Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo English Edition Vol. XLI No. 16 August 21, 2010 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial The struggle in Hacienda Luisita is the struggle of the entire Filipino peasantry acienda Luisita symbolizes the semicolonial President Benigno Cojuangco-Aquino III quickly and semifeudal system that shackles the coun- applauded the agreement even as he denied any H try to underdevelopment and perennial crisis. knowledge about it, claiming that the HLI issue is an Its long and continuing history is a history of un- internal corporate dispute. speakable exploitation and oppression, intense class The Cojuangcos' return to power once again high- struggle and the age-old fight for social justice. lights the struggle for genuine land reform in the ha- The Cojuangco clan is relentlessly maneuvering cienda and the use of power to suppress the struggle. and devising schemes to retain its monopoly over the The Cojuangcos’ refusal to distribute Hacienda hacienda and prevent its distribution to the farmers Luisita is the single biggest issue that threatens to and farmworkers. The clan is even more audacious now shatter Aquino’s façade as the champion of meaning- that it has regained control of Malacañang. ful change. The intensifying class conflict in the haci- Just last week, the Cojuangcos concoct- enda is proof that his rule is no differ- ed a bogus “compromise agreement” and ent from that of all previous regimes shoved it down the throats of the farmers which served only the interests of and farmworkers through force, deception, big landlords, compradors and for- bribery and divide and rule tactics. The fake eigners. It once again focuses the agreement purports that the farmers and people’s attention on the oppression farmworkers have opted for the continua- and poverty of the farmers and tion of the Stock Distribution Option farmworkers in Hacienda Luisita as (SDO) scheme instead of land distribu- well as in many more haciendas in tion. There is no doubt the agreement the country. was intended to preempt the Supreme Since the establishment of Court’s hearing of the petition to the puppet republic, land re- revoke the temporary restrain- form programs adopted by rul- ing order on the Presidential ing regimes have been invaria- Agrarian Reform Council bly false and deceptive. Instead (PARC)’s order in 2005 to subject of ending feudal and semifeudal ex- the hacienda lands to compulso- ploitation and oppression, they did ry distribution. nothing to alleviate the farmers’

Proposed 2-year Luisita compromise NPA seizes 10 firearms This issue’s addition to basic deal is worthless PAGE 6 education highlights... PAGE 2 PAGE 9 plight which even worsened through the decades. social justice is still denied the tillers of the land who Land has become more concentrated in the hands of created the wealth of the Cojuangcos. old and new landlords and foreign imperialist corpora- The struggle in Hacienda Luisita has become the tions, thus raising the number of landless farmers. symbol of the nationwide struggle for genuine land re- Faced with worsening poverty and hunger, the form. It has also become the focal point in the fight peasantry is resorting to every possible avenue in its against the reactionary Aquino regime. Aquino's de- continuing struggle for genuine land reform. Whatev- fense of the Cojuangcos in their vehement opposition er measure the reactionary regime undertakes to de- to land reform has made clear his stand against the ceive, silence and suppress them, the farmers will tire- masses of farmers and farmworkers. lessly oppose the bogus CARP, its deceptive continua- The struggle in Hacienda Luisita must be stead- tion in the form of CARPER, the SDO scheme and oth- fastly pursued and held high as a rallying banner in all er similar tricks. parts of the country. Let it spark other major struggles The masses of farmers and farmworkers know full of the peasant masses and let it fan the flames of the well that the Cojuangco family will never give up the peasantry’s nationwide struggle for genuine land re- estate. Since the Cojuangcos inherited the hacienda form in the face of all obstacles. from the Spanish colonizers and its further expansion At the same time, agrarian revolution is proceed- in the decades that followed, the clan has lived off ing nationwide. It is bound to make great strides the sweat and blood of farmers and farmworkers. They alongside the advancement of the armed struggle and are even more bent at holding on to the hacienda now the establishment of revolutionary bases in the coun- that its commercial and semi-industrial operations are tryside. ~ generating billions of pesos in revenues. Meanwhile, The Hacienda Luisita agreement is worthless he compromise agreement devised by Hacienda Luisita Incorporated tares for distribution from the (HLI) to prevent the distribution of land to farmers and retain the 4,915 hectares of agricultural land TCojuangcos' control over the estate is bogus and worthless. The covered in the original SDO. peasants' alleged acquiescence was secured through bribes, deception, The Cojuangcos claim that the threats and maneuvers. “agreement” was ratified by 7,300 The farmers were made to tribution Option (SDO) scheme or farmers (out of the total 10,500 choose whether they would hold on receive a very small piece