(2nd update) Kabataan Party-list denounces election-time terror
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.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:11 am
[…] Also, two Kabataan canvass watchers in La Union were harassed by military elements and prevented from entering the provincial canvassing center. More cases of election-related military harassment of Kabataan members are reported here. […]