September 7, 2010

Home , Manila hostage crisis

Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo English Edition Vol. XLI No. 17 September 7, 2010 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial The US-Aquino regime's rottenness is rapidly unfolding enigno Aquino III is rapidly shedding his mask of Commerce has been prodding the puppet regime to as an agent of “change” and “clean govern- further liberalize the Philippine economy by opening Bment.” This early, there already are striking up sectors reserved only for Filipinos, like the indications of his regime's corrupt, puppet retail trade, telecommunications and real es- and reactionary character, as his fast tate ownership. disappearing popularity increasingly Aquino had early on showed the hollow- fails to blind and deceive. ness of his “I will not steal” and “I am not Hardly had he taken the reins of corrupt” slogans. He received the biggest power when Aquino showed proof of campaign contributions in the history of his puppetry to US imperialism. Like a Philippine elections, but he has yet to mendicant begging for alms and crumbs make a full disclosure. from his master's table, he sent a grovel- He is now paying back such massive ling letter to US Pres. Barack Obama, ask- outpouring of financial support, all to ing him to provide his bankrupt re- the people's detriment. Obsequiously acced- gime with an MCC Millennium Chal- ing to his imperialist overlords, he is obedi- lenge Account. The US acceded, ently implementing orders from the granting the puppet regime $434 International Monetary Fund to million in exchange for more eco- add to the people's tax burden, nomic, military and political conces- hike fees for public services and sions that will further trample on slash subsidies in an attempt to Philippine sovereignty. stave off the government's bank- In another sign of his cringing pup- ruptcy. Plans to raise toll fees on petry, Aquino has been pushing his Pri- expressways were put on reprieve vate-Public Partnership scheme only through the people's strong which has obviously been protests and timely ac- molded in the imperialist tions. But the regime globalization framework remains deadset on and its attendant poli- raising fares at the cies of denationaliza- LRT and MRT despite tion, privatization, dereg- all the brickbats thrown its ulation and liberalization. Still way. Also adding to the people's suffering is a not satisfied, the American Chamber policy to greatly reduce the NFA's palay subsidies

Hostage crisis paints This issue’s picture NPA seizes 37 firearms Writing, guerrilla style highlights... of incompetence PAGE 4 PAGE 7 PAGE 3 to farmers and subsequently pass of genuine land reform in the haci- a policy of government has been on the burden of higher prices to enda, tighten its monopoly control bared anew. Military abuses go on consumers. over the estate and continue earn- unabated, especially in the coun- Aquino's appointment to pow- ing billions through land-use con- tryside. The Morong 43 are still in erful positions of representatives version. He is likewise an instru- detention, and not a single politi- of imperialists and of fellow big ment of the entire landlord class to cal prisoner has been released. compradors and big landlords who maintain their land monopoly. He The Aquino regime is no differ- supported his candidacy is likewise is therefore an instrument in main- ent from its predecessor in its low payback for huge debts of grati- taining the backwardness of the regard for peace negotiations. It tude. With many of these appoint- countryside and keeping the peas- has merely reprised the deceptive ees already having blemished rec- antry oppressed and exploited. and divisive localized peace talks. ords, it did not take long for the Aquino's hypocritical stance of Worse, it has been insisting on an stench to reek. Past anomalies advocating reforms and good gov- immediate ceasefire as a precondi- were soon bared and new acts of ernance as a means of stamping tion for the talks, which consti- corruption exposed in a number of out the people's revolutionary tutes another violation of previous his key officials. Also becoming ev- struggles has all but vanished. He agreements and protocols. ident are the factional conflicts relies mainly on military might to Long before the end of his first within the regime due to infighting suppress the growing revolutionary 100 days in office, the shallow and to advance various economic, fac- movement and people's struggles. symbolic changes Aquino has en- tional ang selfish interests. The His regime has extended Oplan forced, such as his “no sirens” pol- new regime's ranking officials have Bantay Laya (OBL) up to January icy have lost steam in the face of likewise been selling highly placed 31, 2011 while in the process of the new government's gargantuan national and regional positions for framing a new operational plan problems and anti-people tenden- up to millions of pesos. patterned after the US Counterin- cies. To boot, the Aquino regime Aquino was unable to conceal surgency Guide. With OBL's exten- has demonstrated an unprecedent- his class standpoint as a big land- sion automatically comes the ex- ed level of incompetence in its lord in the issue of Hacienda Luisi- tended campaign of targeting open handling of the August 23 Luneta ta. He feigned a hands-off policy mass leaders and activists and sus- hostage crisis. on what he claimed to be an inter- pected supporters of the armed In the face of all this, Aquino nal matter among shareholders. In revolution. Aquino had just taken has taken an even more dependent fact, his presidency is an instru- his seat