Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo English edition Vol. XXXIX No. 24 December 21, 2008 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial CARP extension is even more pointless he Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program CARP the Arroyos’ vast sugarcane plantations in Neg- (CARP) is a bogus program. In its 20 years of im- ros which they intend to use for bio-ethanol produc- Tplementation, vast tracts of land remained in the tion. As a consequence, the Department of Agrarian hands of a few. CARP paved the way, not for the Reform will also be swamped with countless applica- emancipation of the peasant masses, but for greater tions for land-use conversion and other pretexts to reconcentration of land ownership in the hands of big exempt lands from CARP coverage. landlords of the old and new type. It has condemned The reformists peddle illusions when they push for the peasants to greater misery and oppression, and “CARP extension with reforms.” They give false hopes aggravated their suffering through its parallel imple- to the peasant masses that there is profit to be mentation of pro-imperialist agricultural liberaliza- gained from CARP, that the farmers’ salvation lies in tion. Malacañang officials have further profited from what has been proven to be a bogus and pro-landlord the bogus program by appropriating CARP funds. program, and that their emancipation will emanate The peasant masses gained nothing throughout from a Congress dominated by big hacienda owners. the course of its implementation. Thus, the six-month The progressive lawmakers who have been push- extension of this sham land reform program will be of ing for the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) have even less use to them. Congress’ only reason for call- a better grasp of such reality. GARB, which is decid- ing for its extension is to further raid its remaining edly different, pushes for free land distribution. And funds purportedly allocated unlike CARP, GARB has provisions that for “agricultural services.” will ensure that lands distributed to The Congress resolu- farmers could no longer be taken tion calling for CARP to away from them by big land- cover only those lands vo- lords. luntarily ceded by landown- If reforming the sham ers is downright ridiculous. CARP is hopeless, however, It completely exempts it will be even more diffi- lands by big landlords who cult for GARB to be ratifi- refuse to be covered by ed by a landlord-dominat- CARP. ed legislature. GARB’s victory will No less than Gloria Arro- come not so much from its passage, yo’s congressman son Mikey but in its raising before the greater led the House of Representa- public the peasantry’s urgent demand tives in further emasculating for land to till, its condemnation of CARP. Malacañang’s ultimate feudal and semifeudal oppression in objective is to exempt from the countryside and its exposé of the

This issue’s Anti-“cha-cha” UNHRC rebukes CPP declares holiday campaign advances Arroyo regime ceasefire highlights... PAGE 3 PAGE 6 PAGE 10 antipeasant and antipeople legislature and the rotten productivity. In areas where the revolutionary move- reactionary ruling state and system in the country. ment is more advanced and the reactionary armed for- Addressing the peasantry’s land problem is the ces have been weakened over an extensive area, the main content of the people’s democratic revolution. revolutionary forces implement components of the In the countryside where the seeds of the new demo- maximum program of agrarian revolution that it is ca- cratic revolutionary movement have been planted and pable of effecting. These include confiscating the continue to grow, agrarian revolution is advanced step lands of despotic landlords as well as lands abandoned by step alongside waging armed struggle and estab- by big landlords, nationalizing these lands and grant- lishing revolutionary power. The reactionary power of ing peasants who are landless or who do not have the landlord class and its allies is demolished piece by enough land the right to till these lands. piece, thus paving the way for building people’s dem- In areas where agrarian revolution and the new ocratic power. democratic revolution have gained ground, the eradi- The minimum program of agrarian revolution is cation of feudalism and semifeudalism is not a pipe implemented in the initial stages. Among its compo- dream but a concrete victory of the revolutionary nents are the reduction of land rent, elimination of struggle waged by the peasant masses. The feudal and usury, raising of farm workers’ wages, effecting rea- semifeudal oppression suffered by the peasantry will sonable increases in farm gate prices, implementing only be thoroughly eradicated upon the absolute vic- simple forms of cooperation and raising the peasants’ tory of the new democratic revolution. ~

