NM Kabataan Partylist group cries harassment
YOUTH group Kabataan Partylist condemns the alleged harassment against Vennel Chenfoo, the group’s Northern Mindanao regional coordinator.
At around 10 a.m. yesterday, October 9, Chenfoo was approached by someone questioning about the whereabouts of his mother and other family members at a coffee shop inside a mall here.
The person continued to ask personal questions and tried to take photos of him, then accused him of being the “Deputy secretary sa urban unit,” telling him they know what he is doing for the “kalihukan”.
The youth group alleged that the person is an agent of the military intellegence unit.
In a statement, Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago said harassment against activists has intensified, and is among the efforts of this administration to silent critics especially the youth.
Elago however said the youth remain unfazed, pointing out that there will be no amount of harassment that could silence them, as they will instead amplify their voice to assert their rights.
“It is clear that the military is setting the minds of the public on who its next target will be. Moreover,
these harassments are happening in a context where the youth and students are experiencing huge attacks on democratic rights. The youth movement is being discredited and even implicated in an absurdly fabricated “Red October” plot,” Elago said.
“They want to pacify us, but we will not be pacified. We will only amplify our voice even more as we further assert our democratic rights.
Elago further explained: “Yesterday, we filed a resolution in Congress seeking to condemn attack on youth democratic rights and gathered the support of our lawmakers. These efforts will be magnified by a series of mobilizations which will culminate in a huge national day of action dubbed as “October Rage” this coming October 12. We invite every youth and student to join us in intensifying our fight for youth and people’s democratic rights.”
The 4th Infantry Division (4ID) said it will verify the report, even as it urged the group to file a complaint so that appropriate actions can be taken.
“It is not the first time that these groups have accused the military of alleged harassment but no complaint have been filed,” said First Lieutenant Tere Ingente, the 4ID spokesperson.
“Our mandate is to protect our citizenry from terrorism and ensure their safety. We assure everyone that your Army is a professional organization that adheres to the rule of law. If ever there is a violation of these, we will surely act on it promptly,” she added.