Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo

English Edition Vol. XLIV No. 17 September 7, 2013 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial Expand and strengthen the protest movement against Aquino's corruption

he huge August 26 demonstration at the Luneta Park in the broad masses of the people. and various other places here and abroad was an indicator of It now faces the widespread Tthe Filipino people's widespread anger at the sys- hatred of the middle strata of tem. Through this protest, the people demonstrated their wrath at professionals, teachers and oth- the bureaucratic plunder of public funds and their use by the ruling er employees, doctors, nurses Aquino regime to dominate reactionary politics. and health workers, church peo- ple and lawyers. All of them The pork barrel issue has their apathy at the glaring gap were at the receiving end of further laid bare the ruling between their affluence and the Aquino's attempts to entice classes' greed and underscored hard, deprived and wretched them with propaganda on re- their deliberate refusal to heed lives of the toiling masses. form and good governance. the people's grievances and Only at the middle of its six- The huge protest action and year term, continually expanding move- the Aquino ment against the pork barrel regime is now comprise an important leap in severely iso- the widespread participation of lated from ordinary folk in political action. The people's burgeoning an- ger is rooted in the deepening and expanding socio-economic

In this issue...

Protests greet key US officials 5

Raid and ambush in ComVal and Agusan Sur 8

Antimining datu in Davao del Sur killed 11 crisis. It demonstrates the limit- The Filipino people must ad- countable for defending the rot- ed capability of the Aquino re- vance their national-democrat- ten system of corruption. gime's propaganda to deceive ic struggle against bureaucrat The united front of forces and lull the people into believing capitalist corruption. The ex- opposed to corruption and the its promises of "righteous road" pansion of the protest move- pork barrel system must be fur- reform even as the system and ment against the pork barrel ther expanded. The progres- the ruling reactionary state are and corruption must encourage sive and revolutionary forces putrefying. the further expansion and in- must march at the forefront of Aquino's attempts to allevi- tensification of the economic the struggle against the pork ate the crisis have only suc- and political struggles of work- barrel and corruption. They ceeded in further infuriating ers, peasants and other ex- must maintain their own initia- the people and stoking the fires ploited and oppressed classes tive and standpoint even as of protest. His announcement for their democratic rights and they give their all in expanding that he would abolish the Prior- interests. links and cooperative relations ity Development Assistance Alongside their cry against with the democratic and posi- Fund (PDAF) infuriated the corruption, they must intensify tive forces generated by the people no end as he also de- the demand for social justice, broad protest movement. clared that he would maintain for land, jobs and humane wa- The sharpest criticisms and and "reform" the system of ges, for increasing funds allo- blows must be trained at the giving pork barrel funds to con- cated to public education, ruling Aquino regime which has gressmen. health services, subsidies for shrewdly benefited the most Despite the people's urgent farmers, housing for the urban from this system and is now de- cry, Aquino insists on maintain- poor and subsidizing the prices fending it to the fullest. The ing his own pork barrel that is of basic commodities, water, broad forces desirous of re- estimated at more than a tril- electricity and oil, among oth- form must be encouraged to lion pesos. The Aquino regime's ers. take a stand and take action. special accommodation of Janet They must thoroughly ex- Simultaneously, we must Lim-Napoles, widely believed to pose the Aquino regime's pre- sharply expose and resist the be one of the reactionary con- tensions, assail its anomalous reformists who cling to the gressmen and senators' co-con- use of state power for the bene- coattails of the ruling Aquino spirators in corruption, has al- fit of relatives and friends of the regime and pretend to be anti- so fueled the people's ire. ruling clique, and hold it ac- corruption, when their yellow leaders have, in fact, also ben- efited from corruption. We must expose the sys- ANG Contents temic and deeply seated cancer Editorial: Intensify and broaden of the country's social and po- Vol. XLIV No. 17 September 7, 2013 the struggle against Aquino’s corruption 1 litical system. We must amplify Protest versus pork barrel 3 the cry to end the pork barrel Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, Protests overseas 4 Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and system of Congress and Mala- English editions. Protests meet US official 5 cañang for corruption and po- It is available for downloading at Continuing mass protests 6 litical patronage. the Philippine Revolution Web Central Struggle vs oil palm plantation 8 located at: We must expose the roots Resume the NDFP-GPH peace talks! 8 of bureaucrat capitalism and www.philippinerevolution.org. Raid in ComVal and Agusan del Sur 9 Ambush in Kalinga 9 advance the demand to end the Ang Bayan welcomes contributions People’s war in Samar and Leyte 10 ruling semifeudal and semico- in the form of articles and news. Antifeudal struggles in Negros 11 Readers are likewise enjoined to send lonial system. We must raise in their comments and suggestions for Datu in Davao del Sur killed 11 the people's anger at the pork the betterment of our publication. You Bombing in Sagada 13 barrel to the level of wide- can reach us by email at: Int’l Day of the Disappeared marked 13 spread propaganda on the so- Security guard files raps vs military 14 [email protected] cial and historical roots of ram- Behn Cervantes, people’s artist 14 pant government corruption RPA-ABB’s “new face” 14 and link it to the anti-imperial- Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee ist, antifeudal and antifascist of the Communist Party of the struggle. ~

2 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 Fight against pork barrel ers wearing red shirts attended mass. Later, progressive groups intensifies marched to Mabini Circle. In , some 700 peo- ple gathered in front of the housands of people in 34 cities and towns throughout the coun- city's capitol. In a prayer rally in try launched protests on August 26 and expressed solidarity Roxas City, a poem entitled Twith what was dubbed as the to condemn "Huya man Ta (We should be corruption within the reactionary state. Ashamed)" was recited. It de- In , around other progressives continued picted the wide gap in lifestyles 75,000-100,000 people, peaking the rally. Similar rallies were between corrupt politicians and at 350,000, rallied in Luneta held in , General ordinary citizens. The Makaba- Park to show their contempt and Santos and . yan Coalition led the picket-ral- begin the series of widespread In Balanga City, 2,000 peo- ly in Crossing Banga in Kalibo, protests against the pork barrel ple attended a mass condemning Aklan. system perpetuated by the Aqui- the pork barrel sysyem. In In Bicol, heavy rains faied to no regime. The protest involved Angeles City, 1,000 joined a stop students, farmers and oth- colorful scenes, banners, songs, people's mass and forum. In er sectors from holding a rally in slogans, and personalities. City, 500 pepole Legazpi City, Albay. Meanwhile, Sometime in the afternoon, marched from Columban College middle forces led protests in Na- more than 5,000 members of to Rizal Triangle. Around 500 ga City. progressive organizations members of the Siklistang Bu- In Eastern Visayas, protests marched to Mendiola and con- lakenyo rode towards the pro- were held in City at tinued their program there. vincial capitol before joining the the Remedios Trinidad Romual- In , up to 4,000 rally in Luneta Park. Cyclists al- dez (RTR) Plaza and in nearby held a rally in Plaza Indepen- so gathered in Aritaon, Nueva towns, while in Biliran, a signed dencia. In , Ecija. Protests by students and manifesto was issued against 3,000 marched from Normal other sectors were also held in the pork barrel. In Catbalogan Road to Plaza Pershing. The City, Pangasinan. City, protesters joined the run crowd swelled when people In Southern Tagalog, mass organized by the Samar Runners started arriving to join what was actions were held in Club. Meanwhile, young people dubbed as the "Nagkakaisa ang Lucena City; Dasma- held protests in front of the Syudad Laban sa mga Magnana- riñas, Bacoor and Ro- Center Mall in San Carlos Cigao kaw-Martsa ng mga sario, . Up City, members of progressive or- Zamboangueños Laban to 800 Pal- ganizations gathered at Rizal sa Korapsyon." aweños Park. In Cty, marched to- The news regarding the around 2,000 ward the squandering of pork barrel people wearing in funds first broke out in July 12. black shirts Puerto Prin- On July 17, members of the launched a rally. cesa City. Makabayan bloc were the first Onstage, sixteen Palaweños took notice to take a position against it in painters from of the anomalies involv- Congress. This was followed by Naghiliguyon sa ing funds generated calls from progressive organi- Negros (Dihon) from the Malampaya zations such as PAMALAKAYA, created a large natural gas field KMU and Kalikasan. On August mural (12x8 ft) found in the province. Resi- 2, Youth Act Now, an alliance depicting cor- dents of Calapan City orga- of youth groups, called for a ruption and the nized a convoy and gathered in series of noise barrages until people's poverty. the plaza. the pork barrel is abolished. In , In City, people The first noise barrage took around 2,000 gathered in Burnham place on August 16. On the people held a Park's Rose Garden, Mal- same day, UP teachers and rally in Rizal colm Square and Igorot Park. In professors held anti-pork bar- Park. Hundreds of students and Santiago City, Isabela, protest- rel activities. On August 23, a

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 3 youth march was launched in . Church of Manila (UMC); CM Recto Avenue in Ma- All these led to the colorful and creative protest nila (in front of the University of the East-Recto); action on August 26, with its marches, motor- Pedro Gil corner ; Avenue in cades, singing, plays, petition-signing, group dis- Quezon City (near Miriam College and Ateneo de cussions, teach ins and more. Manila University); University of the Philippines, in The activity was followed by a call for a coordi- front of the Arts and Sciences Building; Taft corner nated and large-scale noise barrage on August 30 Vito Cruz; and in . to be led by Youth Act Now. This was held in cam- Noise barrages were also held in Cebu, Davao, puses and other participating areas: United Bacolod, Pangasinan and others. ~

Protest actions overseas

utside the country, migrant Filipinos launched actions in sup- support by posting pictures on port of the call to abolish the pork barrel system. Most nota- the internet, even though mass Oble was the rally of Filipino-Americans in front of the grand actions are prohibited in the Ritz-Carlton Residences, where Jean Napoles, Janet Lim-Napoles' country. In Geneva, Switzer- daughter, resides in her own unit. Jean Napoles created a scandal land, migrant Filpino groups when she posted pictures on social networks like , flaunting held what they called an "End a grandiose lifestyle of expensive jewelry, cars, parties and the like. the Pork Solidarity Picnic" in Lac Leman. Anakbayan- led In Australia, Filipino stu- Led by the Global Alliance of the rally and issued a state- dents held two separate rallies , protests ment calling for the Aquino re- in Melbourne, one in front of the were simultaneously held in gime to prioritize the people's State Library in Victoria and an- Washington DC, San Francisco, needs and stop government of- other at the Australian National New York and Hawaii in the US; ficials from squandering and Univeristy in Canberra City. Montreal, Canada; , UK; using public funds to support In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Fil- Rome, Italy; Bucharest, Roma- extravagant lifestyles. Mem- ipino migrants wore white shirts nia; and Jeddah in Saudi bers of the Filipino Migrant to work as their form of protest. Arabia; , Thailand; and Center (FMC) joined the rally. In , migrant Filipi- in , Hongkong and Viet- According to the FMC, the Los nos managed to express their nam. ~ Angeles rally is part of the In- ternational Day of Action for the Abolition of the Pork Barrel. Not far from the Ritz-Carl- ton, more than 200 Filipino- Americans gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate to ex- press their disgust at corrup- tion in the Philippines. Mean- while, more than 150 people protested in front of the Philip- pine Consulate in New York. They submitted petitions against the pork barrel. More than 200 Filipinos from France, Great Britain, the US, Canada, Hongkong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, United Arab Emir- ates and Malaysia signed the petition.

4 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 ship deployments not only in Protests greet key Asia, but even those in Africa and Afghanistan. US officials According to its website, the COMLOG WESTPAC is a service rotests greeted Chuck Hagel, secretary of the US Department base for arming, providing re- of Defense, in his visit to the country last August 29-30. Activ- pair and food to thousands of Pists marched to the US embassy in Manila to express their ob- American troops permanently jection to the new military agreement being crafted and to call for the stationed in Asian waters. immediate withdrawal of US troops from the country. The Philippines Starting in 2011, the US has al- was the last leg in Hagel's Asian tour. His visit aimed to prepare ready been rotating four large Asian countries for what is dubbed as the US "pivot" to Asia. US warships in Changi Naval Base. Prior to this, the US al- During his visit, Hagel cials of the Aquino regime, the ready had permanent use of an sought to formalize the Frame- lie that giving an increasing airport in Singapore for its war- work for Increased Rotational number of US troops access to planes. Despite the permanence Deployment and Enhanced De- Philippine waters, airspace and of its basing being obvious,the fense Cooperation, the most re- facilities does not equate to set- US still denies that it is keeping cent military treaty that would ting up foreign military bases. military bases in Singapore. allow the basing of an increas- This is nothing but a flimsy ex- The US is also using "troop ingly large number of US troops cuse to skirt the issue of violat- rotational presence" as cover in the Phillipines in the name of ing the country's sovereignty for establishing military bases in "increased rotational pres- and national territorial integri- Darwin, Australia in 2011. Cur- ence." The US and the Aquino ty, and circumvent its own laws rently, there are 600 US Mari- regime are using China's claim stating that any basing of for- nes on rotation for six-month to several territories in the eign troops in the country re- periods stationed inside a local South China Sea to justify the quires Senate approval. With or military base. The US seeks to agreement. The regime claims without the agreement, the US increase its troops to 2,500 by that US presence will bring sta- already has troops regularly en- 2015. As in the case of Singapo- bility to the country, although tering and staying in Philippine re, the US is also denying that it the US has always stated that waters, even without informing has military bases in Australia. its assistance to the Philippines and obtaining permission from Meanwhile, church people during international alterca- the puppet Aquino regime. under the Initiatives for Peace tions is "not automatic." Nei- The "Framework Agree- (InPeace) and the Sisters Asso- ther the US nor Aquino could ment" that the US and the Aqui- ciation in Mindanao (SAMIN) deny that US presence in the re- no regime are currently pushing expressed opposition to pro- gion only serves to heighten ten- for is no different from agree- posals to base drones in Minda- sion between China and other ments the US has had with other nao and to the US drone pro- Southeast countries in the Asia-Pacific. In gram in general. At the same Asia na- 2005, Singapore signed the time, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte re- tions. Strategic Framework Afreement fused the US' request to use the The US for a Closer Cooperation Part- old Davao City airport for its has re- nership in Defence and Security drones and warned that Davao peatedly which allowed the US to use the "will explode" if US troops main- stated, Changi Naval Base as a port and tained forces in the city. in tandem base for warship repair. Prior to In Zamboanga City, Mayor with of- the agreement, the US had Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar fi- already based one of expressed her objection to the their command posts US troops' continuing presence in Singapore—the in her city. Since 2002, about Commander, Logis- 600-700 American troops have tics Group Western been permanently stationed in Pacific (COMLOG the city under the auspices of WESTPAC)—which the Joint Special Operations- coordinates all war- Task Force Philippines. ~

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 5 People's protests continue and Region IX-Zamboanga Pen- insula. or the past several weeks, workers, peasants, urban poor, fisher- In Quezon province, 225 Ffolk and minorities have been holding protest actions. members of the Ugnayan ng Magsasaka sa Gitnang Quezon Workers. Workers under the la since August by the Metro expressed opposition to Exec. Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) pick- Manila Development Authority Sec. Paquito Ochoa Jr.'s deci- eted in front of the National (MMDA) and Manila local gov- sion to cancel the Certificate of Capital Region Wage Board in ernment. According to the KMU, Land Ownership Awards (CLO- Malate, Manila on August 16 to the ban doubles the workers' As) to several farmers in Sam- condemn the measly increase in woes. It means an increase in paloc II, Sariaya. wages the board is set to ap- fares for the commuters and Last August, Ochoa sided prove for the year. The workers less income for the drivers. To with the Department of Agrari- demanded that House Bill 253, protest the ban, drivers and op- an Reform’s 2008 decision to re- seeking a `125 across-the- erators of more than 1,000 bus- turn a ten-hectare landholding board increase, be immediately es plying the Manila-Cavite to its previous owner. The deci- approved. route launched a strike and par- sion is based on a 1982 ordi- On August 13, the KMU alyzed the entire route for the nance categorizing the said land launched a protest to assail the whole morning of August 8. as "industrial," including the 0.6% increase in Social Security Peasants. On August 20, land of six farming families. A System contributions and the more than 500 small coconut similar case involving more than change in the "sharing scheme" farmers marched from the De- 250 farmers from Sariaya has from 70-30 to 50-50. Contribu- partment of Agriculture (DA) of- been filed with Ochoa's office. tions are set to increase by up to fice to the Aquino family's house According to the Quezon `30 a month for minimum wage in Quezon City to denounce the farmers, Ochoa's decision mere- earners in Metro Manila. The in- planned use of the `305 million ly demonstrates that the land crease in contributions will not coco levy fund to put up the distribution in February in San be used to raise members' bene- agro-industrial estate project in Narciso, Buenavista and San fits but will instead be used to five regions. The farmers belong Andres was nothing but a big pay the SSS' `1.1 trillion debt. to the Bicol Coconut Planters show. According to the Kilusang According to the workers, in- Association Inc. (BCPAI) and Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, the stead of increasing monthly con- Pinag-isang Lakas ng mga Mag- land distribution in Hacienda tributions, the SSS should use sasaka sa Quezon (Piglas-Que- Luisita might end in CLOA can- its past years’ earnings. In zon). The protest coincided with cellation just like what hap- 2010, the institution earned the 40th founding anniversary pened in Quezon. `345 million from workers' con- of the Coconut Consumers Sta- Urban poor and fisherfolk. tributions. The SSS earns an es- bilization Fund (CCSF) which On August 17, residents under timated `20 billion per year, not was founded on August 20, the Close Petron Depot Move- including the estimated `8.5 1973. Through the CCSF, a fee ment demanded the immediate million that capitalists fail to re- of `15 per 100 kilos of copra closure of the Petron Depot in mit to the institution. was extorted from small coconut Rosario, Cavite. This is in reac- The KMU added that the farmers. tion to the destruction brought workers should not bear the The US-Aquino regime incor- about by the oil spill from a Pet- burden of paying the SSS' debts porated the coco levy fund into ron pipeline on August 9. The oil that were incurred due to mis- the national budget without the spill destroyed livelihoods and management, nonperforming in- permission of coconut farmers. endangered the health of the ur- vestments, extravagance and Within the `2.3 billion budget ban poor and fisherfolk commu- corruption. They demanded that for the Philippine Cocomut Au- nity. The residents are enraged the practice of giving scandal- thority (PCA) for 2014, the that Petron refused to help and ous bonuses to the management amount of `305 million was ear- pay damages for the destruction be stopped. marked for the establishmenf of and offered loans instead Meanwile, workers, along "agro-industrial hubs" in Region through the Petron Loan Assist- with ordinary commuters, con- IV-CALABARZON, Region V-Bi- ance. tinue to deplore the ban of pro- col, Region VI-Western Visayas, Meanwhile, on August 9, the vincial buses inside Metro Mani- Region VIII-Eastern Visayas Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Pedi-

6 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 cab at Kuliglig Drivers and the Anti-Zero Vending Philex Mining Corporation Tailings Pond 3 (TP3). Policy Alliance denounced the Manila local govern- On August 1, 2012, the Philex TP3 collapsed, ment's attacks on their livelihood. Since ex-presi- spilling over 30 million tons of mining waste into dent Joseph Estrada took power, he has treated as the Balog Creek, the Agno River, San Roque Dam street trash vendors whose only crime is to try earn- and into the communities of San Manuel and San ing a decent living. Estrada plans to prohibit kuliglig Nicolas in Pangasinan. This was the second time (motorized pedicabs) from all thoroughfares and that waste spilled from the TP3. The mine tailings ban street vending. contain about 40% gold. Minority peoples. On August 7, more than 500 The PMC failed to completely clean up the mine Agusan Manobo rallied in front of the Armed For- wastes from the affected communities and com- ces of the Philippines-Eastern Mindanao Command pensate peasants who lost their livelihoods. The camp to demand the withdrawal of the 26th IB farmers could no longer plant on rice farms cov- from their community and an end to the food ered in sand and toxic chemicals. The PMC has blockade the military has imposed. The Lumad who been operating on 95 hectares of land in Benguet were then staying at an evacuation center in Dav- for 50 years and has destroyed the livelihoods of ao City are from the town of Loreto, Agusan del 14,000 Igorots. Sur. Most of them have contracted diseases and In related news, minority peoples launched a some have been hospitalized due to the unhealthy protest on August 1 in front of the office of the De- conditions in the evacuation center. The provincial partment of Environment and Natural Resources government is pressuring them to return to their (DENR) to denounce the continued Philex opera- community despite the intense militarization. tions, a year after the mine spill. The CPA criti- The entry of the New Britain Palm Oil Limited cized the DENR and its Mines and Geosciences Bu- (NBOL) in Loreto has been identified as the reason reau for allowing Philex to once again use the TP3. for the militarization. The company's expansion The Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan plans in Asia involve 11 Loreto barangays. It in- ng Pilipinas (KAMP) likewise criticized the US- tends to use Barangay Sta. Teresa as a pilot test Aquino regime for its continued use of public funds area and demonstration farm. The Aquino govern- to finance the PMC. In 2009, the Development ment has also permitted a Chinese company, the Bank of the Philippines (DBP) lent `660 million to Seng Hong Exploration, to explore for natural gas Roberto V. Ongpin to purchase DBP shares in PMC. deposits on 750,000 hectares of the Agusan The Social Security System (SSS) and DBP previ- Marsh, including Loreto town. ously owned 24% of PMC shares in 2009, with a Meanwhile, in the Ilocos-Cordillera Region combined value of `9.3 billion. The SSS remains (ICR), the Cordillera People's Alliance (CPA) con- one of Philex's main stockholders, holding 20.58% tinues to demand a complete stop to the use of the of company shares. ~

Struggles in oil palm plantation continues

he workers’ union at the Filipinas Oil Palm Plantation (FPPI) In related news, the Center succeeded in having 293 of its members reinstated. The work- for Trade Union and Human Ters were illegally terminated in October 2012. Rights (CTHUR) condemned the US-Aquino regime’s anti-child The workers were fired after practices. This included the labor program for failing to stop they gave testimony to inspect- company's refusal to release the use of child labor in oil palm ors from the Department of La- their benefits and the absence plantations. According to the bor and Employment regarding of protective gear for its 600 CTUHR, in 2012, twenty-four the widespread violations of la- plantation workers. percent of workers in FPPI were bor laws in the plantation. The laid-off workers were minors. The child workers, In November 2012, the un- rehired as casuals, and thus, whose ages range from 5 to 17 ion launched a strike to demand lack job security. The union years, receive wages lower than the reinstatement of their mem- president said they would con- the minimum and endure long- bers and protest the company's tinue the fight to regularize all term contractualization, even low wages and unjust labor the plantation's workers. as they take on the same jobs as

ANG BAYAN SEptember 7, 2013 7 regular workers. This situation persists up Peace advocates push to the present. For example, for hauling and harvesting, for resumption of NDFP-GPH talks children carry palm oil bunches of up to 15 kilos. undreds proceeded to from the Quezon Memori- They work for up to 8-10 Hal Circle on September 2 to push for the resumption of peace hours a day carrying up to 50 talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines fruit bunches for `150 or (NDFP) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH). The activity `3/bunch. was conducted to support calls for a just and lasting peace in the Due to their hard working country. It was led by the newly established Citizens Alliance for conditions, the children suffer Peace (CALL for JUST PEACE), an alliance of peace advocates from from wounds, sunburn and different parts of the country. The NDFP negotiating panel fully sup- sprains. They also develop eye ported the activity and its calls. and respiratory problems. The NDFP is still open to resume peace talks with the US-Aquino The CTUHR demanded that regime despite the GPH's contempt for key agreements, including the the hiring of minors be Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). There stopped and that the children are 15 NDFP peace talks consultants who have been illegally arrest- be given the opportunity to go ed and are currently detained in various prisons nationwide. Among to school. the newest detainees is Loida Magpatoc, 52, NDFP consultant from Child labor is prevalent in Far South Mindanao. Magpato is currently detained at Camp Bagong the agricultural sector in gener- Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City. al. Last year, the International In related news, the NDFP celebrated the 21st anniversary of The Labor Organization reported Hague Joint Declaration which was signed on September 1, 1992. The that children make up half of the declaration set the framework for the peace talks, including the talks' sector’s workers. ~ substantive agenda and its proper sequencing. ~

Raid and ambush in Comval gust 24 for humanitarian rea- sons. Arigonan was captured on and Agusan del Sur August 2 in Barangay Mapaang of the said town. ed fighters successfully launched a series of military actions in Loreto, Agusan del Sur. Ele- Mabini, Monkayo and Laak in Compostela Valley and Loreto, ments of the 26th IB and 71st RAgusan del Sur from July 24 to August 27, killing 23 soldiers IB suffered 27 casualties from and wounding 17. the military actions launched in Loreto by the ComVal-North Mabini, Compostela Valley. Party municipal coordinatorfor Davao-South Agusan Subregion- Six troops from the 71st IB of Barangay San Isidro, Mawab, al Command of the NPA from Ju- the 1001st Bde were killed and Compostela Valley who was ly 27 to August 8. five wounded after operatives killed on May 25 and Ramil Lin- Five soldiers from the Comval-Davao Gulf tas, a motorcycle driver from from the 26th IB Subregional Command of the Barangay Calabcab, Maco, were killed and New People's Army detonated Compostela Valley who was one wounded when explosives inside the soldiers' killed on July 25. Elements of guerrillas ambushed camp in Barangay Pangibiran, the Military Intelligence Bat- their unit in Baran- Mabini, Compostela Valley on talion of the 1001st Bde gay Kauswagan on Au- August 5. The action was car- killed both men. gust 8. Between July 28 ried out to obtain justice for Meanwhile, the and August 7, the NPA the victims of gross human NPA released PFC Ro- launched seven sniping op- rights violations in the province dello Arigonan of the erations in Barangay Sabud and the extrajudicial killings of 71st IB in Purok 1, and Mansanitas. Four ele- civilians. These civilians in- Barangay Panga- ments from the 26th IB were clude Eddie Cayon, Anakpawis nan, Maco on Au- killed and two more wound-

8 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 ed. On August 1, another four were killed and eight wound- NPA ambushes abusive soldiers ed after Red fighters set-off a command-detonated explo- in Kalinga sive under a military truck carrying elements of the 26th wo soldiers were killed and three wounded in an ambush IB in Barangay Pangat. Tlaunched by Red fighters belonging to the Abrahan Banna- Two soldiers and an ele- wagan Front of the New People's Army (ABF-NPA) around 2 p.m. ment of the paramilitary Ba- of August 30 in Barangay Dupag, Lubuangan, Kalinga. gani Force were killed after Killed were Cpl. Dominador Concordia and Pfc. Rey Ragas and the NPA launched three hara- wounded were 2Lt. Czar Carsido, Pfc Marnel Laganga and sment operations against a Kennedy Sallaya. They were ambushed near Sitio Tumiangan, Ba- team of the 76th IB in Sityo rangay Dupag. Onion, Barangay Binucayan According to Ka Tipon Gil-ayab, Leo Cawilan Provincial Com- on July 27. mand spokesperson, the ambush was carried out as punishment Monkayo, Compostela against the 17th IB for forcing the residents of Dupag to enlist in Valley. Red fighters launched the CAFGU. The unit also incited a tribal war between Lubuagan successive harassment oper- and Mabongtot. ations against a detachment Inciting tribal wars to sow discord among the people is one of of the 72nd IB in Barangay the sinister schemes of the AFP and its mercenaries in the local Casoon, Monkayo on August government, added Gil-ayab. The military carries out this scheme 27 and another detachment as the minority peoples forge stronger ties against destructive of the 60th IB in Barangay power and mining companies, and as militarization intensifies in Katipunan, Laak on August their communities. 26. A CAFGU element was Elements of the 17th IB immediately launched indiscriminate killed and a soldier from the attacks against barangays near Dupag. They fired shots from 72nd IB in charge of the CAF- M203 grenade launchers and destroyed houses and other posses- GU was wounded. sions of the Mabongtot people. The military actions were Meanwhile, two elements of the Public Safety Mobile Battal- part of the continuing cam- ion of the Cordillera Police were wounded in an encounter with an paign against large-scale and NPA unit under the Leonardo Pacsi Command in Barangay Aguid, destructive biofuel and palm Sagada, Mountain Province on the morning of August 29. oil projects, as well as mining To offset their defeat, soldiers and police from the Cordillera operations along the border Police Office launched clearing operations and dropped bombs on Agusan del Sur-Compostela Barangay Aguid's forested and watershed areas using helicopter Valley border. ~ gunships. ~

People's war advances in Leyte, Samar

uerrilla warfare in Leyte and Samar province continues to and three of his men. There rage and lead the US-Aquino regime's Oplan Bayanihan to have been numerous complaints Gfailure. Red fighters under the Mt. Amandewin Command against abusive and corrupt (NPA-Leyte) and Arnulfo Ortiz Command (NPA-Samar province) con- Paranas policemen. Another sistently launched tactical offensives. NPA unit executed the decision of the people's court against Sr. In Samar province. Twenty- belonging to the 87th IB were Insp Severino Solis last March four soldiers were killed and 13 wounded when Red fighters am- 16 in Catbalogan City. were wounded in encounters be- bushed them in Barangay Ag- Eleven soldiers were killed tween the NPA and AFP troops balati, Catbalogan City. and one wounded in successive from November 2012 to May Last May 30, the Red fight- firefights between the NPA and 2013. ers ambushed Chief Insp. Doug- 87th IB in Barangays San An- Last April 22, seven soldiers las Eloja, PNP chief of Paranas dres and Hagbay in San Jose de

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 9 Buan last March 11 and 13. sualties—28 killed and 23 wounded—in five NPA Another seven soldiers were killed when the tactical offensives from October 2012 to March NPA ambushed combined elements of the 87th IB 2013. and 81st CMO Company between Barangays Can- Last October 17, twelve soldiers belonging to vais and Sto. Niño, Motiong. Last March 5, four the 78th IB were slain and 15 wounded when the troopers were killed and another four wounded NPA ambushed them in Barangay Antipolo, Al- when the Red fighters harassed the said unit in buera. Last December 6, 2012, twelve soldiers Barangay Canvais. were likewise killed and another three were Two soldiers were killed and another wounded wounded in simultaneous NPA attacks against the when the NPA ambushed 43rd IB troops in 78th IB in Barangay Antipolo and against the 19th Barangay Bagacay, Matuguinao. Last November IB Alpha Company in Barangay Rubas, Jaro. 27, 2012, the NPA executed the death penalty Five soldiers were killed and four wounded in against a spy, Laguyo dela Cruz and confiscated sucessive gunbattles between the NPA and the his M2 carbine rifle and .45 cal pistol. 19th IB Charlie Company in Barangay Liberty, Or- In Leyte. The 8th ID suffered a total of 51 ca- moc. ~

sack of charcoal. A `5 per sack Antifeudal struggles interest on loans was also abol- ished. More than 2,000 families in Southwest Negros or around 8,000 individuals in nine barangays benefited from ntifeudal struggles were launched in different parts of South- this campaign. They were also west Negros last 2012 as part of the campaign to thwart and able to influence other Afrustrate the onslaught of the Aquino regime's Oplan Bayani- barangays to launch their own han. An estimated 1,500 families or about 15,000 individuals in the struggles. guerrilla front directly benefited. Meanwhile, in banana-plant- ing areas, compradors buy each A propaganda-education mined by merchants and are bahig of bananas (eight to nine campaign, petition-signing and ways of underbuying the farm- bunches of first class bananas mass mobilization were first im- ers' produce. comprising around 100 pieces) plemented to drive out the de- Particularly in the case of at `20 to `25. Selling bananas structive big foreign mining the charcoal makers in several is the source of income of almost companies. Later, the New Peo- barangays in Southwest Negros, 80% of families in three ple's Army launched tactical of- middle men frequently buy their barangays. fenisives against Philex Mining products for `30 up to `35 per After negotiations, the farm- Corp. and Maricalum Mining sack. They then impose a ers were able to gain a `5-in- Corp. `5-`10 markup per sack A mass campaign was also when they sell the char- launched to raise the wages of coal to merchants. The farm workers as well as sugar price per sack of charcoal cane plantation workers, to in the city comes to `150- raise prices of agricultural pro- `300. The charcoal mak- duce like coffee, banana and ers earn only around `20 charcoal and to reduce the re- to `70 per day while the sikada and tarha in copra. Re- merchants amass around sikada refers to the percentage `1,000 to `1,500 per of the weight of copra corre- day. sponding to the moisture con- Through their collec- tent. Tarha refers to the weight tive action, the farmers of the jute sack which is deduct- were able to demand from ed from the overall weight of the the middle men and mer- copra. In most cases, resikada chants a `5 to `25 in- and tarha are arbitrarily deter- crease in the price per

10 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 crease in the price of every Antimining datu in Davao bahig, with the volume of each bahig reduced from eight to del Sur slain nine bunches to only three to four bunches. Three barangays wo antimining mass leaders and a lawyer became victims of directly gained from this cam- human rights violations while a student leader was harassed paign. Tby soldiers. These were the more striking violations this Au- On the other hand, coconut gust. merchants reduce from 10% to 12% resikada from the total August 31. A human rights Victor went back to the house weight of the copra, dried or lawyer was slain by a police- and was shot to death by the otherwise. However, they do man. Atty. John Mark Espera, soldiers. Anting sustained 17 not use moisture meters. Aside 39, was shot by PO3 Jose bullet wounds and Victor, 18. from this, weighing scales are Suarez in Barangay Pu-ao, Datu Anting fought fiercely rigged. There are also cases Hamtic, Antique. The lawyer against the destructive mining where the weight in kilograms was declared dead on arrival operations of Glencore-SMI- of bananas is counted by multi- at a hospital. Atty Edre Olalia, Xstrata. ples of five, and where the odd secretary-general of the Na- Task Force Kitaco is also weight of bananas is still taken tional Union of Peoples’ responsible for the killing of by the merchants but not paid Lawyers (NUPL) and its Iloilo antimining activist Juvy Capi- for. chapter condemned Espera's on and two of her children last All this has changed. After killing. October 2012 and the death of negotiating with 15 small and big Suarez, who is assigned to Kitari and Diyo Capion last banana merchants and with the the Tobias Fornier police sta- January. Also in July 28, Datu Local Government Unit (LGU), a tion, is currently detained at Anting's eldest son Eking and Memorandum of Agreement the Antique Provincial Police his son-in-law survived an at- (MoA) was drawn up explicitly Office. tempted ambush. The culprits indicating that resikada and August 23. Elements of were CAFGU elements under tarha would be pegged at 3%. Task Force Kitaco (a group of Task Force Kitaco. Rigged weighing scales were soldiers under the 39th IB August 23. A student prohibited. The waki (the odd guarding mining companies) leader of the Polytechnic Uni- bananas) should also be paid for. killed Datu Anting Freay, 60, versity of the Philippines Around 1,500 families or 15,000 and his son Victor Freay, 16, (PUP) in Lopez, Quezon was individuals within the guerrilla in the upland area of Kibla- harassed by the military. Mark zone directly benefited. wan, Davao del Sur. Task Anda, Supreme Student Coun- Wages of farm workers and Force Kitaco guards the min- cil member of PUP-Lopez and sugarcane workers were also in- ing firm Glencore-SMI-Xstrata an organizer of the Kabataan creased. Small landlords, loan which operates in the munici- Party was maliciously accused sharks and rich peasants agreed palities of Kiblawan, Davao del by the Philippine Army 85th IB to pay an additional `3 to `20 Sur; Tampakan, South Cotaba- of conspiring with the revolu- in the daily wages (`100-`120 to; and Columbio, Sultan Ku- tionary movement. In a forum per day) of men, women and darat. launched by soldiers in the children. When the price of sug- According to Kiit, Datu campus, Anda was directly ac- ar goes up, their wages would Anting's wife, it was early cused in front of the students also automatically be raised to morning when their house in of being a recruiter for the `130 to `150 per day. Sitio Bulol, Barangay Kimlawis New People's Army. They used to receive an `80 of the said town was strafed. The alliance of student to `100 daily wage, with women The soldiers were just three councils in PUP strongly con- and children earning even less. meters away from their house demned Anda's harassment Some were being paid only `15 when they started shooting. and denounced the entry of per day for weeding in peanut When Kiit saw that her hus- soldiers in PUP-Lopez, which is or corn fields. More than 250 band was dead, she immedi- a clear violation of the Pru- familes or 1,250 indibiduals ately fled with her two other dente-Ramos agreement and benefited. ~ children. But their other son, the LFS-DND Accord prohibit-

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 11 ing the presence of any element of the Armed beaten with truncheons and forcibly thrown into a Forces of the Philippines in any university. The sol- police patrol car. diers also violated RA 7610 prohibiting the military When Epa's lawyer and relatives went to the from building outposts, barracks or any other mil- police station the day after, they were told that itary facility inside campuses. Epa had already left. A different name, however, August 21. A member of the Katribu Party was was listed in the police blotter. He remains missing abducted by police in Nueva Vizcaya. Bryan Epa, to date. 34, was forcibly taken by six policemen at around Epa actively fought against destructive mining. 9 a.m. in Barangay Salvacion Dumlao Boulevard in In fact, he joined a barricade in 2007 to prevent Bayombong. According to witnesses, Epa was arbi- the entry of vehicles belonging to a mining firm in trarily arrested because he was allegedly acting their area. He is also active in the fight against the suspiciously. When Epa resisted, a policeman operations of Buena Suerte Mining Co. and Royal- punched him and began dragging him. Epa was co Philippines Inc., an Australian mining firm oper- able to grab the post of a sarisari store, but was ating in Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. ~

said all AFP and PNP officials in- Civilians suffer from Sagada volved in violating the Compre- hensive Agreement on Respect bombings for Human Rights and Interna- t is the civilians who suffered the most due to the extensive tional Humanitarian Law should Ibombings and military operations in the northern barangays of be held responsible for the wan- Sagada and Bontoc, Mountain Province last August 29-30. Com- ton bombings and strafing of bined forces of the Philipine National Police in Mountain Province, civilians and the destruction of Benguet and Abra and Task Force Tadian under the 5th ID are re- the people's crops and proper- sponsible for the onslaught. ties. It called on the Red fighters and people's militia to mete The children were also Sagada's villages were not more blows on the fascist traumatized after two helicop- spared from the bombings. troops of the reactionary gov- ter gunships continuously Aside from this, farm ani- ernment in order to defend the dropped bombs in northern mals grazing at the slope of ancestral lands and the rights Sagada, Dalican and Mainit in Mount Demang have gone and resources of the Cordilleran Bontoc. missing. Hunters have also people. ~ Proof of the military opera- been prevented from in- tion's antipeople objective is specting the traps they the targeting of the local irri- had set for wild boar. gation system. Parts of the Nevertheless, the mili- communal irrigation system tary operations failed to had already been destroyed in wipe out the Red fighters Mabileng because of the recent of the New People's Army typhoons and torrential rains. who were temporarily It suffered further damage based in the area while when it was targeted by the other units were dis- bombings and when civilians persed to assist the peas- who were repairing the damage ants in rehabilitating were strafed. Even the smaller their farms and water water systems in Ambuchaaw system. and Demang in Aguid, Sagada; The Leonardo Pacsi Pakanan, Mainit, Bontoc; and Command (NPA-Mountain in Matbo and Mapagpag in Da- Province) strongly con- lican, Bontoc were bombed. demned the bombings and Even streams that served as the extensive military op- sources of potable water for erations. The command

12 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 Marking the International Day Behn Cervantes, people's artist of the Disappeared ifferent sectors paid tribute to Ka Behn Cervantes, THE Families of the Desaparecidos for Dpeople's artist. He dedicated his art to the advance- Justice commemorated the International ment of the rights and welfare of the workers and the en- Day of the Disappeared last August 30 by tire people, and to national freedom and democracy. He holding discussion programs at Palma passed away last August 15 at the age of 74 due to pneu- Hall of the University of the Philippines in monia and diabetes. Diliman, Quezon City. Photos narrating the lives and struggles of the desapareci- In the 1970s, Ka Behn ed the deplorable condi- dos and their families were again exhibit- was an active member of tions of farm workers in Ne- ed, and the call to end extrajudicial Samahan ng Demokratikong gros. Those who paid trib- killings and other forms of human rights Kabataan (SDK). He was ute recalled the extensive violations aired. one of the founders of Gin- help Ka Behn gave in shat- "How long are we going to search?" tong Silahis, SDK's theater tering the terror caused by This is the question constantly on the group and actively en- the widespread arrest and minds of relatives of desaparecidos who gaged in friendly competi- incarceration of KMU lead- continue in their search and fight for jus- tion with KM's cultural ers and organizers on Au- tice. They said that several regimes have group. He created, wrote gust 13, 1982. In 1983, come and gone, but up to the current and directed the musical Sigaw ng Bayan, a play Aquino regime, disappearances and Barikada that depicted the written by Bonifacio Ilagan killings persist and their missing loved Diliman Commune in 1971. was staged at the Araneta ones have yet to be surfaced. He suported the comradely Coliseum under his direc- They are disappointed over the fact and militant collaboration tion. Around 25,000 work- that although there is now a law criminal- of SDK and KM. When the ers and urban poor izing enforced disappearances, the law Cultural Bureau of the watched it, breaking the has failed to put an end to disappear- Communist Party of the climate of fear created by ances or surface their abducted relatives. Philippines (CPP) was es- the US-Marcos dictator- The persistence of abduction and tablished to consolidate in ship. This provided the killings, the culture of impunity and the a single program the na- KMU with significant mo- protection enjoyed by perpetrators like tional democratic move- mentum to further expand Gen. Jovito Palparan are concrete indica- ment's cultural groups, Ka its ranks and fight. tions that human rights will continue to be Behn became an active Ka Behn joined various trampled upon. Under the Aquino regime, member of the revolution- mass actions against the there have been 17 victims of forced dis- ary party of the proletariat. US-Marcos dictatorship. apperances and killings. The latest case The most prominent After the latter's fall, he was the abduction of activist Bryan Epa of among his works of art is persistently took part in Nueva Vizcaya last August 21. the film Sakada that depict- mass struggles.

3 generals criminally charged

SECURITY guard Rolly Mira Panesa, 48, filed crim- officials were involved in his illegal arrest and tor- inal charges at the Department of Justice against ture and his 11-month incarceration. He was pre- 11 military and civilian personnel in the first week sented to the public as Benjamin Mendoza, al- of September. The respondents include three high- legedly the secretary of the Southern Tagalog Re- ranking AFP officials: Chief of Staff Gen. Em- gional Party Committee with a `5.6 million bounty manuel Bautista; Maj. Gen Alan Luga, former chief for his capture. His rights were violated. Before of the Southern Luzon Command and currently the court issued its release order on August 27, AFP's Vice Chief of Staff; and Maj. Gen. Eduardo General Bautista had given out up to `19 million in del Rosario, chief of the Philippine Army 2nd ID. reward monies to informants who had helped in According to Panesa, who was recently ordered the capture of alleged communist leaders, includ- released by the Court of Appeals, the respondent ing Mendoza.

ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013 13 RPA-ABB reinvents itself

THE counterrevolutionary renegade group Revo- protest. lutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Despite its reinvention, RPA members still Brigade (RPA-ABB)-Veronica Tabara-Stephen freely move around armed purportedly for se- Paduano Faction now has a new name. Accord- curity reasons. The name change is just a cov- ing to Ka Amos Sierra of the Media Bureau of er to conceal its role as hired killers and as NPA-Negros' Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, rabid dogs of the Armed Forces of the Philip- the renegade group now calls itself KAPATIRAN pines and Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) (Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan) or in its campaign against the revolutionary “Brotherhood for Social Progress.” movement. To make itself appear legal and unarmed, its In 2012, the RPA assassinated Judge Henry Ar- party, the Abang Lingkod Partylist, participated in les of the Regional Trial Court-Kabankalan City at the elections last May. However, its first nominee, the behest of John Paul Alvarez, then mayor and Stephen Paduano a.k.a. Carapali Lualhati, alleged- currently vice mayor of Ilog, . ly the RPA's national commander has been pre- The Arles and Alvares families are bitter political vented from holding office because of an electoral rivals.

14 ANG BAYAN September 7, 2013