‘Public warning’ by Panday Sining draws criticism from former members, labeled ‘PR stunt’

MANILA — A recent public warning issued by Panday Sining–Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) against a former member accused of “manipulation and sexual harassment” has drawn sharp criticism from former members of national democratic organizations, who questioned the intent and timing of the statement.

On December 22, Panday Sining–PUP released a public notice cautioning the public against Dante “Danthird” Sanchez III following reports from one of its members. The group said it had gathered supporting evidence, including photographs and message exchanges, and confirmed that psychological assistance was being provided to the reported victim. It also disclosed that Sanchez had been expelled from Panday Sining–Novaliches in September but allegedly continued participating in political and art-related activities under different aliases.

However, former members of national democratic organizations said the public warning should not be mistaken for accountability.

“This was not about protecting the victim,” said Dave, a former member of a CPP-linked cultural organization. “It was an attempt to deodorize a crime and a PR stunt to appear ‘progressive’ once the issue could no longer be contained internally.”

Dave said such statements often come only after internal efforts to contain allegations fail. According to him, the deeper reason organizations hesitate to pursue abusers forcefully is fear of internal exposure.

“What they are really afraid of is not the crime itself, but what an angry or cornered abuser might reveal,” Dave said. “If you prosecute strongly, if you go beyond quiet expulsion, that person can expose recruitment practices, command structures, and how these groups are tied to the CPP–NPA. Silence and soft handling become a form of self-protection.”

He added that this dynamic creates a perverse incentive to prioritize organizational security over survivor welfare. “The survivor becomes secondary to the risk of political fallout,” he said.

Another former member, Fern, echoed the sentiment, saying the warning functioned more as image management than justice.

“When they issue a ‘babala sa publiko,’ it creates the illusion of decisive action,” Fern said. “But in reality, it allows them to say, ‘We’ve done our part,’ without submitting the case to independent investigation or ensuring the perpetrator is truly held to account.”

Fern added that expulsion alone often fails to prevent alleged abusers from resurfacing in other allied organizations or continuing to operate in shared activist and cultural spaces. “You remove the person from your chapter, but you don’t warn the wider network until it becomes unavoidable. That’s not accountability; that’s just containment,” she said.

The criticisms revive a long-standing concern raised by former cadres and advocates that while national democratic groups frequently present themselves as champions of women’s rights and gender justice, internal cases of abuse are often subordinated to organizational discipline and political cohesion.

“This is why survivors rarely come forward,” Dave said. “They know the priority is not their healing or justice, but protecting the movement from scandal.”

Panday Sining–PUP, in its statement, said it “strongly condemns any form of sexual abuse” and urged the public to remain vigilant and report similar incidents. But critics argue that without transparent processes, independent oversight, and survivor-centered mechanisms, such condemnations risk being perceived as performative.

“What people are reacting to is the pattern,” Fern said. “Strong words after the fact, silence before it. Until that changes, public warnings will continue to be seen not as justice, but as damage control.”

For former members, the controversy highlights a deeper challenge confronting national democratic organizations. “Whether they are willing to confront abuse within their own ranks with the same rigor and openness they demand from the state, or whether accountability will remain selective, only when public pressure makes silence impossible,” she said.