20110607 En

8/6/2019 20110607 En

1/9

This issues

highlights...

Uphold JASIG, free

the consultants

PAGE 3

AFP fails in Comval

and Davao Oriental

PAGE 4

Antimining struggles

in Cagayan Valley

PAGE 7

Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng PilipinasPinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG

English EditionVol. XLII No. 11

June 7, 2011www.philippinerevolution.org

More than ever, it is imperative that millions

upon millions of youth be mobilized to takeaction in solidarity with the entire Filipino

people.

The ever worsening crisis, exploitation andpoverty are matched only by the people's burningdesire to put an end to the ruling semicolonial andsemifeudal system. Massive unemployment, the

workers and employees' meager wages and inabilityto cope with the rapidly rising prices of food, oil andother main commodities,and the growing cost of

education, health careand housing are increas-ingly harder to bear.

The living conditionsof ordinary folk are mademore miserable with theAquino regime's stubborn

adherence to policies andprograms dictated by theimperialists led by the US.These policies further lay

bare the economy for for-eign monopoly capital toexploit the toiling masses'

cheap labor, extract the

country's natural resour-ces and amass superprof-its. They allow landlords

to intensify their ex-ploitation of the peasantsand farm workers and cor-ruption to pervade the

reactionary state bureau-cracy.

The state responds to

the masses' grievanceswith ever worsening

repression. It mouths theslogan of "peace" but

relentlessly launches a

Millions of youth are neededin the people's democratic revolution

bloody military campaign that aims to defeat the

people's mass struggles and their armed resistance.The US-Aquino regime is opposed to resolving theraging civil war in the country through peaceful

means.In the face of all this, the people have nothing

to fall back on but their organized strength and theirrevolutionary action. On this also rests the Filipino

youth's hope for a better future. One of the key fac-tor in the decisive advance of the people's revolu-

Editorial

8/6/2019 20110607 En

2/9

Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee

of the Communist Party of the Philippines

Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino,

Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and

English editions.

It is available for downloading at

the Philippine Revolution Web Central

located at:

www.philippinerevolution.org.

Ang Bayan welcomes contributions

in the form of articles and news.

Readers are likewise enjoined to send

in their comments and suggestions for

the betterment of our publication. You

can reach us by email at:

[email protected]

Vol. XLII No. 11 June 7, 2011

Contents

Editorial: Millions of youth needed in

the revolution 1

Uphold the JASIG 3

Forum on CASER 3

AFP fails in Comval at Davao 4

COPD, pummeled 4

Unabated repression 5

Free Ericson Acosta 5

Farmers in Samar 6

Antimining struggles 7

News 8

ANG

2 June 7, 2011 ANG BAYAN

tionary struggle is the presence ofa politically conscious, organizedand mobilizable mass of Filipino

youth.It is the

duty of theentire Party

to advance

the revolu-t i o n a r yy o u t h - s t u -

dent movementin order toarouse and en-

courage the Fil-ipino youth totread the path ofnational-democratic

revolution. The youth's

important role in waging revolu-tion cannot be underestimated.

They are open-minded and readyto accept new and revolutionaryideas and methods. They arevibrant in taking action and daring

in struggle. They courageouslywage revolution and have anardent desire to carve a brighterfuture.

We must raise the conscious-ness of millions upon millions of

youth and fire up their desire toserve the people and join them inmaking history. Varied and appro-priate forms of propaganda andeducation must be undertaken in

order to reach out to the youthwithin and outside schools, facto-ries and communities. Concreteanalyses of their concrete condi-

tions must be undertaken. The rev-olutionary youth movement mustzero in on the problems of student,

worker, peasant, urban poor andprofessional youth. Only then canthe correct calls be formulated and

only then can progressive and rev-olutionary organizations take deeproot among the youth.

To reach millions of youth,

we must become adept

at using allforms ofpropaganda.

We shouldavail of tradi-tional meth-

ods such asspeeches, news-papers, leaflets,political graffi-

ti, posters,

songs, poetry, street theater andother cultural presentations. We

must also use modern methods likeemail, websites, blogs, social net-working, video, texting and thelike. We must combine all this to

rapidly propagate revolutionaryideas, stir the sensibilities andraise the consciousness of theFilipino youth and the Filipino

people.The youth we are able to reach

and mobilize must be solidlyorganized in their numbers. It isthe basic duty of every member torecruit new members. Membersmust be recruited from the ranks

of the youth, wherever they maybe. The recruitment process mustbe made simple, systematic andquick. Meetings can be conducted

to call for recruits, accept applica-tions and swear in new members.Cadres must be assigned to see to

recruitment and education. Newrecruits must be given tasks basedon their personal capacities and

the organization's duties.Rallies and other forms of col-

lective action must be launched inorder to address issues and air the

youth and the people's stand and

grievances. The youth and thepeople in general must grasp thefact that only through collective

action can their democratic inter-ests be advanced. Hundreds ofthousands of youth must be mobi-

lized in mass actions nationwide.As history has shown, not only willthis facilitate the rapid expansionof the youth's organized strength.

It can result in significant changes

such as the ouster of despotic andcorrupt regimes.

The revolutionary youth-stu-dent movement must developexpertise in mobilizing both fellowyouth and the people. Everyone

within their organizations must bemobilized to reach out to andmobilize the greater number ofunorganized youth or those under

other organizations or institu-tions. They must excel in united

front tactics in order to be able toreach out to and mobilize the mil-lions who are not yet within theambit of national-democratic massorganizations.

As the youth's mass actionsand struggles grow in strength,progressive and national-demo-cratic mass organizations can rap-

idly expand their ranks and en-hance their influence. For theParty, these organizations must

serve as wellsprings of cadres andmembers for various types of revo-lutionary formations and tasks.The most active elements must be

recruited into the KabataangMakabayan.

The youth must be encouragedto join en masse the New People's

Army and armed struggle as well asmass struggles in the countryside.The participation of tens of thou-

sands of revolutionary youth in thearmed struggle will be a major fac-tor in the advance of people's warto a new and higher level. The

Party must recruit thousands ofmembers and cadres from amongthe youth in order to continue ful-filling its tasks in leading the rev-

olution with utmost vigor. ~

8/6/2019 20110607 En

3/9

3ANG BAYAN June 7, 2011

Implement JASIG,free the consultantsNDFP

F

ormal peace negotiations are not likely to take place if theGovernment of the Philippines (GPH) continues to refuse comply-

ing with its agreement with the National Democratic Front of thePhilippines (NDFP) in January to free detained NDFP consultants. NDFPNegotiating Panel chair Comrade Luis Jalandoni aired this warning in hisJune 2 letter to Atty. Alex Padilla who chairs the GPH Negotiating Panel.

center in Camp Crame, QuezonCity. Instead, authorities have

threatened to transfer him toCamp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Aside from Jazmines, NDFPSouthern Tagalog consultant Tirso

Alcantara is also detained and hasbeen handcuffed to his bed since

his arrest in January. It wasAlcantara who signed theInternational Committee of theRed Cross document when the NPAreleased Maj. Noel Buan of the

Philippine Army in April 2001.Alcantara is protected by theJASIG.

The NDFP said that the Aquinoregime's failure to fulfill its pledgeto immediately release political

prisoners poses a serious obstacleto the peace talks. Discussions onsocio-economic reforms as well ason political and constitutionalreforms have been set for June.

The NDFP demanded concretemeasures from the GPH to imple-ment the commitments it made

during formal talks held lastFebruary 15-21. There are current-ly more than 340 political prison-ers awaiting concrete action from

the GPH in compliance with theComprehensive Agreement onRespect for Human Rights andInternational Humanitarian Law

(CARHRIHL). ~

A

forum on the Comprehensive Agreement onSocio-Economic Reforms (CASER) was held

at St. Scholastica's College in Manila on May13. The activity was sponsored by Pilgrims forPeace, an organization advancing just and lasting

peace.Three hunded representatives of various sectors

attended the forum to listen to the programs thatwould be included in the CASER. The speakers were

National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)representative Rafael Baylosis and Government ofthe Philippines (GPH) representative EdnarDayanghirang.

Pilgrims for Peace convenor Fr. Rex Reyes saidthe CASER's objective is to draft a comprehensvesocio-economic plan for genuine agrarian reform

and national industrialization. He added that whenthis is achieved, and with the people's direct par-ticipation, we can attain the peace we all desire, .

