Makabayan NorMin condemns state-sponsored harassments

CAGAYAN DE ORO: MAKABAYAN coalition in Northern Mindanao gears up for the grand launching on November 4 amid heightened threats of tailings and harassments from volunteers and workers and smear campaign launched by the military and pseudo-activists postings in the internet and text messages.

Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan or Makabayan, a coalition of national, sectoral and local organizations, individuals, and progressive partylist groups whose principle is people and country first above all other interests, condemns in the strongest term such cowardly acts of government agents in the police and military in attempting to silence legitimate activities of progressive partylist groups .

Still months before the actual election campaign period, agents of the state are already up and about in creating an environment of fear and violence and repeating again sordid human rights violations against progressive partylist groups similar to past election exercises, Makabayan spokesperson for Northern Mindanao Kristim Lim said today.

Lim cited the case of Kabataan Partylist regional coordinator for Northern Mindanao Vanessa Entia who was tailed by two unidentified young men wearing caps and jackets on two separate occasions earlier last October. The office of KP also bore signs of forcible entry when its doors and padlocks were destroyed.

Similarly, Alliance for Concerned Teachers (ACT) volunteer workers who were in a meeting last October 7^th were also tailed by unidentified young men who also wore similar get-ups (with cap and jacket) and were caught eavesdropping.

“We deplore these cowardly acts because these only show Arroyo’s insincerity to creating democratic space for the marginalized sectors through the partylist system. The marginalized youth, which up to now, remains in the backseat of priorities of the Arroyo government because it continues to adhere to commodifying education, is her continued scapegoat to her constant flanking in class,” Entia said in a separate statement.

Meantime, Anakpawis Partylist regional coordinator Wildon Barros challenged the military at the 4^th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista in Patag for continually disinforming the public. Barros said the military could be charged of electioneering for maligning partylist groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, KP, ACT, COURAGE, and other groups as communist fronts.

“They have repeatedly used government time to publicly malign the progressive partylist groups and have only entangled themselves for their unfounded accusations,” Barros said adding “Ug bisan pa man niini, kay sila man ang anaa sa gahum, pwedi ra gyud gihapon ingnon nila nga they have not violated the law. But the point is, negative or positive propaganda is a violation of Comelec rules on electioneering”.