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MANILA, Philippines — A youth party-list group is investigating allegations of sexual assault against one of its members, who has reportedly been placed under preventive suspension pending final disciplinary action.
Kabataan Party-List disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, June 3, following a viral post over the weekend in which the victim urged the organization to take the welfare of its members more seriously, especially in cases involving abuse by one of its own.
“The member-accused, from the time the report was received, was confronted and eventually placed under preventive suspension to ensure the integrity of the investigation and welfare of the members,” Kabataan Party-List National President Julius Cantiga said.
What happened? In a June 1 post, the victim shared that she was sexually abused in a shared living area for centralized members, where there were no separate quarters for men and women.
She said the absence of safeguards — including clear divisions, oversight and security measures — may have allowed the assault to happen. If these were in place, she said the abuse would have been prevented.
She also questioned the organization’s commitment to supporting survivors, pointing to delays in resolving cases and in removing victims from the place where the abuse took place.
“Pang-tatlong abusong sekswal na nga bago kayo magbigay ng mental health support tapos hindi ninyo pa sinisikap yung primaryang tulong na kailangan ng biktima na makalayo sa pinangyarihan ng krimen,” the victim said.
(It took three instances of sexual abuse before you even provided mental health support, and yet you still haven’t made an effort to give the primary help the victim needs, which is to get away from the scene of the crime.)
Party-list's response. The victim named three individuals she believes should be held accountable. Cantiga confirmed that only one is a Kabataan Party-list member, while the other two are from different organizations.
He also clarified that the accused is not a member of the National Executive Council of Kabataan. According to the organization, the incident did not occur on its premises.
"As a woman and a leader, this has been really painful. We condemn this recent incident of abuse, especially among our members, and we will not tolerate the perpetrators behind this," Rep.-elect Renee Co (Kabataan Party-List) told Philstar.com in a June 4 message.
Gaps in the process
According to the party-list’s national president, the organization has been “handling the matter” in line with its constitutional guidelines since it was notified of the incident “several weeks ago.”
Cantiga also said the organization has provided various forms of support to the victim, including mental health assistance through referrals for psychological first aid and counseling.
However, the victim said in a June 2 post that it is only "bare minimum" to do so. She said that during the third incident, the first time she was provided mental health support, the organization did not assist her in securing the medication prescribed by her psychiatrist.
Cantiga also recognized the need to strengthen the organization’s internal accountability processes to ensure that affected victims receive more focused support beyond consultations.
“We understand that our efforts though have not been sufficient so far and it has led to her disillusionment in the organization itself,” he said.
“Pananagutan namin ito sa mga miyembro at sa pagkakataong ito nagkulang kami. Totoong may mga bagay pa kaming dapat ayusin at paunlarin,” he added.
(We are accountable to our members, and in this instance, we fell short. It's true that there are still things we need to fix and improve.)
Even after the incidents of sexual abuse, the victim said members of the organization treated her as if nothing had happened, with one even suggesting she help during the campaign period instead of remaining “idle.”
She said she was also subjected to verbal abuse and physical threats.
'Full support' if charges filed
Should the victim choose to file a legal case against the accused member, Cantiga said the organization will fully support her “for remedies beyond the authority of the organization.”
He expressed hope that the victim would remain open to the organization’s support, especially as the investigation nears its conclusion.
“Patapos na at tatapusin na rin agad ang imbestigasyon. Kung magiging bukas man dito, aalalay kami hanggang sa pagtulak ng ligal na aksyon sa korte. Karapatan ito ng bawat miyembro,” Cantiga said.
(The investigation is nearing its end and will soon be concluded. But if it remains open, we will provide support all the way through the pursuit of legal action in court. This is the right of every member.)
Co also said they will support the filing of a case and will await the victim’s consent. Even if the victim chooses not to accept their assistance, Co said they "will continue to take action on this incident."
The victim, however, said in a comment on her post that she has lost trust in the organization, no longer wishes to engage, and is considering calling for a legal investigation. In a June 2 post, she appealed to the Senate to investigate the alleged prevalence of sexual harassment within the organization and the continued presence of perpetrators.
With the investigation now public, Kabataan Party-List called on the public to approach the issue with sensitivity and avoid sensationalism.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing justice and addressing gender-based violence, particularly within youth organizations in the country.
"We continue the fight against all instances of gender-related violence and hope to improve mechanisms and policies within youth organizations, including our own, to address this," Co said.
