A youth-led election watchdog called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately decide on the disqualification of Duterte Youth, citing various violations of the controversial partylist group.
Kabataan, Tayo ang Pag-asa (KTAP) said it is time for the poll body to finally disqualify Duterte Youth over misrepresentation of the sector as well as alleged abuse of state resources and circumvention of election laws.
KTAP submitted to the Comelec last Tuesday a unity statement signed by more than 100 youth organizations urging the Commission to resolve all the petitions against the partylist before the 20th Congress begins on June 30.
“Decide on the disqualification of Duterte Youth Party-list now! Malinaw sa napakaraming mga kabataan na mula umpisa, binabalahura ng mga pekeng party-list tulad ng Duterte Youth ang sistemang elektoral sa Pilipinas,” the statement reads.
“Malinaw mula umpisa na wala silang ligal na katayuang magpatuloy pa sa Kongreso. Walang nang dahilan para patagalin pa ang disqualification ng party-list na ito,” KTAP national convenor Brell Lacerna added.
Duterte Youth’s proclamation as a winner in the mid-term elections this month had been suspended by the poll body pending the resolution of disqualification petitions filed by various groups as early as 2019.
Duterte Youth meanwhile filed a petition before the Supreme Court last Friday questioning its proclamation’s suspension, claiming the Comelec committed “grave abuse of discretion” when it refused to proclaim their poll victory.
KTAP however said the government must not waste the people’s coffers for another three years with a self-serving group that does not serve the youth at all.
“Malaking aksaya sa kaban ng bayan ang dalawang terminong pananatili nito sa Batasang Pambansa na ang tanging track record ay red-tagging at pagiging mouthpiece ng Duterte-era policies,” KTAP said.
“Hindi nito pwedeng gamitin na pang-salag ang 2.3 milyong boto ngayong eleksyon para takasan ang pananagutan sa batas pang-eleksyon. Ang tunay na pamumulitika ay ang ‘grave abuse of discretion’ ng Duterte Youth sa pamamahala, na sa aming kabataan ay isang mabigat na pandaraya,” Lacerna explained.
KTAP said Comelec should take into consideration the youth who are being misrepresented by Duterte Youth.
“Naghahalal tayo ng mga susunod na mambabatas, hindi ng mga mandurugas,” Lacerna concluded. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)