The NDFP and GPH representatives presented

two divergent views on the raging armed conflct in

the country. Dayanghirang said that one of the rea-sons for the civil war is the worsening environmen-

tal crisis. On the other hand, Baylos said it wasworsening poverty and the uneven development ofagriculture and industry that are behind the armed

conflict.Juliet de Lima will be heading the NDFP

Reciprocal Working Committee on the CASER. Shewill be working with Baylosis and Randall Echanis.

Dayanghirang will be heading the GPH's reciprocalcommittee whose members are Prof. FernandoAldaba and Fr. Robert Alejo. The CASER draft isexpected to be finished by September 2011. ~

Forum on CASER

The GPH pledged in its jointcommuniqu with the NDFP dated

January 18 that it would expeditethe release of detained NDFP con-sultants and other personalitiescovered by the Joint Agreement on

Safety and Immunity Guarantees(JASIG). Before the end of May,

both Padilla and Presidential PeaceAdviser Teresita Quintos-Delesurged Comrade Fidel Agcaoili,NDFP Negotiating Panel vice chair

to postpone his return to Utrecht,

The Netherlands as BenignoAquino III would allegedlyannounce the release of political

detainees on June 1. The datepassed without any of the 17detained NDFP consultants being

released.Among the imprisoned NDFP

consultants is Alan Jazmines, amember of the NDFP Reciprocal

Working Committee on Social andEconomic Reforms (RWC-SER).

Jazmines who was illegally arrest-ed on February 14 will be unable

to fulfill his crucial role in theRWC-SER because he continues tolanguish at the police detention

8/6/2019 20110607 En

4/9

4

VICTORIOUS TACTICAL OFFENSIVES

June 7, 2011 ANG BAYAN

military operations" and "specialoperations" as cover, the 10th IDhas been ruthlessly attacking thetowns of Maragusan, Compostela,

Monkayo, Montevista, Maco,Mawab, Pantukan and Laak inCompostela Valley; Cateel,Boston, Manay and Tarragona in

Davao Oriental; and Trento inAgusan del Sur.

The latest encouner with the

Second Scout Ranger Battalion isthe third since the massive militaryoperation was launched. After aweek, five soldiers from the 66th

IB were killed in an ambush inSitio Kahayag, Barangay Andili,

Mawab on May 27.That same day, three soldiers of

the 67th IB were killed and sixwere wounded in another ambushin Sitio Junction, Barangay

Cabasagan, Boston. Farmers in thearea say that two Scout Rangerofficers were among those killed inthis gunbattle, based on accounts

from the soldiers themselves. ~

AFP operation fails in ComValand Davao Oriental

Aunit of the Conrado Heredia Command under the New People'sArmy Merardo Arce Command (MAC-NPA) in Southern MindanaoRegion successfully fought it out with and thwarted a platoon

from the Second Scout Ranger Battalion of the First Scout Ranger

Regiment (FSRR) that attacked a temporary NPA encampment in SitioKarampil, Barangay Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental on May 29.

Contrary to claims made by10th ID spokesperson Lt. Col.

Lyndon Paniza that the militarymerely sustained three wounded,MAC-NPA spokesperson Comrade

Rigoberto Sanchez reported thatthe Philippine Army's elite unitsuffered 11 casualtes (eight deadand three wounded). The NPA losttwo Red fighters and suffered

four wounded, three of them inserious condition.

The wounded Red fighters were

treated at a medical station withina guerrilla base. One of the wound-

ed fighters remains within the basebecause NPA medics are capable of

treating him.The incident was spurred by

successive losses by units of the

10th ID, including the SecondScout Ranger Battalion. On thewhole, the 10th ID has suffered 25casualties16 dead and ninewounded.

Since May 22, several battal-ions of soldiers have been scour-ing at least 13 towns in

Compostela Valley, Davao Orientaland Agusan del Sur. Using "civil-

COPD troops pummeled in Agusan del Norte

Two soldiers were killed and four were wounded in

a series of tactical offensives in May by guerrillasunder the New People's Army Pulang DiwataCommand in the mountainous areas of Agusan del

Norte. There were no casualties on the NPA side.May 25. A soldier of the 30th IB was wounded

when a group of Red fighers harassed them inBarangay Bangayan, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.

May 24. A team of guerrillas from Front 16

harassed a group of soldiers from the 30th IBalong Gate 1 of Barangay Banayan,

Kitcharao, at around 6 a.m. A soldier washit in the leg.

At around 4 p.m. of the same day,another soldier from the same unit was

killed by an NPA sniper.May 20. An NPA unit from Front

21 ambushed an enemy columnconductng Community Organizing

for Peace and Development (COPD), the newmonicker for RSOT operations under OplanBayanihan. The ambush was launched at around 10

p.m. in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Anticala, ButuanCity, killing a soldier and wounding two others,including an officer of the 23rd IB.

Around eight platoons (or an equivalent of three

to four companies) maintain a continued presence indifferent villages of Butuan City and the towns ofCabadbaran, Santiago, Tubay and Kitcharao.

A similar military operation launched in Surigao

del Norte from October 2010 to January 2011 failed

in its objective of bringing the revolutionary forcesand masses in the area to their knees. The COPDoperations in Agusan del Norte will suffer the same

fate.Meanwhile, a CAFGU element was killed when a

team from the Saulo LumadaoFrnt of the Agustn Begnalen

Command sniped the

CAFGU/77th IB detachment inSallapadan town in Abra at

5:15 a.m. The snipers posi-tioned themselves some 250meters from the detach-ment. The platoon of sol-

diers and CAFGU elementswithin the detachment pan-icked and aimlessly firedtheir rifles before scamper-

ing for safety. The NPA teamsafely withdrew at around 5:30 a.m.

The detachment is located beside the public ele-

mentary school of Barangay Sallapadan Barrio. TheParents-Teachers' Association had long been com-plaining about the detachment because of the dan-gers it poses to the pupils and the frequent rowdy

behavior of the soldiers and paramilitary forces. TheNPA purposely conducted the sniping operaionbefore the start of classes this June to avoid hittingany pupils and teachers. ~

8/6/2019 20110607 En

5/9


FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE

release, they were once morecharged, this time with killing a

CAFGU element in Rizal. The casewas also dismissed.

The latest murder cases which

were filed in May are the third setof trumped-up charges slappedagainst the ST 72.

In a related development,BAYAN-Laguna secretary-general

Darwin Liwag and two otheractivists remain in jail after beingfalsely charged with murder.

Firearms and grenades were plant-ed on their person during theirarrest in Lumban, Laguna inSeptember 2010.

There are now 54 politicaldetainees in Southern Tagalog.Eleven activists have also beensummarily executed in the region

under the Aquino regime.May 27. At around 4:30 a.m., a

platoon under the 54th IB led by

Lt. Roland Caringan forced its wayinto the home of 80-year old PabloNaogsan in Barangay Butigue,Paracelis, Mountain Province.

Naogsan is the father of CordilleraPeoples Democratic Front (CPDF)spokesperson Simon "Ka Filiw"

June 1. Seventy-two activistsand mass leaders from Southern

Tagalog faced another round ofharassment when they received acourt summons from the ProvincialProsecutor's Office in San Pablo

City to respond to newly filed mur-der and frustrated murder charges.

Among those who were ordered toappear in court was Rogelio Galit,

former spokesperson of theKalipunan ng mga Magsasaka saKabite, who had been dead for a

year due to complications from dia-betes.

The "ST 72" as they have cometo be called were first slapped with

trumped-up charges in 2007 inconnection with an ambush by theNew People's Army (NPA) in PuertoGalera, Oriental Mindoro in March

2006. Although Galit had longbeen bedridden then and could nothave done what he was being

accused of, he was still arrested bythe police. Six others, includin

KMU lawyer Atty. Remigio Saladerowere also arrested. They werereleased in February 2009 when thecourt dismissed the case.

Barely a week after their

Repression goes on unabatedunder Oplan Bayanihan

Four cases of abuse by the military and other state agents werereported toAng Bayan from May to the first week of June.

Family, friends and other personalities fromartistic and literary circles called for therelease of Ericson Acosta, a freelance journal-

ist documenting the state of human rights in Samar.

Acosta was arrested on February 13 in BarangayBay-ang, San Jorge, Samar along withsome leaders of a farmers' organization.

A grenade was planted among hisbelongings to justify filing a case ofillegal posession of firearms againsthim.

The Free Ericson Acosta Campaign

was launched in April to support effortsto secure Acosta's release. He is cur-rently detained at the Calbayog Sub-

provincial Jail. Before he was presentedto the public, Acosta was severely tor-tured and almost summarily executed by

the military.Acosta was a writer at the Philippine

Collegian, the student paper at the University of thePhilippines in Diliman. He was one of the editors ofthe Literary Folio of the Philippine Collegian, whichthey managed to put together in 1994, decades

after it was last published. Acosta is not just awriter. He is also a poet, a talentedactor and composer of original music.