of land. listed) and that only a little more to their shares under the Stock Dis- The HLI allotted only 1,366 hec- than 1% (139 individuals) chose to get land. If the agreement were im- ANG plemented, less than 200 hectares Contents would be distributed. United Luisita Workers Union Vol. XLI No. 16 August 21, 2010 (ULWU) chair Lito Bais and other Editorial Struggle in Hacienda Luisita 1 leaders of the hacienda farmers and Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, farmworkers questioned the voting Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and Hda. Luisita compromise deal is worthless 2 Fraud-ridden SDO 3 English editions. process that led to the agreement. Luisita struggle gains support 4 Bais claims that the Cojuangcos It is available for downloading at Peace talks fail to take off 5 the Philippine Revolution Web Central MILF assails stumbling blocks to talks 5 utilized barangay officials as well located at: Victorious NPA offensives as turncoats and farmer leaders on www.philippinerevolution.net NPA seizes 10 firearms 6 the landlord clan’s payroll to herd Ang Bayan welcomes contributions Kakasa ka ba? 7 in the form of articles and news. Fascist state on a rampage the farmers from their homes. The Readers are likewise enjoined to send Inhumane treatment of Morong 43 mom, child 8 farmers were promised an initial in their comments and suggestions for Policy of torture 8 payment of `20 million and `130 ACT raps 2 years added to basic education 11 the betterment of our publication. You million more once the Supreme can reach us by email at: News 10 [email protected] Court approves the “agreement.” But most of the farmers received Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee measly amounts and now regret of the Communist Party of the Philippines their vote for the SDO. 2 ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 The agreement was railroaded to preempt the use, giving the Cojuangcos billions of pesos in reve- scheduled Supreme Court hearing of the HLI petition nues. The biggest among these was the sale of the to nullify the 2005 directive of the Presidential Agra- right of way covering 83 hectares for the use of the rian Reform Council (PARC) and the Department of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) at `1 million Agrarian Reform (DAR) which cancelled the SDO and per hectare which Benigno Aquino III personally ordered the distribution of 4,915 hectares of hacienda pushed for when he was still senator. land. In the first hearing on August 18, HLI lawyers Tadeco, Central Azucarera de Tarlac, HLI and Jose had a hard time answering the many questions asked Cojuangco & Sons, Inc. chief operating officer Fernan- by the justices about irregularities surrounding the do Cojuangco has also announced the planned conver- implementation of the SDO. sion of the remaining agricultural lands of the hacien- Meanwhile, a large portion of the land that should da. They are even planning to shift most of the ha- be distributed to the farmers have either been con- cienda’s sugar plantation to bio-ethanol production. verted, sold or used for commercial and semi-industri- The rest will be shifted to the production of export al projects. As early as the 1990s, the HLI had already crops. secured approval for the conversion of some 3,800 It is clear that the clan does not intend to give up hectares of agricultural land to “commercial, industri- the hacienda and distribute it to the farmers. If the al and residential use.” Some 2,000 hectares have Cojuangcos get their way, the thousands of hacienda been converted, sold or leased for non-agricultural tillers will be ejected from the estate and completely

five hectares. Yet the Cojuancos The fraud-ridden SDO continued to own 1,500 hectares. Most of this covers the residential he Cojuangcos exhausted every possible trick in the implementa- areas of the farmers and farmwork- tion of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO) to retain their monop- ers and “land development” such T oly over Hacienda Luisita. as roads. Only 4,915 hectares out The Cojuangcos themselves in- lac Development Corporation (Ta- of the total 6,500 hectares was serted the SDO scheme into Pres. deco) over the wealth of the land. supposed to be distributed to the Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino’s Execu- The land that was slated for distri- 6,300 farmers then working in the tive Order 229 even before the bution to the peasants was deemed hacienda. CARP was enacted. The insertion as the farmers and farmworkers' as- Land that should have been aimed to exempt the Cojuangco ha- sets, representing 33% of HLI's given to the farmers was underval- cienda and other similar estates overall shares of stock. ued (at `40,000 per hectare) to re- from the actual distribution of The land reform law provides duce its equivalent in HLI shares. land. that landowners can only retain On the other hand, the land held The Cojuangcos established by the Cojuangcos was overvalued Hacienda Luisita, Inc. in tenfold (at more than `1 million 1989 as a front corpora- per hectare). The equip- tion for the SDO scheme ment, funds and oth- and the continued control er assets of the ha- of their Tar- cienda were also re- tained by the Coju- angcos. Worse, they even claimed ownership of the farmers' produce (the standing sugarcane crop, the sugar inventory and even pro- ceeds from the sale of sugar). Through this sleight of hand, the Cojuangcos claimed 67% of HLI shares while the farmers divided the remaining 33% among them- selves. The new “agreement” is anoth- ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 3 er trick which further reduces the land allotted for distribution. From 4,915 hectares, the farmers’ 33% Luisita struggle earning support share in HLI is now only 1,366 hec- upport is mounting for the struggle of the Hacienda Luisita tares. Sfarmers for the distribution of the more than 4,000-hectare es- The CARP law provides that the tate of the Cojuangco-Aquino family. This was demonstrated by the transfer of stocks should be com- 2,000 people who attended the August 18 multisectoral rally before pleted within two years after the the Supreme Court in Taft Avenue, Manila where the hearing of the approval of the law or after the ap- agrarian dispute was being held. proval by PARC of the stock distri- The United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU), Alyansa ng mga bution plan. Should the corpora- Manggagawang Bukid sa Luisita (AMBALA), Unyon ng mga Mangga- tion fail to fulfill this requirement, gawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas the land shall be subjected to com- were joined by the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson pulsory distribution. The HLI start- (AMGL) and the peasant women alliance AMIHAN. There was also a ed distributing shares of stock on- delegation from the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa ly in 2004 although the SDO in the Timog Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK) which included farmers from Ha- hacienda had been approved as cienda Yulo in Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna; Hacienda Roxas in Na- early as 1989. sugbu, Hacienda Zobel in Calatagan and Hacienda Agoncillo in Lau- The distribution of stocks was rel, all in Batangas. They joined their fellow peasants in Hacienda to take place over a period of up to Luisita in crying out that they cannot wait for another 53 years to 30 years, with the farmers receiv- own the land in Luisita. ing them in the form of wages University of the Philippines-Diliman students belonging to the based on corresponding hours of UP Kilos Na also joined the march-rally. From an upper floor of a work. Every year, only 1% of their building at the University of the Philippines-Manila Campus front- share value is actually given to the ing the Supreme Court, the students rolled down a 10-foot long farmers and farmworkers. Each in- banner criticizing the Cojuangcos’ refusal to implement land reform dividual farmer is paid depending in Hacienda Luisita. They joined church people, human rights advo- on the total hours he worked in the cates, people’s artists, workers, migrants and other sectors in ex- hacienda. They even stand to lose pressing sympathy for the farmers’ plight. Anakpawis representative their stocks if they stop working. and KMP chairman Rafael Mariano said that all eyes were at the Su- To further reduce the values of preme Court on the historic day of August 18 because it was the the farmers’ shares of stock, their first time that the oppressed and their oppressors had a face-off in work hours are deliberately re- court. duced. The Cojuangcos also devise The HLI lawyers took five hours presenting their arguments so ways to compel the original farm- another hearing was set for August 24 for the aggrieved farmers to workers to leave the hacienda. present their side. They even hired 4,000 more casual On the eve of the August 18 hear- farmworkers and gave them a min- ing, a solidarity mass was held at the imum of one share each to dilute Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City of- the value of shares owned by the ficiated by Bishop Teodoro Bacani. The original farmworkers. official statement of the Catholic Bish- Hence, the shares of the Coju- ops Conference of the Philippines-Na- angcos grew even bigger compared tional Secretariat on Social Action to that of the farmers. Aside from (CBCP-NASSA) and the National Clergy violent and dirty tactics, the Coju- Discernment Group criticizing the injus- angcos have been resorting to in- tice and warlordism in Hacienda Luisita creasing the number of farmers and since 1957 was read during the mass. forming fake organizations to di- Outside Manila, progressive organi- lute and weaken the capacity of zations of farmers and fishermen held the original farmers and farmwork- protest actions in Legazpi, Cebu, Baco- ers to fight and demand genuine lod, Tacloban, Davao, Butuan and other land reform and other rights in the major cities. ~ hacienda. ~ 4 ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 hitting Lumad and peasant settler Peace talks fail to take off communities. Ka Oris said that the Filipino he National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has ex- people must not allow themselves pressed concern over the course of its peace negotiations with the to be hoodwinked by Aquino. Be- T Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). Since Benig- hind his mild-mannered facade is no Aquino III delivered his State of the Nation Address on July 26, there his fascist character. have been no positive indications that the peace talks would be resumed. In Eastern Visayas, regional NDFP peace panel