in Malacañang when seven and supplicating stance with re- ment of his landlord-comprador activists became victims of extraju- spect to the US on which he relies clan to prevent the implementation dicial killing. The use of torture as for deliverance and continued support for his rule. In his US trip this ANG September, Aquino hopes to ar- Contents range for bigger military and economic aid in exchange for more Vol XLI No. 17 September 7, 2010 Editorial basing rights for US military Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, US-Aquino regime’s rottenness 1 troops, intensified intervention Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and Hostage crisis 3 and bigger concessions to enable English editions. NPA seizes 37 firearms 4 US enterprises in the country to It is available for downloading at Debt service above all else 4 rake in even more superprofits. By the Philippine Revolution Web Central NPA to intensify guerrilla offensives 5 located at: then, the Aquino regime will have www.philippinerevolution.org. Writing, guerrilla style 6 been caught completely in the Ang Bayan welcomes contributions Bayan Muna activist shot dead 7 snares of its imperialist master. in the form of articles and news. Oliveros mother and child back at PGH 7 The rottenness, puppetry and Readers are likewise enjoined to send NDF condemns ambush of civilians 8 reactionary character now being in their comments and suggestions for the betterment of our publication. You Sectors denounce OBL extension 9 manifested by the Aquino regime can reach us by email at: Marking Int’l Day of the Disappeared 9 are relentlessly bringing it to ruin [email protected] News 10 and causing its isolation from the people. They pave the way for the Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee further advance of revolution and of the Communist Party of the Philippines people's struggles. ~ 2 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 ated a diplomatic row between the Hostage crisis paints Philippines and China. And the fact that Malacañang failed to put picture of rottenness Aquino in touch with Hong Kong chief administrator Donald Tsang after the latter had waited for and incompetence hours did not help any. he bloody aftermath of the August 23 Manila hostage crisis present- There was deep and widespread ed a revolting picture of the ruling system and the Aquino regime's anger among Hong Kong residents Trottenness and incompetence. Nine people were killed—eight Chi- as they saw how such incompe- nese tourists from Hong Kong and the hostage-taker Sr. Insp. Roland tence led to the deaths of their Mendoza. Twelve other tourists were wounded. countrymen.Tourism has been badly hit after the Chinese government Mendoza was a former police tence to save the hostages for the issued an advisory against travel- officer removed from his post after entire country and the whole world ing to the Philippines. The Chinese an extortion case was filed against to see (and may even have hit or government has also refused to re- him. He took the victims hostage caused the death of some of the ceive a delegation sent by the to demand his reinstatement after victims). Aquino regime for talks pending the case had dragged on for years. The whole world witnessed how the Philippine government's re- The hostage-taking incident chaotic and incompetent Aquino's lease of its report and the meas- brought to the fore the rottenness entire government was in confront- ures it would be taking with regard and incompetence of various ing the crisis and how such bungl- to the hostage crisis. branches of government, including ing and incompetence exacerbated After the incident, officials of the Ombudsman, the Philippine Na- the crisis. Aquino was a no-show the Aquino regime took to finger- tional Police, the Manila city gov- and had no role to play until the pointing, inadvertently underscor- ernment, the Department of the In- crisis ended. His point man during ing the existence of various fac- terior and Local Government the crisis—DILG Secretary Rico Pu- tions within the Aquino govern- (DILG), the Department of Foreign no—admitted that he had no expe- ment. The lack of coordination be- Affairs, the Aquino regime's Com- rience in handling hostage situa- tween the top two officials of the munications Group and even Be- tions or in leading the police. Pu- DILG—Robredo (who is from the nigno Aquino III himself. no, a close friend of Aquino's and a “Balay” group which is controlled For all of 11 hours, the PNP and gun dealer was assigned to super- by the Liberal Party) and Puno the Aquino government committed vise the PNP, a function wrested (who is from the “Samar” group one fiasco after another in dealing from DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. which is controlled by Kamag-anak, with the crisis. The crisis, which The fact that the tourists taken Inc.)—as well as in other agencies could have been resolved sooner hostage were from Hong Kong cre- resulted in the government's cha- (either through effecting the hos- otic response to the crisis. tage-taker's surrender or over- The crisis has bared the rotten powering him) stretched system of appointments and offi- on for hours and culmi- cial accountability and the lack of nated with the police in- responsibility and monitoring by discriminately firing their supervisors, which resulted in the weapons without thought tumultuous handling of the crisis. of securing the safe- All the fancy imagery carefully cul- ty of the hosta- tivated for Aquino during his elect- ges. oral campaign is now The po- rapidly fading, leaving licemen dis- many of those who played their hoped that he utter lack of could be an prepared- agent of change, ness and profoundly disap- compe- pointed. ~ ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 3 VICTORIOUS NPA OFFENSIVES and two police chiefs). On the other hand, a woman Red figher val- NPA seizes 37 firearms, kills iantly sacrificed her life. Contrary to the claims made by 42 enemy soldiers in tactical enemy propagandists, these fire- fights show the rising capabilities offensives of NPA units. In Negros. The NPA carted he New People's Army (NPA) seized at least 37 firearms, including away 23 high-powered firearms a K3 light machine gun in a series of victorious tactical offensives after raiding a detachment of the Tagainst the US-Aquino regime's armed minions from the last half of 12th IB CADRE Battalion's Delta August to the first day of September. Coy in Barangay Bunga, Toboso The enemy also suffered 42 dead and 16 wounded, including three town in Negros Occidental in the high-ranking military and police officers (a Philippine Army lieutenant afternoon of August 28. The arms

`21.7 billion for financial support Debt service above all else for progams under the private-public partnership scheme. But with- roviding social services is not among the Aquino regime's priorities, out any itemizations, this fund is contrary to what it may claim. In Benigno Aquino III's proposed vulnerable to corruption. Pbudget for 2011, he allots the biggest chunk to debt service, just The education budget has been as what previous regimes did. boosted, mainly to finance the The proposed `1.645 trillion to `38.6 billion). To obscure this construction of long-needed new national budget sets aside `357.1 fact, Aquino has been bragging classrooms and hiring new teach- billion or 22% for interest pay- about raising the budget for the ers. Basic education will receive ments alone. This is higher by vaccination program and facilities `206.3 billion compared to `172.9 `80.9 billion (or almost 30%) com- for neonates. billion this year. But this still falls pared to last year's allotment. Aquino has likewise been short by almost `100 billion to ad- There is also a proposal to raise boasting that his regme will be al- dress all the problems currently be- the AFP budget by 18% and hike lotting `1.5 billion for potable wa- ing faced by the education system. the Priority Development Assist- ter systems in impoverished com- Worse, this comes at the cost of a ance Fund, otherwise known as the munities. In fact, the regime has budget slash for public colleges pork barrel, from`10.9 billion this reduced the budget for water re- and universities. For instance, the year to `24.8 billion in 2011. sources development and flood University of the Philippines will Not content with the previous control by `4 billion or 22%. Aqui- only be receiving `5.5 billion com- `800 billion “contingency fund,” no's mendacity and deceipt show pared to this year's `6.9 billion, a Aquino has raised it to a whopping through the way he has been issu- reduction of 26%. `1 billion. The fund, which is un- ing press releases that focus only Next year's national budget is der his direct control now consti- on selected details. said to be only slightly bigger than tutes the biggest pork barrel. He The Aquino regime obviously that of this year. The Department has also maintained the questiona- tends to rely on the private sector of Budget and Management has an- ble `500 million “intelligence to build infrastructure badly need- nounced a freeze in the construc- fund” of the Presidential Anti-Or- ed by the people. It has reduced tion of new infrastructure and the ganized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) the budget for agriculture and hiring of new employees. Govern- even if this agency is no longer un- agrarian reform by `23.1 billion or ment employees cannot hope for der Malacañang's direct supervi- 26%. It has likewise slashed the any upward adjustment in their sion. budget for electricity and energy wages and salaries. Neither can On the other hand, the budget by `3.4 billion or 65% and for casual and contractual employees for health services will be reduced roads and transportation by `7.9 in the various government agencies by 3.5% (from `40 billion this year billion or 5%. Aquino has inserted hope to attain permanent status. ~

4 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 seizure consisted of at least 11 Ga- logging and mining companies. The enemy could not conceal rand rifles, eight M14s and two A platoon under the 28th IB its casualties and admitted to suf- M16s, aside from ammunition, uni- scoured the interior areas of Bos- fering two dead (a Philippine Army forms and combat boots. ton but were dealt blows by the soldier and a CAFGU element) and The detachment troops had NPA. Red fighters ambushed the two wounded who were being just finished conducting opera- enemy troops in Barangay Sumilao treated in a hospital. tions when Red fighters under the at around 3 a.m. on August 27. The Military operations have been Roselyn “Ka Jean” Pelle Command AFP suffered ten killed and five pummeling Paquibato for two of the NPA in the Northern Negros wounded. months now. Aside from the 60th Guerrilla Front attacked. Prior to The following day, August 28, a and 69th IB, troops from the 84th this, the guerrillas had arrested composite force of 67th IB and SRC IB and elements from the Alamara the detachment commander Sgt. troops combed through an NPA ar- vigilante group have been brought Efraim Bagonoc in a cockpit in Sit- ea. But upon reaching Sitio Buko- in all the way from Talaingod, Da- io Pulangyan, Barangay Bunga. Buko, Abijod, Cateel, they were vao del Norte by the 1003rd