To support the campaign, panelistsand delegates to the 50th UP NationalWriters' Workshop condemned Acosta'scontinued illegal detention. They draft-

ed the statement in Baguio City where

the writers' workshop was conducted.Among those who signed the statementwere National Artist Bienvenido

Lumbera, Jose Dalisay Jr., Jun CruzReyes, Gemino Abad, J. Neil Garcia,Charlson Ong, Rolando Tolentino,

Romulo Baquiran, Jr., and CristinaPantoja-Hidalgo. ~

Artists and writers demand releaseof Ericson Acosta

Repression..., more on page 6

8/6/2019 20110607 En

6/9

FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE


Naogsan.

The CPDF strongly condemnedthe miltary's harassment of the eld-erly Naogsan. The soldiers brokedown the door, roused the old man

who was then alone and ransackedhis house. He was accused ofreceiving NPA guerrillas into hishome and threatened with reprisal

should he refuse to stop.The military left only

after Naogsan's neighbors

started milling around tofind out what was goingon. Naogsan filed a formal

complaint against the sol-diers with the barangay.

May 26. Some 40policemen violently de-molished seven houses in a

fishing community inPoblacion, Gitagum, Misa-mis Oriental. There were

blood stains all over thearea as the police attackedresidents who defended theirhomes. The police arrested Joel

Saplot, who chairs the Kasamahanng Mangingisda sa PoblacionGitagum at Operators (KASAMAPO)

along with an entire family con-sisting of Fernando Oraiz Sr.,Fernando Oraiz Jr., Juanie Oraizand Adoracion Oraiz. They are cur-

rently detained at the PNP stationin Gitagum. The residents wereserved with a notice of eviction on

May 5, allegedly because theirhouses had been built on pri-

vate property. But the resi-dents led by

K A S A M A P Ostood theirground and

fought tod e f e n dt h e i rh o m e s

and liveli-hoods.

May 24.

At 4 a.m., a

company ofsoldiers under the 86th IB raidedthe house of Delfin Uschongsan, a

resident of Barangay Kiling,

Alfonso Lista, Ifugao. The soldiersransacked the house and tookUschongsan and his two nephews

to the Pakak CAA/PNP/PADetachment in the same barangay.They were accused of being NPAmembers. Even Uschongsan's

neighbors who were merely watch-ing the events out of curiosity wereaccused of being NPA sympathiz-

ers.When the police chief of

Alfonso Lista refused to charge thethree victims for lack of evidence,

the soldiers threatened Uschong-san and his nephews of continueddetention if they filed counter-

charges against the military. Theywere released only on May 25 afterthey promised not to talk aboutthe abuse they endured in the

hands of the soldiers.Cases of AFP brutality form part

of the long-term militarization ofeastern Mountain Province and

Ifugao. They belie the military'sclaims of winning the peace andrespecting human rights under

Oplan Bayanihan. ~

5 farmers languishing in Catbalogan jail

Five farmers have been detained for years at heCatbalogan City Jail on charges of being mem-bers of the New People's Army (NPA). The vic-

tims are Noel Galvez, Simon Gabijan, Jesus

Bacnotan and Loreto and Beatriz Gabuay. Four ofthem are facing criminal charges stemming from

their alleged involvement in NPA tactical offen-sives.

Forty-two year old Galvez, a farmer fromCalbiga, Samar was arrested in August 2010 whileaccompanying fellow villagers to register at the

COMELEC office. The military has implicated him inan NPA raid in Binanggaran, Calbiga in December2009. Galvez was working in his farm at the time ofthe raid.

Forty-eight year old Gabijan, a farmer fromBarangay Lipata, Paranas, Samar was fishing withhis family when the NPA raided the police station in

Motiong, Samar. When the military implicated him,he went to the police to clear his name and eventalked to the judge who was handling the case. Hewas advised to hire a lawyer so he could have the

arrest warrant against him revoked. But since hecould not afford a lawyer, he decided to try his luck

in Metro Manila and returned to Samar only in June2004. He was arrested upon his return, this time foralleged involvement in an NPA raid in San Jose deBuan town in March 2004.