chair Ka Luis sult of the massacre of peasants in NDF spokesperson Fr. Santiago Sa- Jalandoni made this assessment in Mendiola in January 1987, Aquino las said that local peace negotia- his letter to the Friends of Ecumen- brandished the “sword of war.” tions being planned by the Philip- ical Bishops Forum on August 11. On the other hand, NDF-Minda- pine Army 8th ID will not succeed. Jalandoni criticized Aquino and nao spokesperson Jorge “Ka Oris” He said this will be strongly object- his defense secretary's insistence Madlos said that Benigno Aquino ed to by the revolutionary forces on a widespread and long- III is seemingly poised to outdo who are aware that talks on the term ceasefire as a precon- his predecessor Gloria Arroyo in people's basic problems must be dition for the peace talks. implementing the US-dictated conducted in a comprehensive Reiterating such a pre- counterrevolutionary war. manner and on the national level. condition as well as al- Four AFP divsions are current- NDF-Panay spokesperson Ka leged plans to conduct ne- ly besieging suspected guerril- Concha Araneta, on the other gotiations at local levels la zones and bases of the hand, said that a ceasefire can be are violations of The revolutionary forces on the declared but only after the main Hague Joint Declaration island. agreements on social, economic of 1992, he said. Up to 30 of the AFP's and political reforms have been Jalandoni pointed out more than 40 battalions in forged. that Cory Aquino, the cur- Mindanao, including para- Jalandoni stressed in his letter rent president's mother had military forces are conduct- to the bishops, however, that al- the same stand. The eld- ing largescale military though the NDFP is dismayed with er Aquino had objected operations against the negative signals Aquino has to the conduct of nego- forces of the New Peo- been sending, it continues to await tiations on social, eco- ple's Army (NPA), us- the emissaries of the Aquino gov- nomic and political re- ing 105 mm cannons as ernment. In any case, the revolu- forms. After the 60-day ceasefire well as reconnaissance and bomber tionary forces are ready to face the and peace talks collapsed as a re- planes. The bombs have so far been AFP's attacks head-on. ~ MILF assails stumbling blocks to talks he Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) strongly assailed the ma- it will wield. But it was roundly re- jor stumbling blocks to its peace talks with the Government of the jected by Congress and disap- T Republic of the Philippines (GRP). MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim proved by the Supreme Court in voiced his disappointment over Pres. Benigno Aquino III's earlier decla- 2008. The MILF and the GRP's rations that the peace talks will be starting from scratch. peace panel then last agreed to Murad asserted that the talks lishment of the Bangsamoro Jurid- “reframe the consensus points with should resume where they left ical Entity (BJE) which will serve as the objective of advancing a com- off—and this includes the Memo- the autonomous government of the prehensive agreement that would randum of Agreement on Ancestral Moro people and cover the contig- result in a politically negotiated Domain (MoA-AD) signed in 2008 uous ancestral domain of the Bang- settlement.” and all of the 87 agreements forged samoro. The BJE is definitely supe- MILF negotiating panel chair in the years the peace talks were rior to the present Autonomous Re- Mohagher Iqbal was thus elated conducted. The MILF will never re- gion of Muslim Mindanao in terms when Atty. Marvic Leonen, head of treat from this stand. of the political, military, economic, the GRP negotiating panel recently The MoA-AD calls for the estab- educational and cultural authority said that the government was open ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 5 to amending the constitution to VICTORIOUS NPA OFFENSIVES accommodate the agreement that would be forged with the MILF. But Leonen had hardly said this when Aquino brushed him off, NPA seizes 10 firearms saying that charter change is not ed fighters of the New People's Army (NPA) seized ten firearms among his government's priorities in various armed actions from June to July. Eight enemy soldiers and that it was not the right time R were also killed and another eight were wounded in these mili- to talk about it. tary actions. The MILF also assailed as the July 30. Two elements of the another 9 mm pistol from this op- biggest “external obstacle” and Philippine National Police (PNP) eration. source of complications for the in Capiz were wounded in two NPA The Red fighters then proceed- peace talks the presence of US tactical offensives that also net- ed to Barangay Bangbang at 10:25 military forces in Mindanao. Murad ted four firearms for the people's a.m. to disarm another abusive el- had requested the Aquino regime army. ement of his shotgun. The village to come up with a way of getting The policemen were ambushed toughie had been using his shot- rid of the US military presence be- while on their way to Barangay gun to terrorize civilians. fore peace talks resume between Banate, Pontevedra, Capiz. They The previous day, Red fighters the MILF and GRP. In the MILF's were responding to reports of an of the NPA Jabbar Salipudan Com- view, Aquino's reply that his re- NPA disarming operation against mand had disarmed