MANILA -- The incumbent representative in Congress of Kabataan partylist on Monday appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to junk the disqualification petition filed against them by the government's anti-communist insurgency task force.

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Earlier this year, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) asked Comelec to cancel the registration of Kabataan, accusing it of being a front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

The Office of the Solicitor General, led by Jose Calida, stood as NTF-ELCAC's counsel.

"Panawagan po namin sa Comelec na ibasura ang gawa-gawang kaso na ito. Naniniwala kami na titindigan ng commissioners ang prinsipyo ng malinis at tapat na eleksyon," Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago said in a press conference.

Elago maintained that the case was nothing but harassment.

"Isa ito sa mga pinakamalaking banta sa pormal, direktang politikal na partisipasyon ng mga kabataang Pilipino dahil kung hindi ibabasura ng Comelec ang ikinaso ng NTF-ELCAC, hindi na makakasama at makakatakbo ang Kabataan partylist sa 2022 elections," Elago said.

Elago defended Kabataan's track record.

"Ang Kabataan partylist ang kauna-unahan, natatangi at tunay na representante ng kabataan sa Kongreso," she said.

Aside from Kabataan, NTF-ELCAC also has a similar disqualification case against the Gabriela partylist.

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