Sixty-four year old Bacnotan was abducted bythe military in November 2008 from his home in

Barangay Lipata. He was brought to various militarycamps and interrogated for three days. The military

later transferred him to the custody of the policeand charged him with rebellion, murder, frustratedmurder and robbery in connection with the NPA raid

in Motiong.Sixty-three year old Gabuay, a farmer from

Barangay Salay, Paranas was arrested by elementsof the 34th IB in September 2008. Fearing that he

would be summarily executed, his wife Beatrizinsisted on accompanying him. They were bothdetained, with Beatriz being released ten months

later. In 2010, soldiers returned to Barangay Salayto arrest Beatriz. She later found out that therewere no outstanding warrants for her arrest.Nonetheless, she has chosen to stay with her hus-

band in jail because of fears that the military wouldcome back for her if she returns to their village. ~

Repression..., from page 5

8/6/2019 20110607 En

7/9

Antimining strugglesspreading in Cagayan Valley

A

ntimining struggles are spreading like wildfire in entire landhold-ings, coastal and upland areas in Cagayan Valley. From the town

of Gonzaga, where the mass struggles began in 2007, they havespread to the towns of Buguey, Sta. Teresita, Dugo, Lallo, Sta. Ana,Camalaniugan, Aparri and other nearby municipalities.

National Democratic Front-

Cagayan Valley (NDF-CV)spokesperson Salvador del Pueblosaid more than 13,843 hectares of

land and coastal areas are beingseized and destroyed by foreigncorporations in the extraction ofmagnetite, manganese and other

minerals. The most prominentamong these companies is LianXing Philippines Stone CarvingCorporation in Barangay Batangan,

Gonzaga which conducts mag-netite sand mining.

The expansion of mining oper-

ations has resulted in the evictionof poor peasants and fisherfolkand the destruction of their landand natural resources from which

they derive their livelihood. Half

of the land area of BarangayBisagu in West Aparri has sunk.The shorelines in the villages of

Lallo and Camalaniugan have beeneroded due to the loss of mag-netite which protects rivers and

coastal areas from erosion.The people are angered no end

at the tons of mineral ore that isbeing exported directly to Taiwan

and other countries, leaving pot-holes in the soil and ruined riversand shores. This clearly consti-

tutes plunder of the people's natu-

ral wealth at the cost of thedestruction of the country'sresources and the people's lives

and livelihoods.But the foreign capitalists and

their cohorts among the localbureaucrats could not care less,

Gonzaga mayor Carlito PentecostesJr. said the people have nothing tocomplain about since the miningactivties are all covered by govern-

ment permits. Pentecostes' groupis the main advocate of imperialistcorporations and the exploiting

classes of Gonzaga. They are alsoprotected by the Enrile dynasty(Rep. Jackie Enrile and his fatherSenate President Juan Ponce

Enrile) which has long been lord-

ing it over Cagayan province andwhich has the blessings ofBenigno Aquino III's regime.

Pentecostes has stepped upthe militarization of Gonzaga inorder to perpetuate the mining

projects. Pentecostes himselfmauled a peasant leader to stopthe farmers from launching theirprotest action last April 30. To

defend the "legality" of the miningoperaions, troops from the SpecialOperations Team-Bayanihan-17th

IB of the Philippine Army and theRegional Mobile Group (RMG) ofthe Philippine National Police have

been deployed to six of Gonzaga's25 barangays. This is on top ofthree military camps in the area.More than 30,000 people are being

victimized because of their oppo-

sition to the sinister scheme ofimperialists, big comprador capi-talists and landlords.

Akbayan and other co-con-

spirators in plunder. Counterrev-olutionary groups that pose as

propeople and antimining are co-conspirators of the ruling classes.Among them are Akbayan, AlyansaTigil Mina and PADER. These

organizations have been poisoning

the people's minds, peddling theerroneous idea that mining could

be stopped by supplicating thegovernment which benefits fromsuch exploitation.

The NDF-CV spokesperson said

that these groups pretend tooppose illegal mining in order tocover up the glaring fact that thebiggest culprit in grabbing the

lands of the peasants and destroy-ing the environment is no other

than the government. Thesegroups are merely riding on theissue of mining and the destruc-tion of the Cagayan River toextract funds from international

funding agancies and other groupsthat pretend to be environmentaladvocates. Their goal is to derailthe masses from the path of mili-

tant struggle.The NDF-CV clarified that the

solution to the problems faced by

the Gonzageos and the entirepeople of Cagayan Valleydoes not lie in supplica-tion, dialogues or leaving

things to fate. It is butright for the toiling mass-es to give their all in join-ing in and contributing to

the advance of people'swar. As Red politicalpower develops, the

implementation of thelaws of the people's dem-ocratic government is fur-ther ensured, among them

the defense of the peo-ple's lives, land and liveli-hood against plunder andseizure by foreigners and

their local minions. ~


8/6/2019 20110607 En

8/9

NEWS

Arms purchases

from the US assailed

VARIOUS progressive organizations

have assailed plans by the Aquinoregime to purchase surplus mili-tary hardware from the US underthe US' Excess Defense Articles

(EDA) program.

The groups led by the BagongAlyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)said that buying military equip-

ment from the US is tied to USinterests in perpetuating theVisiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Purchasing weapons and other mil-

itary equipment from the US isalways tied to US interests, saidBAYAN.

BAYAN cited the fact that USpromises for the last five years tomodernize the Armed Forces of thePhilippines (AFP) in exchange for

maintaining its military bases andentering into an agreement withthe US have come to nothing. The

Aquino regime's plans to buy sur-

plus military equipment from theUS is proof that the Philippines'dependence on the US has not

paid off.

The US' EDA program is a wayof supporting its puppet states sothey could serve the US' interna-

tional politico-military strategy.In particular, the US is able toexpand the scope of its militarypower in the Asia-Pacific by allow-

ing the puppet Aquino regime to

use its obsolete military equip-ment.

In recent years, a number of US

officials had bared plans to leasewar planes to the Philippine pup-pet government as a way of

enhancing US imperialism's mili-tary influence and presence in theregion.

The US has been further step-

ping up its military presence in

the Asia-Pacific in the face of whatit views as threats posed by thegrowing military power of China.

The US and the Aquino regime arecurrently invoking territorial dis-putes over the Spratly Islands

among the Philippines, Vietnamand China to warn against the pos-sibility of armed conflict.


AFP military honors for Marcos opposed

BROAD sections of the Filipino people are opposed to a proposalby Vice Pres, Jejomar Binay to Pres. Benigno Aquino III to allowthe burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos Norte

with full military honors. Such opposition has been expressed notonly by patriotic groups but also by US-based democratic groups.

In a related development, seven progressive congressmenfiled House Resolution No. 1297 opposing plans to bury Marcos at

the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.They said Marcos was a fake hero, as attested to by exposs

by Col. Bonifacio Gillego and United States Army Records statingthat Marcis falsified his "brilliant record" during World War II.

They also said that Marcos who was a dictator and people's enemylike Adolf Hitler of Germany and Anastacio Somoza of Nicaraguadoes not deserve to be honored.

Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and KilusangMagbubukid ng Pilipinas said that Binay's recommendation toAquino sends the wrong message to the Filipino people. It is an

insult to Filipinos who fearlessly fought to overthrow the US-Marcos dictatorship. Among them are the president's father whowas a victim of assassination by the Marcos regime. GrantingMarcos full military honors at the Libingan ng mga Bayani or inIlocos Norte, for that matter, implies that dictatorships should be

honored instead of being condemned by history.In the US, a Filipino-American group has expressd outrage at

Binay's proposal. The US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG)

sent a protest letter to Aquino but has not received a reply.

Progressives demand VFA abrogation

PROGRESSIVE groups demanded the junking of theone-sided and unequal Visiting

Forces Agreement (VFA),

saying that it tramples onPhilippine sovereignty.

The agreement's detri-mental and unequal charac-

ter has been thoroughlyexposed. The VFA was signed on May 27, 1999,

eight years after the US military bases were booted out

of the Philippines. Its aim was to govern the conduct of visit-ing US military forces.

Though the VFA, the US government has been able to main-tain the permanent presence of its military troops in the coun-

try. Aside from a neverending series of military exercises, theUS' 700-strong Joint Special Operations Task-Force Philippinesis permanently stationed at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City

and is involved in counterinsurgency operations. There arereported sightings of US military troops during AFP militarycampaigns against NPA and MILF forces. Their activities arebeing undertaken under the pretext of "counter-terrorism cam-

paigns".The VFA also favors American troops who violate the coun-

try's laws. This is a brazen affront to Philippine sovereignty andis unprecedented in its detrimental effects on the Filipino peo-

ple. In addition, the country becomes a target of attack for the

US' enemies. Despite such criticisms against the VFA, theAquino regime does not plan to junk or review it.