a CAFGU ele- gime could not do away with the the Banate village chief but were ment in Barangay Malinwag, Es- US military forces in Mindanao waylaid while their vehicle was peranza, Surigao del Sur, seizing a could serve as a major stumbling still in Sitio San Jose in Barangay Garand and a 9 mm pistol. block to the peace talks. Hipona. The Red fighters seized June 28-29. At least eight Aquino has also announced three pistols and a shotgun from soldiers were killed in two back to that the talks will be localized, the barangay captain of Banate. back firefights between the 75th contrary to previous practice. In Previous to this, the NPA con- IB and Red fighters of the NPA addition, Aquino has also ex- ducted a harassment operation on Boyboy Roa Command in Sitio Sto. pressed his desire to replace Ma- July 26 against a detachment of Domingo, Lumintao, Quezon, Bu- laysia as the third party facilita- the 82nd IB in Barangay Osorio I, kidnon. Five soldiers were killed tor. Murad said that should that San Remigio, Antique. The NPA on the spot in the first gunbattle. be the case, the talks will surely traded shots with military troops The day after, three more soldiers be delayed and placed in danger. and CAFGU and CVO elements for from the same military unit were Murad moreover said that AFP several minutes. killed after the NPA detonated an chief Gen. Ricardo David Jr.'s pro- July 8. The Eking Balacuit explosive along their path. No vocative statement that the gov- Command of the NPA in Misamis casualties were suffered by the ernment will crush the New Peo- Oriental successfully conducted a NPA. In retaliation for their casu- ple's Army and the MILF by 2013 disarming operation on two body- alties, the soldiers fired seven was not helpful. He said that the guards of Gingoog City mayor Ruth mortar rounds without concern for MILF remains unfazed in the face Guingona. The NPA confiscated a the safety of civilians in the area. of such threats from the govern- 9 mm pistol and a cal .38 revolver June 4 and 8. Six soldiers ment, especially since it continues from them when they went to vis- were wounded in harassment op- to train its army and has acquired it their employer's landholdings in erations by NPA units against mil- 60,000 new firearms. Murad said Barangay San Luis in Medina town itary troops in Surigao del Sur. the MILF possesses the technolog- at around 8 a.m. The NPA also Five soldiers from the Philip- ical capability to manufacture its seized two VHF radios from the pine Army 30th IB and Scout Ran- own firearms and has munitions bodyguards. gers were wounded in the first factories producing high-quality At around 9:30 a.m., the Red harassment operation in Sitio weaponry. He added that they fighters raided the house of a for- Uma, Barangay Camam-oman in were ready to continue fighting mer village chief of Barangay San Gigaquit town. for their right to self-determina- Vicente in the same town, using a Four days later, a soldier was tion, even until the next genera- vehicle commandeered from Guin- killed in an NPA sniping operation tion. ~ gona's bodyguards. They seized in the same village. ~ 6 ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 Kakasa ka ba? or 34 years, we served Triumph. We offered our strength, our whole lives,” said Lita de la Cruz, union president of Bagong “F Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Triumph International. She uttered these words at a picket line put up in front of the Triumph fac- tory in Taguig City to protest the company's plans to lay off its predom- inantly female workforce. Choking back tears, she said, “They raked in billions upon billions in profit....” This is just one of the more businesses for work. The business- dustry. They also asserted the need prominent scenes from Kakasa ka es are gone, wiped out by foreign for workers to fight for the regular- ba? Hamon sa panahon ng krisis corporate giants like Nestlé, Nissan ization of huge numbers of con- (Are you ready to fight? Challenge and Toyota. tractuals by organizing unions that in a time of crisis), a 23-minute The video likewise portrays the would struggle to better the lot of 30-second video-documentary pro- struggle of 106 workers arbitrarily oppressed workers. duced and presented by Mayday terminated by Daiho Philippines, Said KMU chair Ka Elmer Labog, Productions in cooperation with as well as the struggle of the wom- “The only solution to the current Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU). The vid- en workers of Triumph Internation- crisis of overproduction and to the eo-documentary was among the al. The companies' usual pretext for crisis besetting capitalism itself is short films chosen for exhibition at the layoffs is bankruptcy. The vid- to advance the socialist system.” the Ikalawang Pandayang Lino eo showed the tragic statistics on The video's last scenes show Brocka held at the University of the unemployment in the Philippines, workers putting up picket lines and Philippines Film Institute on Au- which affects an estimated 11 out militant groups waging protest ac- gust 11. It was also shown in sev- of every 100 workers. tions calling for an end to job lay- eral urban poor communities. Worker-leaders and researchers offs, for higher wages and national The video is timely and remark- interviewed in the film pointed out industrialization. Above the throng able for