Bri- Command spokesperson Ka Ce- waylaid by NPA forces who had gade to wreak havoc in Lumad and cil Estrella said that when the Red been waiting in ambush. The fight- settler communities in Paquibato fighters brought the military offi- ing began at 3 p.m. and lasted for and nearby areas. cer to the detachment, he tried to 45 minutes. Eight enemy soldiers In Bukidnon. Three elements grab the firearm of one of the were confirmed dead while five of the 4th ID were killed in an am- guerrillas as they reached the others were seriously wounded. bush by Red fighters under the gates of the camp. It was at this Contrary to the AFP's claims be- Boyboy Roa Command in Sitio point that a skirmish took place, fore the media, the NPA did not Gamit, Barangay Sta. Filomena in resulting in the sergeant's death suffer any casualties. The Red Quezon town on August 26. and the wounding of two CAFGU el- fighters were able to retreat safely In Northern Samar. Five M16 ements. The NPA reinforcements before the arrival of enemy rein- rifles and three pistols were seized quickly arrived aboard a truck, forcements, said Ka Roel Agustin by Red fighters under the NPA Ro- leading to the surrender of the sur- II, Conrado Heredia Command- dante Urtal Command (RUC) when prised paramilitary forces. Front 20 spokesperson. they wiped out an eight-man po- The tactical offensive took In Davao City. The NPA 1st Pu- lice team in an ambush in Baran- place just days after 3rd ID chief lang Bagani Company in Southern gay Imelda, Catarman on August Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto boasted Mindanao Region conducted two 21. that the NPA in Negros and Panay successive military actions against The guerrillas detonated a had been severely weakened. 69th and 60th IB troops in Paqui- bomb that targeted the PNP vehi- Sa Davao Oriental. Eighteen bato District. On August 31, a cle carrying the policemen who soldiers were killed and ten others demolition team from the 1st PBC had arrived in response to reports were seriously wounded in back- detonated explosives targeting of a barangay official who had to-back ambushes by Red fighters troops of the 69th IB led by Lt. Ry- been killed. Among the casualties of the NPA Conrado Heredia Com- an Belis in Sitio Nursery, Barangay was Sr. Insp. Nicasio San Antonio, mand-Front 20 on August 27 and Malabog. The following day, anoth- vice police chief of Catarman. 28. er demolition team from the 1st In a statement, RUC spokesper- The ambushed soldiers formed PBC mounted a harassment opera- son Ka Amado Pesante said that part of military troops from the tion against a column of the AFP before the ambush, the NPA had 25th IB, 67th IB of the 1001st In- 1003rd Brigade composed of meted the death penalty on T/Sgt. fantry Brigade and elements of a troops from the 69th IB and ele- Rolando de Guia of the 63rd IB for Scout Ranger Company who have ments of the Bahani Long-Range espionage. De Guia used his posi- been conducting a brigade-size op- Platoon-Alamara in Sitio Quiam- tion in the village council as a cov- eration covering the mountainous bao, Barangay Lower Mapula. In er for organizing an intelligence areas of Cateel and Boston up to retaliation, two helicopters strafed network in Catarman. He was pre- the Mt. Diwata Range n Diwalwal, the entire area as two other heli- viously a brutal CAFGU trainor un- Monkayo, Compostela Valley since copters evacuated the dead and der the 19th IB. Seized from him late August. The large-scale opera- wounded. The dead soldiers were was a .45 cal pistol. tion aims to clear the area to pave brought to a funeral home in Pan- In Agusan del Sur. A K3 light the way for the operations of big abo City. machine gun and two M16 rifles ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 5 were seized by Red fighters under the NPA Alejandro Lanaja NPA to intensify tactical offensives in Command in a 15-minute raid on response to OBL extension—Ka Oris the headquarters of the 26th IB in Barangay La Fortuna, Veruela he New People's Army (NPA) will meet head-on the extension of Oplan on August 24. Aside from the TBantay Laya (OBL) until January 31, 2010 with intensified and wide- firearms, the guerrillas also cart- spread tactical offensives, said National Democratic Front-Mindanao ed away 1,800 rounds of ammu- spokesperson Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos. nition, including ammunition for These tactical offensives will troops. The NPA launched two suc- an M203. Five soldiers were escalate all the more as the NPA cessive ambushes on August 13. killed and one was wounded in and the revolutionary masses de- The first was against the Scout this firefight. The raid serves as fend their victories, said Ka Oris. In Ranger Company (SRC) in Purok 5, punishment for this military fact, in Mindanao alone, NPA units Barangay Pianing, Butuan City. unit's grave violations of human were able to launch 50 tactical of- After this, the NPA also ambushed rights. The day after, two other fensives from July until Au- elements of the 30th IB in Lusong, soldiers from this same unit and gust—20 in Southern Mindanao Barangay Puting Bato, Cabadbaran a CAFGU element were killed in Region (SMR), 27 in Northeastern City. Four enemy soldiers were an ambush by Red fighters who Mindanao Region (NEMR) and three killed and six others were wound- waylaid them while they were on in Far South Mindanao Region and ed. patrol. North Central Mindanao Region. Last August 28, three NPA In Sorsogon. A soldiers from Most notable among the attri- teams attacked a composite force the 49th IB's Special Operations tive and annihilative attacks by of the 14th SRC, 75th IB and SWAG Team (SOT) was killed and anoth- the NPA in SMR was a raid last Au- (Special Warfare Group), killing five er one wounded in an NPA am- gust 24 in Barangay La Fortuna, soldiers and wounding three oth- bush in Barangay Sangat, Gubat Veruela, Agusan del Sur where the ers. The enemy force that was al- on August 22. This military unit reactionary government lost a lieu- most the size of a brigade forcibly is notorious for its serious hu- tenant and four soldiers from the occupied the neighboring commu- man rights abuses. A .45 cal pis- 26th IB. The Red fighters were able nities of Palonpon and Boringon in tol plus ammunition were seized to seize a K3 light machine gun, Barangay Mahaba, Marihatag, Suri- in this gunbattle. two M16 rifles and rounds of am- gao del Sur. In Surigao del Sur. A sniper munition. Also last August, two In August alone, Red fighters from the NPA Front 19 hit Insp. soldiers from the Division Recon- in Far South Mindanao Region Christopher Mazo, police chief of naissance Company, including a launched three military actions. Lianga town, while he was die-hard leader of the paramilitary Last August 3, they harassed 39th aboard a vehicle in the evening Bagani Force were killed in an am- IB troops in Dungan Pekong, Ma- of August 21. Mazo's vehicle was bush. Two M16 rifles were seized tan-ao, Davao del Sur, part of a convoy carrying a com- from them. punishing an intelligence posite force of more than 50 There was almost agent the day after. On Philippine Army soldiers and PNP no letup in battles August 8, the NPA am- troops that passed through Ko- fought in the mountain- bushed 27th IB forces lambogan Spar, Diatagon in Li- ous areas of Davao in Datal Blao, Colum- anga town. City; in the towns of bio, Sultan Kudarat. In Misamis Oriental. A no- Maragusan, New Bataan The people's ar- torious operative of the Military and Monkayo in Compostela Valley; my in North Central Intelligence Battalion of the 4th in the towns of Mati, Baganga and Mindanao also harassed the operat- ID was killed by an NPA partisan Cateel in Davao Oriental; in New ing battalion under the 1st Tabak team in Napaliran, Balingasag on Corella, Davao del Norte; in Davao Division of Western Mindanao Com- August 15. Seized from S/Sgt. del Sur; and in North Cotabato. mand. Up to 24 soldiers were killed Elmo Penar was a .45 cal pistol. The NPA in NEMR also chalked in different tactical offensives and Also meted punishment was his up 27 tactical offensives even as encounters in the region from April bodyguard and asset. Penar was almost all towns in its four provin- up to August. the brains behind the arrest of ces are under attack by fascist ~ two NPA members in 2006. ~ 6 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 can be done guerrilla style or in a Writing, guerrilla style mobile manner even in urban ar- he creation of revolutionary art and the practice of revolutionary jour- eas, said Comrade Zel, a women or- nalism are both thriving in the midst of guerrilla warfare. In the fol- ganizer invited to a presswork of Tlowing article, a Red fighter and writer shares personal accounts of his Asdang, the mass paper of Far passionate involvement in both armed struggle and revolutionary culture. South Mindanao Region. They had experienced transfer- While withdrawing from a mil- tionary writer copes with the fluid- ring from one house to another and itary action and while readying an ity of an intensifying guerrilla war wading through flooded streets ambush against possible enemy re- where mobility defines the life of during a raging thunderstorm. This, inforcements, Ka Agos stealthily Red fighters like himself. Moments after they received information takes his ballpen and Grade Four of rest are a rarity, he said. that an organizer had been arrest- pad paper from his back pack. Cre- "Wherever, whenever, and in ed by the enemy. As the situation ative words form and flow from his whatever situation," Ka Agos ex- was not yet clear, they were not mind as swiftly as the guerrillas claimed. "I write wherever possi- able to continue their writing. In- disarmed the guards of a banana ble." He once wrote while sitting stead, they spent the time engag- plantation, enabling him to write a on a sack of rice in the makeshift ing in light banter with their host children's story. kitchen of a camp erected for a Ba- who offered them hot coffee. But A day more of retreating to- sic Party Course, unmindful of the after learning that the reported ar- wards a safe place and Ka Agos was noise created by comrades and rest was after all, not true, they able to finish "Ang Nasaag nga masses who were chopping fire- immediately took out their laptops, Aninipot" (The Lost Firefly) which wood and cooking mungbeans. He ballpens and sheets of paper. One was included in a literary folio cel- was able to write two short stories comrade didn't mind writing using ebrating the 40th anniversary of which were submitted for a literary the ironing board as a makeshift the Communist Party of the Philip- workshop conducted by some Ulos table, saying happily that she had pines. staff some years back. In other sit- once written an article while sit- Such incidents show how cre- uations (oftentimes during post- ting on the floor. ative writing blooms in the bosom trek rest times or after conducting But Comrade El, one of the ed- of people's war. Ka Agos is used to mass work), he was able to churn itors of Asdang said that even if writing even without a table or a out a few more related stories, re- writing is done guerrilla style, it is quiet environment (although their sulting in a short novel just wait- still imperative for them to adhere withdrawal was quietly