Progressive partylists accuse military, police of harassment, black propaganda

Members of progressive party-list groups have criticized the Philippine military and police personnel for alleged harassment and black propaganda in time for the upcoming elections.

In separate statements on Friday, the Kabataan and Katribu party-lists claimed government forces were behind the proliferation of letters and posters that discredited them and branded several candidates as members of the communist armed group New People's Army (NPA).

"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," the Kabataan party-list said.

The party-list groups said that "the black propaganda is meant to prevent legitimate sectoral groups from winning in the upcoming elections."

Kabataan, the youth group, said one of their nominees, Kathrina Castillo, received one of the so-called "poison letters" that came with a black ribbon last April 16. The letter was sent by a certain "Ricardo Picardal."

These letters reportedly contained death threats and warnings for local candidates, discouraging them from giving support to the groups identified in the "black propaganda."

[Click here to see the alleged death threat sent to one of the nominees of a party-list group being identified in a supposed black propaganda.]

In other communities, letter-sized posters were plastered containing the words: "Huwag Iboto, mga kandidato ng NPA (Don’t vote for candidates of the NPA): Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, Akap Bata, ACT Teachers, COURAGE, and Katribu."

Ocampo and Maza, incumbent party-list lawmakers, are both running for senator under the ticket of Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manuel "Manny" Villar Jr.

Katribu, which advocates indigenous peoples’ rights, said it has also received reports of "uniformed men" roaming communities in the province, shouting, "Huwag iboto ang Katribu dahil sila ay salot sa lipunan! Huwag iboto ang Katribu dahil sila ay terorista at mga kasangga ng komunista."

(Do not vote for KATRIBU because it is a terrorist organization and are advocates of communism.)

Campaign posters of these party-list groups were also either torn off designated poster areas or were transformed into caricatures negatively depicting the groups' nominees.

"The [Katribu] party-list logo was drawn with hammer and sickle apparently to link the group with the communist party," the group said.

'Name names'

But in an interview with GMANews.TV, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos said the military was not behind the so-called black propaganda.

While he admitted not being aware of these incidents, Burgos insisted that aside from ensuring peace and order, the military does not meddle in election and campaign-related affairs.

"Name names, so we can investigate... AFP's campaign is to never be involved in partisan politics," Burgos said.

The Kabataan party-list had already taken their grievances a step further by filing on Friday a complaint before the Commission on Elections, asking the poll body to investigate the matter.

For its part, the Katribu party-list had asked the AFP and PNP leaderships to launch an investigation among their own ranks.

The group criticized AFP chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit for failing to stay true to his words when he was installed as the new military chief, wherein he promised to be "neutral" in protecting the human rights not only of civilians but also of its soldiers.

“What neutrality was Bangit talking about when his men are doing the opposite?" said Katribu first nominee Beverly Longid.

According to Longid, the safety and security of leaders, campaigners and communities are being compromised due to these so-called "threats."

She said that the black propaganda had already "adversely affected our campaign, instilling fear among our members, volunteers and supporters."

The party-list group said the military and the police had long been "notorious in committing grave human rights abuses in their pursuit of counter-insurgency operations." - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV