Leni-Kiko youth volunteers in Davao City harassed, threatened

BUKIDNON, Philippines – Volunteer workers of Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday afternoon, February 10, filed a complaint against a man who allegedly harassed and threatened them because they were campaigning against the Duterte family inside their headquarters in Davao City.

Members of the Youth for Leni (YFL) group in Davao City went to the San Pedro police station and reported being harassed and threatened by a man in his 40s inside the Davao for Leni (DFL) volunteers’ center office on Wednesday, February 9. The complaint was put on record by Corporal Glenn Espinosa.

Rose Quimod, 22, leader of the Youth for Leni (YFL), told Rappler there were 15 of them who were taking a break after the “Ronda ng Pagasa” on Wednesday when the man came and asked them how the event went. 

Quimod said she and her companions thought he was a supporter of the Robredo-Pangilinan ticket and so they excitedly shared what took place during the caravan. 

To their shock, the man suddenly flared up, called them “bayaran” (paid hacks), and told them, “Mga bata pa mo, apil-apil namo.” (You’re still kids, and you’re taking part in this). 

Quimod said the man warned them of more harassment if they continued campaigning for Robredo and Pangilinan’s group.

“He was angry with the news about why Davao is for Leni. He asked who was spreading it,” Quimod told Rappler.

She said members of their group caught the incident on video and planned to submit these as evidence. 

“I did expect this to happen because this is Davao City, but I didn’t expect it to happen too soon. I was prepared for this, but I am worried for my companions,” said Quimod, adding that all would be voting for the first time in May, and have never been involved in any political volunteer work until now.

Quimod said the group had a debriefing, and all of them vowed to persevere in their campaign.

The group said their data showed that the youth accounts for 56% of country’s voting population.  

“The youth are a force to reckon with. Musukol mi! (We will fight back),” Quimod said. 

Pablo Reyes Jr., head of the media and communications team of Robredo People’s Council (RPC), told Rappler that the group’s lawyers were bent on pressing charges against the man who signed as “Antonio Luna” on the logbook and wrote a mobile number that was indecipherable. 

But the group took a photo of the temporary plate number of the motorcycle the man used.

Reyes said they would also tighten security measures in their volunteers’ center. 

Maria Victoria “Mags” Maglana, a prominent non-governmental organization worker who is challenging the reelection bid of presidential son and Representative Paolo “Polong” Duterte in the city’s 1st District, condemned the incident and called on authorities to act on it. 

“The man’s threat and intimidation were worrisome, and deserve an action from the local government,” said Maglana even as she called on Dabawenyos to collectively ensure free, fair, and safe elections in Davao. –Rappler.com

Grace Cantal-Albasin is a Mindanao-based journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship