January 21, 2011
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Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo English Edition Vol. XLII No. 2 January 21, 2011 www.philippinerevolution.net Editorial Attain peace based on justice and progress he preliminary talks between the National IG), which includes guaranteeing immunity from Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) arrest of NDFP consultants who have gone into Tand the Government of the Republic of the hiding and facilitatng the release of detained Philippines (GPH) on January 14-18 in Oslo, Nor- consultants. The two sides also affirmed all previ- way bore fruit as the two panels agreed to pro- ous agreements, agreed to commence negotia- ceed to the formal talks on February 15-21 and tions on socio-economic reforms and revive the implement a concurrent ceasefire. Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) to oversee The talks had been suspended for the past six both parties' compliance with the Comprehensive years due to the Arroyo regime's collusion with Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and In- the US to include the Communist Party of the ternational Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). The Philippines (CPP), New People's Army (NPA) and GPH also expressed its openness to accede to the NDFP chief political consultant Jose Ma. Sison in NDFP's demand to have other political detainees the US' terrorist listing. The regime also persist- released. ently violated past agreements and relentlessly The GPH peace panel agreed to guarantee the waged counterrevolutionary war, sowed terror and liberty and participation in the peace talks of perpetrated human rights violations. It likewise three NDFP consultants (Rafael Baylosis, Randall showed no interest in Echanis and Vicente Ladlad). resolving the political, They had been attend- socio-economic ing talks and consul- and other roots tations on vari- of the civil war ous agenda re- raging in the lated to the country. negotiations Albeit before being difficult, the slapped preliminary with talks have trumped-up had positive murder char- results. For ges. To avoid one, the Aquino govern- state persecution, ment has explicitly stated they were forced to go that it does not consider the into hiding after arrest war- CPP, NPA and Sison as ter- rants were issued against rorists. The GPH peace them. One of them, Echa- panel has pledged to nis, was arrested in Janu- comply with the Joint ary 2009 and temporarily Agreement on Safety and released in August 2010. Immunity Guarantees (JAS- The GPH peace panel has CPP to challenge CPP slams 'midnight This issue’s privatization program NPA seizes 15 arraignment' for in peace talks firearms PAGE 7 highlights... Ka Bart PAGE 3 PAGE 4 also promised to expedite the release of 14 other consultants within the first two rounds of the formal talks. They are Eme- terio Antalan, Jovencio Balweg, Edwin Brigano, Pedro Codaste, Edgardo Friginal, Angelina Ipong, Randy Malayao, Alfredo Mapano, Glicerio Pernia, Maria Luisa Pucray, Eduardo Sarmien- to, Eduardo Serrano and Jaime Soledad. All of them are NDFP consultants who were arrested staff, the NDFP has requested garding compliance with the after the Arroyo regime sus- that the GPH comply totally JASIG that must be raised in fu- pended its compliance with the with the JASIG by stopping ture talks. The Aquino govern- JASIG in 2004. Added to this criminal proceedings against ment must solve the abduction list is Tirso “Ka Bart” Alcantara, consultants and other JASIG- of other NDFP consultants, the Southern Tagalog region's protected NDFP personnel to en- among them Leo Velasco, Roge- representative to the peace able them to freely participate lio Calubad and Prudencio Ca- talks, who was arrested on Jan- in the peace negotiations. Many lubid and their staff. One of Ca- uary 4 under the Aquino regime, of these consultants had been lubid's companions who was even after the GPH had resumed branded as “enemies of the able to escape has testified on compliance with the JASIG. state” and slapped with how they were seized and tor- Considering the ruling re- trumped-up charges under the tured and how his comrades gime's reactionary character and previous regime's “legal offen- were summarily executed. The the sheer number of issues that sive.” abduction and torture of NDFP have to be resolved and over The NDFP must also demand consultants and staff and the which the GPH must be held ac- from the GPH the release of CPP, continued refusal to surface countable, the NDFP must con- NDFP and NPA officers and mem- them is a despicable violation of tinuously demand and ensure bers arrested during the Decem- the JASIG and CARHRIHL and the GPH's fulfillment of its prom- ber 16-January 3 ceasefire. the overall peace process. ises. This, the NDFP must do be- Their arrests while traveling, In accordance with the fore forging other agreements. visiting loved ones or seeking CARHRIHL, the revolutionary Foremost among the agree- medical attention are but a few forces also demand the immedi- ments that the GPH must com- of the many violations of the ate release of close to 400 polit- ply with are the JASIG and the GPH armed forces to the provi- ical detainees, just as the Aqui- CARHRIHL. sions of the concurrent cease- no regime had released around Aside from the release of de- fire. 400 military detainees who had tained NDFP consultants and There are other issues re- rebelled against the Arroyo re- gime. The concrete methods of releasing the political detainees ANG must likewise be discussed. Contents Their release must not be condi- Vol. XLII No. 2 January 21, 2011 Editorial tioned on any form of humilia- Attain peace based on justice and tion, such as forced admissions Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, progress 1 of guilt. Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and ‘Midnight arraignment' for Ka Bart 3 English editions. The GPH must also comply CPP to challenge privatization 4 It is available for downloading at with a long-standing provision the Philippine Revolution Web Central Protests vs MRT, LRT fare hikes 5 of the CARHRIHL to indemnify located at: Too little, too late 5 www.philippinerevolution.net. Barricades to stop mining operations 6 victims of human rights viola- Ang Bayan welcomes contributions Landgrabbing in Aurora 6 tions under the Marcos dictator- in the form of articles and news. NPA seizes 15 firearms 7 ship. The NDFP must extract a Readers are likewise enjoined to send in their comments and suggestions for CPP 42nd anniversary in FSMR 7 concrete commitment from the the betterment of our publication. You AFP, not NPA violated the reciprocal GPH to comply with this provi- can reach us by email at: ceasefire 8 sion within the year. Giving [email protected] News 9 proper indemnification to the Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee victims forms but part of their of the Communist Party of the Philippines quest for justice and is not be- 2 ANG BAYAN January 21, 2011 ing done in exchange for with- drawing all cases against the Marcoses. Granting indemnifica- CPP slams 'midnight arraignment' tion to opportunist groups for Ka Bart whose only interest is to claim he Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) assailed the the money and abandon all de- TArmed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for attempting a mands for justice does not con- “midnight arraignment” of National Democratic Front of the stitute compliance with the Philippines (NDFP) consultant Tirso “Ka Bart” Alcantara. CARHRIHL. “Ka Bart was rushed to RTC Branch 59 on January 19 for The masterminds and main an instant arraignment in violation of his legal rights, as nei- perpetrators of extrajudicial kill- ther he nor his lawyers were informed about it,” said the CPP. ings, abductions, torture, terror- Executive Judge Eloida de Leon-Diaz was, however, compelled ism and other fascist crimes to postpone the arraignment to March 1 after Ka Bart refused against activists, serious critics the services of a court-appointed lawyer. of the regime and even innocent “Obviously, it was an attempt to preempt an agreement to persons must be prosecuted, have Ka Bart and 12 other NDFP consultants released,” said tried and punished. The Arroyo the CPP. “The diehard fascist and reactionary forces want to regime's human rights violations block Alcantara's inclusion in the list of NDFP consultants to as well as continuing violations be released by the GPH.” under the current regime must Meanwhile, the CPP denied military reports that members be immediately and systemati- of the New People's Army attempted to rescue Alcantara on cally investigated, and the as- the night of January 18. The AFP claims to have arrested a sistance of human rights organ- certain Romulo Luna who was said to have gotten past sentry izations sought for this endeav- guards at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City carrying a hand gre- or. nade. Luna was supposed to have two companions who re- There must be continued vig- mained outside the military camp and immediately fled after ilance and opposition to the Luna was “caught.” maneuvers and dirty tactics of The CPP laughed off the AFP reports. “There was no such ultra-reactionaries and milita- thing as an attempt to rescue Ka Bart from detention. The Lu- rists within the Aquino regime na tale is obviously a crude and lunatic concoction by the AFP who want their counterrevolu- to impugn the legitimate demand of the NDFP to have Ka Bart tionary policies and measures to immediately released and cover up the continuing violations prevail and their fascist crimes, of his rights as an NDFP consultant in the peace talks.” human rights violations, demon- The CPP asked the media and other interested parties to ization of the revolutionary continue investigating the military report.