Voices in the Void: Why abuse victims in CPP-NPA-NDF legal fronts are being ignored

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion about sexual assault

A recent social media post has once again exposed the troubling reality behind the so-called “people’s organization” Kabataan Partylist (KPL). "Karima," a KPL member, bravely spoke out, revealing that she was subjected to three separate incidents of sexual assault between 2023 to 2025. Despite informing the organization since the first incident, the leadership chose to drag its feet, and no justice was delivered. Until she decided to speak publicly.

But this was not the first time similar accusations have surfaced, highlighting a disturbing pattern of passiveness and inaction. Within the “white area” of the national democratic movement—referring to the legal fronts established and controlled by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) operating in public and legal spaces—there is a long history of gender-based violence. Karima says no less than 20 have been victimized by members and leaders of KPL. Instead of actively addressing these abuses, they are usually dismissed or hidden, particularly when influential and active members are involved.  

This reveals a glaring contradiction: groups that loudly champion women’s rights and denounce systemic abuse fail to address the same issues within their own circles. 

In these spaces, victims are expected to bury their pain for the sake of activism, sacrificing their mental and emotional well-being. Many, like Karima, have turned away from their homes and families to stay in the movement, only to be tortured by the continued presence of their perpetrators. In one post, Karima revealed how the "Chief Membership Deputy Officer" casually, if not insensitively, advised her to instead focus on campaigning for KPL. "Diba mas okay yun kaysa nakaidle tayo?," (Isn't that better than being idle?) the officer condescendingly counseled.

How can these organizations be trusted when they refuse to hold their own people accountable? Ignoring a victim’s plea isn’t just neglect but the worst form of betrayal. Even more harmful is how survivors are gaslit by promising support but pressuring them to stay silent, remain loyal, and continue working for the cause, even while suffering.  

KPL claims to speak for the youth, especially the marginalized. But how can they claim to stand for justice while silencing survivors, particularly their own members? There is no genuineness in a culture that protects offenders and demands emotional labor from victims, expecting them to simply “compartmentalize” their trauma in the name of collective struggle, not knowing they are only deepening their wounds. 

Kabataan insists they can handle these issues “internally,” seemingly away from legal systems and public scrutiny. In reality, this means shielding abusers, discrediting victims, and preserving their image at any cost. They lack any genuine capacity to provide psychological support, a credible grievance process, or independent mechanisms to investigate and hold abusers accountable. 

In his statement AFTER the issue blew up on social media, KPL National President minimized the organization's acountability. "We understand that our efforts though have not been sufficient so far and it has led to her disillusionment in the organization itself," Julius Cantiga said. This bland statement obscured the neglect over several months, nay, years, including lack of timely mental health support and failure to relocate the victim from the vicinity of the perpetrator, which allowed repeated abuse to occur.  

Equally troubling is the silence of their allied organizations, such as Gabriela, which claims to champion women’s rights. If such abuses are happening within their space, why aren’t they leading the call for justice? They are quick to denounce government efforts to "uphold justice and serve the people," but when oppression comes from within, they remain silent.  

This selective outrage undermines what they claim to stand for. If they cannot address violence and abuse among their own ranks, how can they credibly speak for victims elsewhere?  

Kabatan Partylist, Gabriela, and the other so-called national democratic organizations—these groups are rotting from the inside. They present themselves as beacons of justice while shielding perpetrators and invalidating survivors. They speak of empowerment, yet expect women to ignore their trauma for the sake of political work.  

A movement that cannot keep its own members safe is not a safe space at all. An organization that puts its reputation above justice is not progressive; it is oppressive in its simplest form. A leadership that silences survivors through manipulation and pressure is regressive and cowardly. 

And this is the crux of the matter: the wishy-washy response of Kabataan's leadership—and the silence of the rest of the NatDem groups—isn't just a way to downplay the stench of sexual assault and abuse within their ranks. It is an attempt to escape accountability. 

In desperately saving face, they unmask themselves as both protectors of perpetrators and promoters of "individualist decadence and consumerism" they so loudly claim to abhor. Accountability, to borrow their oft-repeated demand. But until there is none, no placards, no protests, and no congressional seats can wash away the filth on their hands.