presenting the plight of that the Philippines suffers from a echoed the slogan “Hukbong ma- workers in the Philippines, espe- chronic unemployment crisis due pagpalaya! Uring manggagawa!” cially in terms of massive unem- to its backward economy and un- (The army of liberation is the work- ployment and low wages. derdeveloped agriculture and in- ing class). ~ The video showed various work- ers forced to take odd jobs in order to eke out a living and save their Greedy GOCC officials loved ones from going hungry. op executives of Government-Owned and -Controlled Corpora- There is the case of a former con- Ttions (GOCC) receive huge salaries and benefits but those of struction worker who fails to find rank-and-file employees are pegged at very low levels. These salary another job after the end of his discrepancies were exposed in a Senate hearing conducted last Au- contract; the wife of a former tin gust 17. can factory contractual worker who Armand Arreza, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) admin- also fails to find work after; work- istrator, was found to have been earning `26.865 per year. Arreza ers who go back to repacking noo- also admitted that he has been receiving intelligence funds amount- dles and snack foods; a charcoal ing to `5 million. Benigno Ricafort, Clark Development Corporations maker who also maintains a small (CDC) director, has also been receiving `14.506 million a year. De- backyard piggery to earn a little velopment Bank of the Philippines Deputy Chief Executive Officer more; and scavengers who scour Edgardo Garcia has been earning `12.718 million while Central Bank mountains of garbage. A scavenger governnor Armando Tetangco has been getting `10.772 million. despondently says that the meager According to Sen. Franklin Drilon, up to `47 billion has been `200-220 they earn per day is added to the country's deficit due to these huge salaries. Bayan Mu- barely enough to sustain them un- na Rep. Neri Colmenares also challenged Malacañang to abolish SB- til the next meal. MA and CDC'S intelligence fund. GOCC directors should also not be They live in communities where the allowed to determine their salaries, Colmenares added. ~ residents used to depend on small ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 7 FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE Torture in the Philippines rears its ugly head anew ecently revealed video footage showing a police officer torturing a suspected criminal is vivid proof that tor- R ture is a policy of the military and police in the Phil- ippines. Thus said Melissa Roxas, a Filipino-American activist arrested in Tarlac in May 2009 on allegations that she was a member of the New People's Army. Roxas was tortured for six days questions. He is seen by elements of the 7th IB before writhing in pain due to she was released. In an interview the torture. in the US, Roxas said that torture The perpetrator has has been part of the interrogation been identified as Sr. process of the military and police Insp. Joselito Binayug, in the Philippines. She added that chief of the Asuncion there are many more cases of tor- Police Community Pre- ture which have not, however, cinct in Tondo, Manila, with the According to informants, the been documented through video. crime perpetrated in no less than victim has been summarily execut- BAYAN secretary general Renato his office. Ten of his subordinates ed by Binayug's men. Two families Reyes said that torture cases have also been tagged as party to have claimed the victim as their abound but are being given atten- the crime. relative. ~ tion only now by the government. Aside from Roxas' case, BAYAN also cited the case of the "Morong 43," Inhumane transfer of Oliveros the cases of brothers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo and students Kar- and baby denounced en Empeño and Sherly Cadapan, all of them victims of abduction and he Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) strongly denounced torture. Bayan called on the Aqui- Tthe inhumane treatment of Carina "Judilyn" Oliveros and her no regime to invite UN Special three-week old child when they were brought last August 20 to Rapporteur on Torture Manfred No- Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan in Taguig City from the Philippine Gen- wak to investigate serious cases of eral Hospital (PGH) in Manila. Oliveros is one of the "Morong 43," torture under the present and past health workers who were illegally arrested in Morong, Rizal last Feb- administrations. Reyes said that ruary while conducting a medical training. despite repeated pronouncements Upon orders of the Morong Regional Trial Court, Oliveros was by Pres. Benigno Aquino III that taken from the hospital after giving birth via caesarian section, put torture is not a policy of his gov- on a wheelchair and handcuffed. The RTC's order ran counter to an ernment, torturers will continue so earlier order by Justice Sec. Leila de Lima to government fiscals to long as nobody has been charged withdraw their objections to Oliveros' stay in the PGH. and convicted. Meanwhile, Murray Horton, secretary of the Philippine Solidari- The video footage shows a na- ty Network of Aeotearea (PSNA) sent a letter to Aquino asking that ked man being interrogated while justice prevail and that Oliveros and her child, along with the "Mo- lying on the floor of an