8/6/2019 20110607 En

9/9

Growing protest actions in Spain

THOUSANDS of people launched protest actions for more than a weekin 162 towns and cities in Spain from May 15 to 23 to assal theZapatero government's failure to resolve the economic crisis and wide-

spread unemployment. They condemned the government's austeritymeasures which have worsened the people's suffering.Despite a law banning protest actions on the eve of an election,

30,000 rallyists camped out at Puerta del Sol, Madrid's main square.

The youth led the protest action which they dubbed the "May 15Movement." They likewise called themselves "Los Indgnados" or the"Indignant Ones." They organized themselves through tweeter over the

internet and other social media. Only about 150 people began rallyingat the Puerto de Asul. An attempt by the police to disperse them lastMay 15 had the opposite effect of spurring an increase in the numberof people right after such repression was exposed to the public.

To sustain the protest, a vast tent city was put up by the protest-

ers within the camp, complete with a kitchen, a placard "factory," adaycare, nursery and communications office that responded to ques-

tions from the media. Most of the rallyists spent the night at the tentcity.

Spain has the hihest unemployment rate (21.3%) among theEurozone countries. It is included among the so-called PIGS (Portugal,

Ireland, Greece and Spain), countries whose economies are in the dol-drums and are in need of bailouts from big banks and financial insti-tutions like the IMF.

The Zapatero government has been enforcing one of the most bru-

tal austerity programs in all of Europe and which has earned it thepeople's intense loathing.

In a related development, rallies were also held in other countries

in solidarity with Spain, The biggest rallies were held in Paris, France;Rome in Italy; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

TRB stops Aquino relativefrom collecting toll

at SCTEx

THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB)has ordered Benigno Aquino III'sfamily to stop collecting toll feesfrom motorists passing along themore than seven-kilometer

Subic-Clark Expressway (SCTEx).The TRB issued the "cease anddesist order" on June 2 toHacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI), Jose

Cojuangco & Sons Inc. (JCSI) andBrown International CorporateServices Inc. (BICSI), corpora-

tions listed on the receiptsissued to motorists stamped withthe term "Passthru."

The TRB order came in the

wake of strong opposition fromfarmers led by the KilusangMagbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)

and motorists using the stretchof road located within HaciendaLuisita in Tarlac, which is ownedby the Cojuangco-Aquino family.

The road connects to the SCTExand the Manila North Road (bet-ter known as MacArthurHighway).

The KMP called on the TRB toorder HLI, JCSI and BICSI toreturn the money collected from

motorists or to create a trustfund for the farmers. In an inter-view, Aquino's uncle Jose"Peping" Cojuangco Jr. admitted

that BICSI is the company

assigned to collect fees frompassing motorists. He failed toexplain how such a foreign com-

pany had managed to enter thescene.

The KMP estimates that from

May 17 to June 2, the Cojuangco-Aquino family had already col-lected `2.7 million frommotorists. Cars and jeeps pay

`20 each while vans and smalldelivery trucks pay `50. On theother hand, buses, trucks andother big vehicles pay `100each.

9

NEWS

June 7, 2011 ANG BAYAN

Obama extends US Patriot Act

US Pres. Barack Obama was beside himself in signing a law that he had

long been pushinga four-year extension to three provisions of theUS Patriot Act. This is despite opposition from within Congress and

civil rights advocates. He signed the law through an autopen machineminutes before it expired on May 27, while he was in France attend-ing a G8 meeting.

The extended provisions allow the US government to procure secretcourt orders to subject anything to surveillance, among them tele-

phone conversations, exchanges over the inernet and business recordsthat it believes are important in investigating terrorism; use unlimit-ed "roving" wiretaps to surveil any telephone number, email accountor other communications facility that it believes is being used by its

target; and use "lone wolf" wiretapping which allows government tosurveil any individual who is not connected to a foreign power or ter-rorist group.

The US Patriot Act was approved after the attacks on the TwinTowers in New York on September 11, 2001. Since its enactment, therehave been numerous violations of the rights of ordinary Americans.

Documents

20110607 En