Land reconcentration in Cagayan Valley

and reconcentration in the are largely guarantors in the barrios. rich peasants and some upper mid- hands of landlords of the new The merchant-usurers themselves dle peasants) aggravate the farmers’ Ltype is intensifying in Cagayan promote crop varieties that are indebtedness by imposing a 5 to Valley. Peasant lands are being fo- heavily dependent on expensive fer- 15% compounded interest per har- reclosed and farmers forced to sell tilizers and pesticides, exact exorbi- vest. The heavily indebted farmers their lands for failing to pay their tant land rent and sell expensive are then obliged to have their pro- debts. farm inputs while pressing down the ducts threshed and transported by Big merchant-usurers compete prices of the farmers’ products. the guarantors and to work on the with each other in seizing farmers’ Small usurers as represented by latter’s lands. lands, including small lenders who guarantors in the barrios (usually As a result, lands of both middle and poor peasants are being ANG confiscated alongside that of farm- Contents ers covered by PD 27, CARP and the Editorial 1 reactionary government’s ste- Vol. XXXIX No. 24 December 21, 2008 Land reconcentration in wardship program. In Isabela, the Cagayan Valley 2 government continues to revoke Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, Land grabbing 3 CLOAs held by farmer beneficiaries Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and Anti-“cha-cha” campaign advances 3 English editions. from the 13,085-hectare Hacienda It is available for downloading at Regional protests 4 San Antonio-Santa Isabel in a the Philippine Revolution Web Central OBL2 is a failure in Quezon 5 process that began in 2007 to give Fascist state on a rampage located at: way to San Miguel Corporation’s www.philippinerevolution.net. UNHRC rebukes Arroyo regime 6 Ang Bayan welcomes contributions Protect human rights defenders! 7 cassava plantation project. in the form of articles and news. Rea- Arroyo not interested in peace talks 9 Government projects and those ders are likewise enjoined to send in CPP declares holiday ceasefire 10 of conniving land grabbers and the their comments and suggestions for AFP endangers prisoners of war 10 exploitative elite are fertile ground the betterment of our publication. You Victorious NPA offensives for peasant struggles. The peasant can reach us by email at: [email protected] NPA military actions 10 masses in Cagayan Valley persist in News 11 their struggle to assert their right Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee to the land from which they derive of the Communist Party of the Philippines their livelihood. ~ 2 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 In Cagayan province, the Land grabbing towns of Gattaran and Al- he seizure of peasant lands in lacapan are being eyed for TCagayan Valley continues to sugarcane plantations un- worsen as a result of the latest an- der contract-farming agree- tipeople projects of the reactionary ments with Pampanga Indus- government and foreign corpora- trial Park Inc. The su- tions. garcane will be used for etha- Agribusiness and mining nol production. town). As a result of the projects. In Isabela province, cas- Meanwhile, in southern Isabela construction of a pier in Sta. Ana sava planting has been temporarily and Quirino province, the local gov- under the Enrile family’s Cagayan suspended due to the people’s ernments are pushing for the cul- Export Zone Authority, quarrying strong opposition. However, there tivation of cassava in smaller operations have further expanded, are new projects that will likewise parcels of lands under the auspices destroying the land where farmers involve widespread landgrabbing. of so-called farmers’ cooperatives. eke their livelihood. Likewise, peas- In San Mariano, Green Future Such cooperatives have already ants are being forced to sell their Innovations, Inc., which is owned been set up by Rep. Faustino “Bo- lands for `11,000 per hectare to by a Japanese-Filipino company jie” Dy III and Mayor Edgar Guyud give way to an airport being con- that manufactures ethanol plans to in San Guillermo town. Mayor Virgi- structed in the same town. plant sugarcane on 6,000 to lio Padilla of San Agustin has been Government “development 35,000 hectares of land in the ba- campaigning for cassava cultivation projects”. Also currently being rangays of Panninan, Binatug, Ali- in some barrios of his town, as has pushed for implementation in the badabad, Dipusu and Libertad. The- Gov. Dakila “Dax” Cua of Quirino. region are livelihood projects that se so-called idle lands as defined Mining companies have also are destructive to the environment by the reactionary government seized about a hundred thousand and a bane to thousands of people. have actually been tilled by farm- hectares of land. In Isabela alone, In Isabela, an entire Agta com- ers for decades. Some barangays in mining applications cover as much munity is being threatened with the towns of Ilagan and Benito So- as 45,151 hectares and this is sure eviction due to the impending liven are also set to be planted to displace thousands of Isabelinos construction of a dam in San Mari- with sugarcane. Green Future In- and affect their livelihood. ano. Several families will also be novations, Inc. likewise plans to Mining operations are likewise evicted when a hydroelectric plant set up its own distillery plant in going on in the whole of northern in Pared River, Baggao, Cagayan is Barangay Alibadabad. Cagayan (from Sta. Ana to Claveria built. ~ Anti-“cha-cha” campaign advances lmost 15,000 people from various sectors tial salvo in the people’s burst of outrage. The pro- joined a broad anti-cha-cha rally in Makati City tests are expected to grow bigger, broader and inten- Aon December 12. Over 70 organizations, poli- sify in the coming weeks as a result of the Arroyo fa- tical parties and personalities expressed the collective mily and its cabal’s desperate attempts to amend the sentiment of the nation: “Tama na, pigilan na si Glo- constitution to enable Arroyo to perpetuate herself in ria, tapusin na ang chacha” (We’ve had enough, stop power. Gloria, end cha-cha) Fearing the people’s protests immensely, Malaca- Joining the rally were representatives of the Cath- ñang called together in the national capital thousands olic church and other religious organizations like El of security forces from Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Shaddai and Jesus is Lord Movement, big busi- Luzon, Southern Luzon and Bicol. The Palace was put nessmen, political parties, democratic and progressive under very close watch on the eve of the Makati pro- sectors. Even archbishops Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales test. The following day, at 8:00 a.m., 4,700 police of Manila and Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu who are troops were deployed in Metro Manila, excluding the known to be conservative have expressed their oppo- additional 3,000 military and police forces on stand- sition to Arroyo’s cha-cha scheme. by from the NCR Command and regions outside of it. The latest protest action in Makati was but the ini- Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) com- ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 3 plained of police harassment de- were a contingent under Bishop to prolong her hold on power. signed to delay if not stop alto- Socrates Villegas. Earlier, the PNP A day after the rally in Makati gether the people from joining the Special Action Force attempted to City, Majority Floor Leader Arthur protest demonstration in Makati. stop the entry to Manila of a dele- Defensor, one of the ruling Lakas- The police arrested activists be- gation sent by Fr. Joe Dizon of Sol- CMD coalition’s chief henchmen longing to the Muslim-Christian Al- idarity Philippines that came all said that they would allegedly drop liance in Cubao, Quezon City as the way from Cavite. “con-ass.” The Senate, on the other they tried to march towards Maka- Malacañang has also resorted hand, passed a resolution signed ti. A bus from Bataan was also to psywar tricks warning activists by 23 senators against “con-ass”. stopped at the North Luzon Ex- to police their ranks because of ru- Among those who signed was Sen- pressway. Among those aboard mors that some elements were out ate President Juan Ponce Enrile, a to sabotage the demonstration. close Arroyo ally. Rumors of assassination attempts Congress hearings on cha-cha on presidential candidates who were suspended but Arroyo’s co- would attend the rally were also horts are determined to resume circulated. them in January when the people’s Meanwhile, personalities from wrath is expected to have abated. the ruling camp appeared to vac- The Arroyo camp is dead wrong, illate on “con-ass,” fearful of the however. Its schemes to extend Ar- people’s gathering strength royo’s hold on power will surely be against all of Arroyo’s stratagems met with heightened protests. ~

