Youth groups file anti-vilification petition

Representatives from different youth organizations in Baguio City filed a petition to stop red-tagging through a call to the city council to immediately pass the anti-vilification ordinance, February 27 at the Baguio City Hall.

The Kabataan Partylist  (KPL) headed the petition which aimed to call for immediate action as campaigns of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) threaten the security of progressive students and youth organizations.

Representatives from the National Union of the Students of the Philippines (NUSP) Cordillera, College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Baguio-Benguet, Youth Act Now Against Tyranny, Cordilleran Youth Center and Kabataan Partylist are among the participating youth organizations.

Kabataan Partylist Cordillera Regional Coordinator Christian Dave Ruz said the youth sector is continuously receiving threats.

“‘Yung mga kabataan tinuturing na pag-asa ng bayan, pag-asa ng kinabukasan, ngunit patuloy itong inaatake, tinatakot at dinarahas… kaya naman makikita natin na itong atake na ito sa mga kabataan ay matinding atake rin sa pag-asa ng bayan.”

(The youth are considered as the hope of the nation, the hope of the future and they are being attacked and threatened. These attacks against the youth are also an attack against the hope of the nation.)

Ruz further clarified that the passage of the ordinance will give security to those critical to the government.

“Isa siyang malaking hakbangin para sa proteksiyon at pagbibigay seguridad sa sinumang nagnanais na magpahayag at magbigay ng kritisismo o mungkahi taliwas doon sa inilalatag na programa ng administrasyon.”

(It’s a stepping stone for the protection and security of those against the programs of the administration.)

Written by Corrine Evangelista and Jaira Palpallatoc