done) and ing to be published. to the principle of collective writ- even in the midst of various activ- In fact, writing can be done ing and editing to ensure not just ities. He exemplifies how a revolu- even when not in a fixed place. It quality writing style but the cor- rect political line. The staff first discusses content during collective issue planning and the finished products are tabled for collective editing. Further, even if Asdang is presently understaffed, its publication is not at all encumbered as writers from different sectors like the women and youth are grouped together to serve as the paper's tactical pool of writers. With their writing skills honed through collective writing, they are able to share what they learn within their respective sectors. It is one way of developing more writers to serve the revolutionary movement. ~ ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 7 FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE ant youth from Barangay Anagasi, Bayan Muna Activist shot dead Paranas, Samar, said National Dem- ocratic Front-Eastern Visayas Bayan Muna (BM) member in Eastern Samar was summarily killed. spokesperson Fr. Santiago Salas. Meanwhile, two youths in Samar were forcd to act as guides in a The two youths were presented Amilitary operation and were presented by the military as rebel sur- to the media by the 8th ID on Au- renderees. In Misamis Oriental, soldiers who were conducting operations gust 16 as alleged NPA members destroyed a water system in a remote barrio. returning to the fold of law. In August 25. A suspected mili- after the local reactionary govern- fact, Fr. Salas said, the two along tary death squad element shot and ment consistently ignored their with their mother Lucia were ar- killed Casiano Abing, 56, a Bayan long-standing demand for good rested on July 25 by 34th IB ele- Muna (BM) member in Eastern Vi- water supply were very angry. The ments under Lt. Col. William Peña- sayas, in his house in Barangay 5, water source was two kilometers fiel. Poblacion, Balangiga, Eastern Sa- away and the residents patiently The military alleged that the mar. constructed a pipe made of con- two surrendered their firearms be- Abing sustained five gunshot nected bamboo poles so that ev- cause they had grown "tired" of wounds. He was first rushed to a ery house could have access to the armed struggle and "are now hospital in Balangiga and later, to water. cooperating" with the government. St. Paul's Hospital in Tacloban City, The residents are now demand- Fr. Salas said it was a lie as the Leyte which is one and a half hours ing payment from the Philippine firearms were not found in the Ga- away. He was declared dead on ar- Army for the damaged water sys- bac brothers' possession but were rival. He was the sixth activist tem and punishment for the mili- taken from a temporary hiding killed since Benigno Aquino III be- tary officers responsible for its de- place of the NPA. The military gan his term as the country's new struction. forced the victims to admit that president and the 121st victim of July. Troops of the 34th IB the firearms were theirs. extrajudicial killing in Eastern Vis- who were conducting military oper- The Gabac brothers were not ayas since 2001. ations tortured and forced brothers given any chance to defend them- According to Atty. Katrina Cas- Cesar and Juanito Gabac to serve selves or avail of the services of an tillo, head of documentation and as guides. They are ordinary peas- attorney, said Fr. Salas. ~ legal services of Katungod-Sinira- ngan Bisayas, a local chapter of Karapatan, Abing actively cam- Oliveros mother and child paigned for BM and senatorial can- didates Satur Ocampo and Liza Ma- brought back to PGH za in the last elections. Castillo added that before the victim was arina Judilyn Oliveros and her newborn child were brought back killed, he observed that he was be- Cto the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) from Camp Bagong Di- ing surveilled by military opera- wa in Bicutan, Taguig City last August 30 on orders of the Morong tives. Regional Trial Court (MRTC). August 13. Troops of the 8th The MRTC decision came after the so-called Morong 43 and their ID and the Division Reconnais- supporters expressed strong opposition to the inhumane and unjust sance Company of the 4th ID de- decision of the lower court ordering the return of Oliveros and her stroyed a local water system in Si- child to jail. The detained health workers have been waging a hun- tio Salahon, Misamis Oriental on ger strike since August 21 to denounce the continuing violations of suspicion that it was a project of their human rights and the non-implementation of laws on their the New People's Army. case. National Democratic Front- After giving birth last July 22 at the PGH, Oliveros along with North Central Mindanao Region her newborn child were forcibly taken back to Camp Bagong Diwa. spokesperson Cesar Renerio said The court ordered their return to the PGH after Oliveros' lawyers residents of Sitio Salahon who filed an appeal. The order, however, was not implemented for an- painstakingly put up the project