office. He rong 43" and other political detainees in the country be released. is beaten on the face by a police He said detention cells are not the right place for the innocent official using a piece of wood, with health workers and other victims of unjust detention under the Ar- his genitals being pulled by a royo regime. ~ string whenever he failed to answer 8 ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 them to land a job. But even at ACT opposes 2 more years the present, college graduates are not able to find employment. Last in basic education year, there were 300,000 students who finished college but majority trong and widespread opposition to the proposed addition of two of them have joined the ranks of more years to basic education is mounting. the jobless. Worse, this proposal is S but a scheme to provide an army of The Alliance of Concerned League of Filipino Students (LFS) future workers for industries over- Teachers (ACT) said that big impe- also said that the proposal is not seas or foreign companies operat- rialist and comprador corporations, the solution to upgrading the qual- ing in the country. banks and their local partners such ity of education. The LFS said that the perennial as financial technocrats are push- The additional two problems of the educa- ing that this proposal be incorpo- years are just an addi- tional system such as the rated in the education program of tional expense. In a lack of classrooms, the new regime. country where majority books, and teachers ACT said this is in line with of families do not have should be addressed their interests that students be enough income, the cost first. The education trained earlier to deliver at the of an additional two budget must be increased soonest possible time simple prac- years will only be an add- because the quality of tical and technical expertise need- ed burden to them. Sec- education has deteriorat- ed by multinational and comprador ondly, the bankrupt gov- ed compared to those of companies. ernment will not be al- other countries, Ridon Besides sacrificing the mould- lotting funds for this project. The stressed. The LFS will launch a ing of students for them to obtain Philippines is one of the countries protest action and signature cam- more relevant, wider and deeper will the smallest budgets for educa- paign to oppose the plan. knowledge, the proposal will not tion as compared to other items in DepEd Sec. Bro. Armin Luistro resolve the problem of a rotten its national budget. Third, this plans to make elementary educa- semicolonial and semifeudal sys- does not solve the problem of un- tion last seven years and high tem that characterizes a backward employment. Proponents are brag- school education five years. Not economy sans genuine industriali- ging that if the 12-year basic and surprisingly, private schools who zation and land reform. Such an secondary education is pushed expect to gain huge profits due to economy has resulted in wide- through, students would no longer the proposed additional years are spread unemployment, poverty, need a college diploma in order for in favor of the plan. ~ rotten social services, and other re- lated problems. The proposal also turns a blind eye to the rottenness and corrup- Protest actions against Operation tion of the government's whole ed- Green Hunt ucation program and services and to widespread poverty that de- rotest actions were launched near the Indian consulates in New prives families of the right to send PYork and San Francisco in the US and in London in the United their children to school. Kingdom by Sanhati, a solidarity group supporting the Indian peo- ACT Teachers Party Rep. Anto- ple's struggle. Protest actions in the US were launched on August nio said that the proposed addi- 13 while those in London were staged on August 15, India's inde- tional two years will just result in pendence day. increasing numbers of youth who After a three-hour protest where participants chanted slogans, can no longer go to school or con- distributed leaflets, delivered speeches in support of the people's tinue their studies with the ever struggle in India and sang revolutionary songs, rallyists submitted increasing cost of basic education to the consulates a petition against Operation Green Hunt, a wide- which is supposed to be provided spread military offensive being conducted by some 200,000 Indian free of charge. soldiers in national minority areas in eastern and central India. ~ Terry Ridon, president of the ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 9 NEWS Toll fee hikes suspended AFP officers air grievances THE Supreme Court issued two CONFLICT within the Armed Forces ple is the appointment of AFP Temporary Restraining Orders of the Philippines (AFP) has be- Chief of Staff Ricardo David who (TROs) last August 13 to suspend come much more conspicuous aft- was once his subordinate in the increases in South Luzon Express- er the spread of a manifesto de- Presidential Security Group during way (SLEx) toll fees and set aside nouncing favoritism in the mili- Corazon Aquino's regime. Other of- the imposition of the EVAT (Ex- tary institution. ficers who were appointed to their panded Value Added Tax) on all Issued by "concerned AFP offi- positions due to their closeness to expressways in Luzon. cers", the three-page manifesto Gazmin are Maj. General Gauden- The Supreme Court has given has denounced the system of pro- cio Pangilinan, the new Northern the Bureau of Internal Revenue motion in the military, adding Luzon Command chief ; Brig. Gen. (BIR) and Dept. of Finance ten that the AFP Board of Generals Romulo Bambao, the new chief of days to respond to the petition which has the power to appoint the Intelligence Service of the against an additional toll tax. The officers has become useless due to AFP; and Maj. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, SC also said that deliberations on the intervention of Defense Secre- the new Philippine Army chief. the petition for SLEx toll fee hikes tary Voltaire Gazmin. The “con- Meanwhile, Adm. Feliciano are still underway so a TRO was cerned officers” said that the Angue, former chief of the AFP's imperative. Board has not been conducting National Capital Regional Com- The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng deliberations and has done noth- mand, was recently demoted, put mga Tsuper at Operators Nation- ing but approve Gazmin's deci- under investigation and on float- wide (PISTON) also said that the sions. ing status after divulging that SC's issuance of the TRO is a big They also questioned Gazmin's certain high-ranking AFP officers blow to the Aquino regime. Ac- prioritization of his classmates at who were involved in politicking cording to PISTON, Aquino’s refus- the Philippine Military Academy in the last elections and have now al to exercise his executive power and some subordinates. One exam- been rewarded by Aquino. to stop the increases shows his in- sensitivity to the demands of driv- Unjust firing of PAGASA director ers and the public. PISTON is ready to launch protest actions should PRES. Benigno Aquino III and his sided with new science and tech- the hikes proceed once the TRO subordinates have received a lot nology secretary Mario Montejo, expires. of flak for unjustly firing PAGASA brother-in-law of his Executive Bayan Muna also called for an (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophys- Secretary Paquito Ochoa. PAGASA investigation of the illegal SLEX ical and Astronomical Services Ad- has been proposing the acquisi- toll fee increases. Bayan Muna ministration) director Dr. Prisco tion of new equipment and the Rep. Teddy Casiño said the Toll Nilo. hiring of additional personnel, but Regulatory Board (TRB) abused its Aquino suddenly booted out this has never been acted upon. power when it allowed the South- Nilo last August 6 due to PAG- According to the Advocates of ern Luzon Tollway Corp. (SLTC) to ASA's alleged failure to monitor Science and Technology for the increase its fees without prior no- the path of typhoon Basyang that People (Agham), Nilo's firing is a tice and public hearing. hit the country in mid-July. Nilo bad sign for scientists who have The TRB has plans to impose a explained that some of their been laboring hard in the govern- 250% increase in SLEX toll fees, weather predictions have not been ment despite low salaries and an- aside from the 12% tax to be im- accurate due to PAG-ASA's outdat- tiquated facilities. Agham said posed on the North Luzon Express- ed equipment and lack of person- that patriotic scientists, who opt way, Star Tollway (Sto. Tomas to nel. They have thus been resorting to stay in the country despite the Lipa, Batangas), Subic-Clark Tarlac to manual methods of calculation lack of funds and local opportuni- Expressway, Skyway and Coastal and working even up to wee ties will be driven away instead of Tollway. Malacañang insists that hours. But despite Nilo's explana- contributing to national develop- the EVAT should also be imposed tion, Aquino only listened to and ment. on expressways.

10 ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 NEWS

Afghan war more expensive than Iraq war THE US has been spending up to $6.7 billion for its aside from the $159 billion it has requested for its war in Afghanistan, much more than that the $5.5 bil- wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of this fund will go lion monthly cost of its war in Iraq. to thousands of private contractors involved in such The Pentagon said that the increase in war ex- wars of aggression. Up to 1.2 million contractors have penditures is due to the huge size of the military con- been hired by US. A big chunk of the fund will also go tingents and the big volume of logistics being sent to to companies manufacturing expensive weapons such Afghanistan. Up to 102,000 troops have been sent to as drones which are now being used by the US in al- the Afghanistan as against the 43,000 operating in most all of its operations. Iraq. An estimated $105 billion has been expended According also to the United Nations (UN), from this year by the Obama regime, an amount which is January to June this year, there were 1,271 civilians expected to soar to around $117 billion by 2011. killed and 1,997 civilians wounded in the Afghan war The US has already spent up to $1 trillion for its (an average of six killed and eight wounded daily). wars of aggression in these two countries. The number reflects a 31% increase over 2009 figures. This year, the US Deparment of Defense has asked Meanwhile, the number of child casualties has in- for $549 billion in basic military expenditures. This is creased by 55% as compared to that of last year.

ANG BAYAN August 21, 2010 11