Elago 'unbothered' over NTF-ELCAC's petition urging Comelec to cancel Kabataan party-list registration

Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Jane Elago on Sunday said she is "unbothered" over fresh claims against her on alleged links to communist terrorist groups as well as the government's anti-insurgency task force petition to stop her party-list from participating in Eleksyon 2022.

This after an official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel the registration of the Kabataan Party-list.

Lawyer Marlon Bosantog, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson and National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Regional Director for CAR, claimed that the party-list's registration must be disqualified because of their goal to destabilize the government.

However, Elago said they are prepared to respond to NTF-ELCAC's allegations even as they have yet to receive a copy of the said petition.

"Hindi totoo, walang bago, at ilang beses ng binasura ang mga gawa-gawang kaso nila. We're unbothered; super focused now on our constituency work and advocacy campaigns," said Elago in a Viber message to GMA News Online.

(This is not true, this is not new and their cases were already dismissed.)

"Sasagutin din namin ang mga maling akusasyon at kasinungalingan nila sa hinain nila sa COMELEC, habang patuloy ang trabaho at pagsusulong ng interes at kapakanan ng mga kabataan!" she added.

(We will answer their allegations and the lies that they have sent to COMELEC while we are still working and upholding the interests and rights of the youth!)

Bosantog, meanwhile, backed his claim with statements from witnesses who are allegedly former members of Kabataan party-list and former cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army. 

"This also confirmed that Kabataan Partylist is a creation of the CPP-NPA to overthrow the government," Bosantog said on Saturday.

The NTF-ELCAC said Alms Gabin, former education department secretary of the CPP-NPA Visayas Regional Party Committee, claimed she was part of the "decision making" in crafting the party's constitution and the processes to choose party nominees. Gabin, according to NTF-ELCAC, said the main objective of the party is to push "the CPP-NPA ideology in the House of Congress and destabilize the government."

Gabin also accused Elago of not keeping her salary from Congress, adding that the rest of the funds goes collectively to CPP-NPA for supposed recruitment activities, the NTF-ELCAC said.
 
Waste of government resources

Elago, on her part, said it is a "big shame" for the NTF-ELCAC to "waste government's resources and time," as she called for accountability against these officials.

"Sana po gumulong na ang aming isinampang kaso laban sa NTF-ELCAC officials dahil wala na ngang naitutulong, sobrang mali at mapanganib pa sa kabataan ang ginagawa nila. We must hold them accountable," Elago said.

(We hope that cases filed against NTF-ELCAC officials will have progress because they are doing dangerous things to our youth.)

Likewise, the lawmaker said they will focus on their initiatives to address issues in pandemic, which has infected millions of Filipinos nationwide.

"We have launched our 2021 State of the Youth Address since our 20th anniversary this June. Much more needs to be done for 'ayuda' measures, health and education relief, student aid, wage subsidies, employment support, among other youth and people's priorities amid the pandemic and economic recession," Elago said. —KG, GMA News