Kabataan Party-list expels member over sexual misconduct

June 7, 2025 , 08:55 PM

By Gabriel Kim Leal

(June 7, 2025) – Kabataan Party-list on Saturday confirmed it has expelled one of its members over an alleged case of sexual misconduct.

Earlier this week, a social media user posted a series of statements on Facebook, accusing a Kabataan member of sexually abusing her on three separate occasions.

In a statement, Kabataan said it had been aware of the incidents since April and conducted an internal investigation. The group also vowed to take accountability and improve its internal systems for handling gender-based violence.

“The said individual has been expelled from the organization effective immediately,” wrote Kabataan in a statement posted on Facebook. “Kabataan provided psychosocial support via mental health consultations and other emotional and organizational support such as having constant buddies to the complainant throughout the process.”

The party-list did not name the individuals involved, saying doing so would violate data privacy, compromise the integrity of its processes, and go against the best interests of the survivor.

Kabataan also addressed criticism over the timeline of its response, saying it began a “survivor-centered process” as early as mid-April 2025. This, it noted, included placing the accused under preventive suspension and barring them from all activities and organizational spaces.

The group admitted there were lapses in how the case was handled, saying the process “could have been delivered faster” and apologizing for its shortcomings.

“We are not a court of law. Our mandate lies in holding our members to the highest standards of political conduct and collective discipline. While we cannot pronounce guilt or label any act as a crime, we can determine sufficient cause,” added Kabataan.

Kabataan Partylist, which represents the youth sector, currently holds one seat in the 20th Congress.

Its first nominee, Atty. Renee Co, serves as its representative.

(AGD)

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