Learning Politics the Hard Way:
Youth Party Nominees Harassed

Days after Macapagal-Arroyo’s national security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, accused Anak ng Bayan and other progressive party-list groups as front organizations of the Communist Party, three of the youth party’s nominees were harassed separately, with one of them hauled into jail and slapped with murder charges. Despite the harassment, the young nominees of Anak Bayan – one of five groups leading in pre-elections surveys – remain undaunted.

BY AUBREY MAKILAN
Bulatlat.com

The nominees of the youth party Anak ng Bayan (Nation’s Youth) are finding out the hard way the perils of politics. Its president and first nominee Apolinario Alvarez was threatened at gunpoint during a campaign caravan in Camarines Sur last week. Its third nominee, Ronalyn Olea, was hospitalized for several days when a motorcycle-riding thief suspiciously targeted her bag and dragged her for several meters, face up. Worst of all, its fifth nominee, Ronald Ian Evidente, was arrested April 22 in Dumaguete City on a murder charge and is now behind bars.

Anak ng Bayan condemned the arrest of Evidente by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental on alleged murder charges.

Evidente, 27, a graduate of the Silliman University in Dumaguete, was on his way to meet with Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) leaders in the area when SOG’s SPO1 Alberto Belingan and PO1 Alfonzo Enriquez arrested him. He is currently held at the PNP Dumaguete jail.

According to reports, Evidente is facing a murder charge with still unknown complainants under Criminal Case No.3829. Presiding Judge Rogaciano Rivera of the municipal trial court in Sta. Catalina town issued the arrest order last March, with no bail recommended.

“Silencing” militants

Evidente said his arrest and detention is a “resurrection of the series of actions to silence militant groups and individuals.”

Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales earlier accused progressive party-lists, including Anak ng Bayan Youth Party, as front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). 

Gonzales’ accusation has been echoed in Negros by police officer Herbert Arinaza of the provincial PNP, said Evidente.

He said that the local “cohorts” of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration are now working to get not only him but also other militants in the province.

“Gonzales has no legal basis to link us with the CPP just because of our progressive stance on sectoral and national issues,” said Alvarez. “In his desperation, he is now resorting to underhanded and false criminal accusations to demonize and prevent us from upholding the youth’s interests in Congress.”

Not the only one

Evidente was not the only Anak ng Bayan nominee to experience harassment. 

Olea, third nominee and outgoing national president of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), was dragged by an unknown man on board a motorcycle last week near the Anak ng Bayan office in Pampanga in what was ostensibly a bag snatching incident. According to AnB, it was suspicious that despite the presence of other youths, the rider went for Olea’s bag. The frail-bodied student leader suffered bruises and was hospitalized for almost week. 

Alvarez on the other hand was threatened at gunpoint when he was negotiating with the military early this week during a Bicol-wide motorcade. The soldiers allegedly fired at the participating vehicles in the motorcade, which at that time were trying to drive away. The alleged shooting was done despite the presence of civilians along the highway.

Survey topnotcher

Evidente, who was shocked with the murder charge, told Bulatlat.com that on that same day of the arrest, they were on a campaign sortie in Dumaguete City. With his arrest, the scheduled campaign activity in Bais City was cancelled.

“The murder case against Ronald disregards due process and is clearly politically motivated,” said Alvarez. The arrest warrant, which was issued a month ago, was served during the party’s campaign sortie in the province.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Rep. Siegfred Deduro criticized President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her alleged “campaign of slander and demonization” against Bayan Muna and its allied party-list groups even when she insists there is no state policy in this regard.

Alvarez said that the arrest shows the “connivance between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Gonzales’ National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) to disqualify the party-list.”

The youth party, along with Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Gabriela Women’s Party, has been topping the surveys for party-lists. It ranked second in both the latest Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS) surveys for party-list.

Struggle even behind bars

“These attempts to silence us have only made the youth’s resolve stronger,” said Alvarez. “We will not allow Gonzales or Malacañang to rob us of our right to bring our fight for education and employment to Congress.”

On April 16, progressive party-lists, headed by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, filed a P9.8 million-libel suit against Gonzales at the justice department.

Meanwhile, even behind bars, Evidente has urged the youth to persevere in the campaign and continue the struggle for the sector’s emancipation.

He also plans to file libel charges against police officer Arinaza. With reports from Karl G. Ombion/ Bulatlat.com

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