the Hello Garci scandal which exploded following the discovery of an audiotaped cellphone conversation between President Arroyo and Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

To mark the occasion, TXTPower today relaunched its website as a portal and team blog. Reposted on the site were the original Hello Garci ringtone and a YouTube video based on it.

The Hello Garci ringtone became the most popular political ringtone in 2005.

In a statement, the group said that “Kabataan Partylist fully supports TXTPower’s advocacy of consumer and political rights. Kabataan Partylist is 100-percent behind TXTPower in batting for lower prices and better services, in battling abusive big companies, in demanding an end to government neglect of consumer welfare. Kabataan Partylist vows to be the champion and voice of Pinoy texters and telecommunication consumers inside Congress.”

TXTPower vowed to form text and email brigades in the homestretch of Kabataan Partylist’s campaign.

“We hope President Arroyo would no longer call any Comelec official to ensure the victory of her favored candidates. No to a Hello Garci part two,” said the group.

The relaunched team blog have the following initial members: physicists Kim Gargar and Dr. Gani Tapang, environmentalist Trixie Concepcion, IT expert Ric Bahague, writer Tonyo Cruz, journalist
Ederic Eder, student leaders Vencer Crisostomo, Jhayvie Dorado and Ana Gabriela Celestial. ###

TEXT B.A.C.K. Internet Blast

PLEASE FORWARD THE FOLLOWING:

Please take a minute to send the following message to your relatives
and friends in the Philippines. Send them via text message, e-mail,
Yahoo messenger, gmail chat or any other form. Post them to various
listserves, websites, discussion groups. Send them as testimonies on
friendster or messages on myspace. Any which way, just spread them as
far and wide as possible:

_______________________________
“KUNG MAHAL MO ANG BAYAN
PANDARAYA LABANAN.
POL KILINGS TUTULAN!
SA TRAPO WAG PALOKO
PROGRESIBO IBOTO.
VOTE KABATAAN PARTY!
FROM TEXT BACK-USA”
______________________________

(Translation: If you love our motherland, fight against cheating.
Oppose political killings!
Don’t be fooled by traditional politicians, vote for progressives)

TEXT BACK (Brigade Against Cheating & Killings) - USA

“Our votes may not count, but our voices will be heard:
No to cheating! Stop Political Killings!
Vote for Progressive Party Lists!”

Members of Kabataan Partylist, students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and local residents camped out in front of the baranggay hall of Teresa in Sta. Mesa that has been occupied by soldiers for several months now in anticipation of the imminent of pullout of military troops in Metro Manila.

Kabataan Partylist President and First Nominee Raymond Palatino however said the order for troop pullout is not enough to dispel doubts over the military’s non-partisanship in this elections and dispel fears of massive electoral fraud.

“Military troops may have already been pulled out from Metro Manila communities before the elections but we still have the main fraud operator at the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Palatino pointed out.

Palatino accused AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon of masterminding the new plot to rig the results of the 2007 midterm elections dubbed as Oplan Mercury Rising.

He said massive electoral fraud has already begun to take place less than a week before election day with no less than the infamous “Garci general” serving as its main operator.

“History is repeating itself. The same personalities who figured prominently in the massive vote rigging in 2004 rigging are also the ones being accused of electioneering in this elections.”

“Unfortunately, it will be easier for election operators in the military to manipulate the outcome of this elections with Gen. Esperon at the helm of AFP,” he added.

Palatino said Gen. Esperon’s continued stay in power will continue to cast doubts over the neutrality of the military and the credibility and integrity of the upcoming polls.

“For as long as Gen. Esperon remains the front man and the main operator of the AFP, the youth and the public cannot hope for a truly clean and honest 2007 elections.”

Meanwhile, Palatino called on patriotic junior officers and rank and file soldiers to come out and speak up against military electioneering.

“We call on our fellow youth and patriotic officers to defend democracy and the integrity of the upcoming elections. Let us not allow these election operators at the chain of command to use the military establishment to manipulate the outcome of this elections.”

Let’s take over the web

Todo na to!

It’s less than a week before the elections and we are calling on all KABATAAN bloggers, egroup hijackers, chat addicts, forum hoppers, and all e-campaigners to give it all we’ve got and be most aggressive in our online campaigning.

We should secure the votes of both young and old netizens and make sure we be seen everywhere online during the last few days of this campaign. Let’s take over the web!

Email everyone. Send personal and group emails to everyone in your list endorsing KABATAAN Partylist. Flood your egroups with daily KABATAAN updates.

Blog Barrage. Friendster blogs, multiply, myspace, livejournal, should be filled with entries for KABATAAN. If you don’t blog, this is the time to start posting. Most friendster and livejournal blogs announce posts to your friends.

Friendster. Make KABATAAN the Friendster favorite. Barrage your bulletin, create header, message everyone, change primary photo to KABATAAN icon, post KABATAAN testimonials.

Comment. Bloghop everyone and post comments endorsing KABATAAN. Link to kabataanparty.com.

Forum flood. A friend told me that PinoyExchange.com has at least 5,000 people online at any given time. Visit all Filipino forum sites and post topics and start discussions on KABATAAN. Endorse KABATAAN in all election related rooms. The more posts the better.

Text Brigade. Use chikka, text everyone to vote for KABATAAN.

Don’t forget to point your campaign to kabataanparty.com. Promote our videos too: kabataanparty.com/videos.

This is it! Panahon na natin KABATAAN!

Please don’t hesitate to post other suggestions in the comment thread and pass this message to other e-campaigners.

Junior officers urged to speak up vs military electioneering

The Kabataan Partylist today said massive electoral fraud has already begun to take place less than a week before election day with no less than the AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon serving as its main operator.

The youth partylist accused of the Garci general of masterminding the new plot to rig the results of the 2007 midterm elections dubbed as Oplan Mercury Rising which was recently disclosed by an election watchdog.

“History is repeating itself. The same personalities who figured prominently in the massive vote rigging in 2004 rigging are also the ones being accused of electioneering in this elections,” Kabataan Partylist President and First Nominee Raymond Palatino said.

“Unfortunately, it will be easier for election operators in the military to manipulate the outcome of this elections with Gen. Esperon at the helm of AFP,” he added.

Palatino said Gen. Esperon’s continued stay in power will continue to cast doubts over the neutrality of the military and the credibility and integrity of the upcoming polls.

“For as long as Gen. Esperon remains the front man and the main operator of the AFP, the youth and the public cannot hope for a truly clean and honest 2007 elections.”

Meanwhile, Palatino called on patriotic junior officers and rank and file soldiers to come out and speak up against military electioneering.

“We call on our fellow youth and patriotic officers to defend democracy and the integrity of the upcoming elections. Let us not allow these election operators at the chain of command to use the military establishment to manipulate the outcome of this elections.”

Kabataan Partylist tops UST, UE mock polls
http://www.varsitarian.com/details.asp?id=3056&s=3&sec=news

The Kabataan Partylist topped recently concluded student surveys on partylist preferences in the University Santo Tomas and University of the East.

The mock polls were conducted by The Varistarian and The Dawn, official student publications of UST and UE, respectively.

The Varsitarian conducted the surveys on March and April, with the two mock polls roughly showing the same results. The survey had 1,265 respondents from UST’s 11 colleges with a 2.76 per cent margin of error.

In the survey, Kabataan Partylist got a commanding lead of 22.22 percent, with Buhay Partylist placing second with 13.89 percent.

Other partylist choices included Gabriela, 11.1 percent; ABAKADA Guro, 5.6 percent; Bayan Muna, 5.6 percent; and Senior Citizens, Lypad, Akbayan, Kasapi, A Teacher and Anakpawis got 2.8 percent.

“These surveys only show the growing support among students, youth and even the academe for youth representation in Congress,” Kabataan Partylist President and First Nominee Raymond Palatino said.

“There has not been a youth sectoral representative in the past three Congresses since the first partylist elections in 1998. The last time we had a youth representative in Congress was during the Philippine Assembly time more than fifty years ago when Wenceslao Vinzons and Arturo Tolentino’s Young Philippines won seats in Congress.”

Palatino however said the massive disenfranchisement of many potential, first time voters could pose a big hindrance to securing seats for the youth partylist.

“Many first time voters failed to register last year out of confusion and discouragement brought about by the No-El (No Election) scenario being propagated by Charter Change advocates and the government.”

“The youth can still participate in this elections though, whether a registered voter or not. The upcoming elections needs the biggest number of dedicated election volunteers who will guard the people’s votes. We can actively campaign for candidates or political parties and educate our relatives and our community of the electoral process and give guidelines on how to choose the country’s next set of leaders.”

“There are countless ways by which the youth can participate in this elections even if they are not registered voters. Now more than ever is the time for the youth to be involved.”

Kabataan Partylist had also emerged on the top spot in university belt-wide mock polls on partylist preferences last month.

The Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP) and KABATAAN Partylist strongly condemn the misuse of the concept of the well-known and highly recognized Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity’s Oblation Run by the Partylist ASAP (Alyansa ng Sambayanan para sa Pagbabago).

On May 7, several members of ASAP Partylist marched at the vicinity of the SM Mall of Asia wearing only transparent plastic sheaths and underwear to call for a “honest and transparent” elections, mimicking the Oblation Run which is annually held by the APO Fraternity, whose Eta Chapter is a member of STAND-UP.

“The cheap gimmick of the aforementioned partylist is evidently for the mere purpose of attention-getting, executed without regard for the values which the Oblation encapsulates”, commented Vanessa Faye Bolibol, Chairperson of STAND-UP. “The Oblation symbolizes sacrifice of oneself for the service of the nation and humanity. This symbol must be used in the valid issues of the youth and nation, such as the right to education and freedom from political repression”, Bolibol continued.

According to Johana Urbiztondo, coordinator of KABATAAN Partylist in UP Diliman, “We as members of KABATAAN Partylist and as mga Iskolar ng Bayan believe that the Oblation should be employed to promote the interests of the youth and the nation, not some political assemblage which is composed of noisy few.” Urbiztondo added, “KABATAAN Partylist seeks to have principled politics that counters the kind of leadership that traditional politicians have instilled in the current government.”

STAND-UP and KABATAAN Partylist believes that mere attention-grabbing is not adequate to assert for clean and transparent elections. “We must be vigilant in safeguarding our votes this coming election. It is our responsibility to educate our fellow voters and encourage them to make the right choice,” said Bolibol.

Slams illegal arrest, detention of organizer in Ormoc

Kabataan party-list, the leading youth party-list participating in the elections, is set to hold an Espana-wide noise barrage later this afternoon for clean and honest elections.

The activity dubbed, “Kalampagin ang Espana: Tie A Blue Ribbon against electoral fraud and for youth representation in Congress” will commence at exactly 5:00 in the afternoon in various points along Espana in Manila.

Kabataan members and supporters from Welcome Rotonda, Blumentritt, Sampaloc, Lacson, UST, Miguelin, Riles, Algeciras and Trabajo Market will all converge along Espana with their noise-makers to register the youth party-list’s clamor for clean and honest elections.

“With barely a week before Election Day and killings and political repression still rampant, the youth and the people are given no reason to believe that massive electoral fraud and violence are at bay. We call on all concerned and democracy-loving citizens to join our crusade against electoral fraud and violence. Let us all fight for our stake for a promising future for the youth,” said Raymond Palatino, national president and nominee.

Palatino cited the most recent cases of political repression namely Makati Rep. Jejomar Binay’s ‘midnight suspension’ and the harassment against Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino and his companions in a motorcade in Ormoc yesterday as omens of more rampant suppression of the political opposition ahead.

One of Casino’s companions, Rolando ‘Jun-Jun’ Cabato, 21 years old, and a Kabataan organizer in Ormoc, was illegally abducted by elements of the AFP’s 19th IB. He remains missing to date.

He also criticized the government’s lack of political will to put a stop to electoral-related violence which escalated these past weeks. More than 100 have already fallen victim to electoral-related violence.

“We cannot hope to have fraud-free and peaceful elections for as long as the military remains at the cudgels of supposed ‘peace and order’ operations for the elections. The government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the fact that in some, in fact most, cases of repression and violence, the military is involved,” said Palatino.

Palatino announced that the youth party-list will commence with a ‘Three-Day Countdown’ for clean and honest elections from May 10-12. The countdown will kick-off with a massive ‘cyber-countdown’ of young Filipino bloggers who are also supporters of Kabataan.

On May 11, Kabataan party-list will stage a nationally-coordinated noise barrage. The countdown will end with a vigil in front of the Commission on Elections on May 12. ###.