8 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE other five days due to the Bu- reau of Jail Management and Sectors denounce OBL extension Penology's dilatory tactics. arious sectors strongly denounced Oplan Bantay Laya's (OBL) exten- Oliveros and her child will be Vsion up to January 31, 2011. staying at the PGH for three OBL was to end on July 30 aft- would be the ones teaching the months. er shamelessly failing to achieve people their importance. Benigno Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Caye- the AFP's goal of crushing the New Aquino III wants his regime's tano, head of the Senate Com- People's Army (NPA). During its counterinsurgency program to be mittee on Youth, Women and course, the human rights watchdog readily accepted by the people Family Relations said that Oliv- Karapatan documented 1,206 cases even if the military is tainted with eros and her child should be al- of extrajudicial killings, 205 cases the blood of its victims, she said. lowed to stay at the PGH for of abduction perpetrated by the Instead of punishing the perpetra- three more months so she can military and other state armed for- tors, Aquino is even coddling breastfeed her child for six ces, and many more cases of tor- them, Enriquez added. months. The senator said that ture and repression. OBL's extension will mean the the World Health Organization Despite widespread denuncia- continuation of massive military recommends exclusive breast- tions of OBL1 and 2, AFP Chief of operations and onslaughts in the feeding for all newborn children Staff Gen. Ricardo David neverthe- countryside, said Bagong Alyan- for at least six months. less announced on August 15 the sang Makabayan (BAYAN) secre- extension of the plan for another tary-general Renato Reyes. NDF condemns ambush six months. To ensure its effectivi- Military, police, paramilitary of civilians in Masbate ty, the military said it would be fo- and private armies of warlord poli- cusing on teaching the importance ticians and foreign as well as big NATIONAL Democratic Front-Bi- of human rights. comprador businesses have been col spokesperson Comrade Gre- Karapatan chair Marie Hilao-En- sowing terror in the Davao provin- gorio Bañares condemned the riquez assailed the military's state- ces, Compostela Valley, Samar ambush of five civilians in Sitio ment as a gross distortion, as provinces, Negros island, Bicol Landing, Barangay Bolod, San those who have been pinpointed as provinces and in Aurora in Central Pascual, Masbate on August 28. the violators of human rights Luzon. In a press statement dated Au- gust 30, Bañares said that based Activists mark International Day of the Disappeared on initial investigations of the PROGRESSIVE organizations and families of persons involuntarily disap- Jose Rapsing Command of the peared by armed operatives of the state launched a protest action last New People's Army (NPA) in Mas- August 30 to commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared. bate, the motive of the ambush Marching from the University of Sto. Tomas to Mendiola Bridge in Ma- was connected to the dirty wars nila, they called on Benigno Aquino III to give justice to victims of ab- of politicians and the NPA had duction and summary killing under the past Arroyo regime. no involvement whatsoever in They will continue pressing for their demands, said the Families of the incident. the Disappeared for Justice (DESAPARECIDOS) and Victims of Arroyo Unit- Bañares denounced as mali- ed for Justice (Hustisya). They also demanded that Arroyo and her cious and unfounded the allega- henchmen be punished for grave human rights violations. tions of the Philippine National The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) also expressed dismay Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of over the Aquino regime's non-action on the issue of abduction. It also the Philippines (AFP) that the denounced the appointment of Loretta Ann Rosales as head of the Com- NPA was in cahoots with private mission on Human Rights. armies of politicians in Masbate. Last August 20, they launched a protest action in Quezon City where This propaganda attack by the they displayed a giant yellow ribbon painted red and bearing the pictures military and police was done to of victims of abduction to symbolize their quest for justice. cover up their inutile and useless Meanwhile, activists in the US led by BAYAN-USA in San Francisco, campaign to disband private ar- California also launched a similar protest action, pressing Aquino to free mies in Masbate, Bañares said. the Morong 43 and put a stop to Oplan Bantay Laya. ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 9 NEWS

Driver leader Ka Roda passes away times. He also led protest actions in A pillar of the transportation sector has passed away. Medardo "Ka Roda" the offices of oil companies and Roda died of a heart attack on September 5. He first suffered a stroke in transport strikes in Metro Manila. 2002. He was labelled by the Marcos re- Ka Roda was born on October per at Operators Nationwide (PIS- gime as "the most rebellious driver 27, 1934 in Libmanan, Camarines TON) when it was founded in 1981. the Philippines has ever had" and Sur to a peasant family. He contin- He was elected 3rd vice president was arrested in 1983. He was again ued his college studies in Manila and became its president after a detained in 1998 and 1990 under and worked as a taxi driver in 1960 few months. He has been PISTON's the Corazon Aquino regime. and later as a jeepney driver plying honorary chairperson since he fell Many have expressed their con- the Cubao-V. Luna route in Quezon ill in 2002 until his death. dolences over his passing. His life City in 1978. Ka Roda led PISTON in various will serve as an inspiration to the Ka Roda became the head of a struggles, one of them against PD democratic movement of drivers local drivers' organization. He also 1605 which called for the cancella- and the toiling masses as he self- became one of the leaders of the tion of a driver's license after being lessly devoted it to serving the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsu- cited for traffic law violations three people.

Alex Remollino, nationalist poet, dies

KNOWN as a progressive writer, ac- Foundation. He was also a writer Banta ng Ating Panahon" (Let Us tivist and poet, Alexander Martin of various progressive internet Heed the Challenge of Our Times) Remollino, 33, passed away last publications such as the Philip- was among the highlights in the September 3 due to a lung infec- pine Online Chronicles, Tinig.com multi-media production Arrest Glo- tion. and Bulatlat. He was also a mem- ria during the struggle against the Remollino was one of the ber of National Union of Journal- Arroyo regime. founders of the poets' group Kil- ists in the Philippines and re- He was born on August 6, 1977 ometer 64. He became a member searcher of the Bagong Alyan- in Mandaluyong City. He grew up of the League of Filipino Stu- sang Makabayan (BAYAN) and in San Pedro, Laguna and took up dents when he was in college Kontra-Daya. AB Legal Management at the Uni- and later worked at the Ibon His poem "Tuparin Natin ang versity of Sto. Tomas.

Activists form alliance vs LRT-MRT fare hikes THE Kilusang Mayong Uno and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan tize the MRT and LRT, saying that Anakpawis formed a broad alliance (BAYAN) and League of Filipino private companies are only inter- to fight looming fare increases in Students (LFS) in August. Several ested in exacting profits instead of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and passengers have signed the peti- delivering affordable services, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) in Metro tion to oppose the fare increases. which should be the goal of public Manila. Tasked to focus on stop- RILES spokesperson Sammy transportation. ping the impending fares hikes, Malunes said passengers should Fares at the LRT will be raised the Riles Laan sa Sambayanan Net- not be made to shoulder the debts by `25 this September. The MRT work (RILES) has already started a and losses incurred by the compa- fare, on the other hand, may also petition-signing campaign among ny. He said services should be pro- be raised by as much as `44. The MRT passengers at the Cubao Sta- vided to the people in the form of KMU said a worker will be spending tion on September 1. The petition- affordable LRT and MRT fares. up to `50 a day for MRT and LRT signing campaign was first done by RILES also opposed plans to priva- fares alone.

10 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 NEWS DOLE recognizes ABS-CBN union

WORKERS of the ABS-CBN Internal the union's recognition. earlier made its workers sign a con- Job Market Workers Union achieved The IJM Workers Union de- tract stating that they were merely an initial victory when the Depart- nounced management's repression contractual workers or talents of ment of Labor and Employment of its members who picketed in the company. The union opposed (DOLE) issued a decision on August front of the ABS-CBN company on the move, saying the downgraded 18 recognizing their union. August 20. Lending them support contracts undermined the status of Saying that employees under at the picket were members of Kilu- employees who had been working the IJM must be recognized be- sang Mayo Uno, Philippine Airlines for the company for several years. cause they have been working for and Kowloon House workers, stu- The company has resorted to vari- the welfare of the company, the dents and the National Union of ous maneuvers to bust the union, DOLE also requested the conduct of Journalists in the Philippines. one of which was the retrenchment a certification election to secure The ABS-CBN management had of 110 workers.

US combat mission in Iraq ends "OPERATION Iraqi Freedom" is over, burdened with financial problems. ing uniformed troops with merce- said US President Barack Obama on In the last seven and a half naries. More than 130,000 merce- September 1, officially ending the years, 4,427 US soldiers were re- nary troops have been deployed to US soldiers' combat mission in ported killed while 34,268 were Iraq in the past two years, bigger Iraq. wounded. The war has also caused than the number of uniformed The official withdrawal of com- 100,000 casualties among the Iraqi troops. These mercenaries are sup- bat soldiers had been slated for population. plied by private contractors en- 2011 but Obama ordered it done Meanwhile, 50,000 American gaged in military and security un- earlier due to mounting antiwar troops will remain in Iraq until the dertakings. There are plans to fur- sentiment in the US and other end of 2011 to serve as "advisers ther raise the number of these pri- countries. While the US continued and assistants" to Iraqi troops. vate military contractors. to pour in huge amounts of funds Despite the US withdrawal, The Iraqi government has ex- and resources in Iraq, its govern- there will be continued military in- pressed growing concern amid es- ment was becoming increasingly tervention camouflaged by replac- calating attacks by Iraqi guerrillas.

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2010 11