ernment officials to convince them not to support Regional protests moves to change the constitution. umerous protest actions launched in Metro Ma- December 10. The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Nnila and in the provinces formed part of the and other progressive organizations expressed their broad campaign against cha-cha in the second week strong opposition to cha-cha during the commemo- of December: ration of the International Day of Human Rights in December 12. Prior to the huge rally in Makati Metro Manila, Baguio, Central Luzon, Southern Taga- City, Manila mayor Alfredo Lim led another anti- log, Bicol, Panay, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro. cha-cha rally at the Andres Bonifacio monument in In Negros Occidental, over 1,000 workers and Liwasang Bonifacio in the morning. Hundreds of peasants marched together for five days since teachers as well as employees of the Manila City December 5 from Escalante City to Bacolod City. Hall and students from various Manila universities According to the National Federation of Sugar Work- joined the protest rally. ers-Food and General Trades, their 95.6-kilometer In Southern Tagalog (ST), a coordinated noise peoples’ march was an expression of their life-and- barrage was launched along with other mass actions death struggle for land, wages and human rights initiated by BAYAN-ST. Simultaneous protests were and their objection to cha-cha. They arrived at the also conducted in Los Baños, Calamba City, Lucena Bacolod Public Plaza in the evening of December 9 City and Batangas City. In Cavite, the police blocked and joined thousands of protesters at the interfaith some 200 members of anti-cha-cha organizations. rally that was also attended by Bishop Vicente In Panay, members of the Pinag-isang Samahan Navarra of the Diocese of Bacolod. ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) led In Negros Oriental, the Kapunongan Alang sa other motorists in blowing their horns for three mi- Ugma sa Gagmay nga Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros nutes, signalling the start of the protest march by has opposed schemes to extend the US-Arroyo re- the “Stop Gloria’s Cha-cha Now” coalition in Iloilo gime’s rule. They also pushed for the passage of the City. The march was attended by about 1,500 peo- Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill and strongly con- ple, among them Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Ja- demned military abuses in the province. ro who is also president of the Catholic Bishops December 9. GABRIELA spearheaded a march of Conference of the Philippines. mothers who came with their children in tow to- In Negros, El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde spoke wards the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon with a number of congressmen and other local gov- City to air their opposition to cha-cha. ~

4 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 ple’s army in facing OBL2 was to OBL2 is a failure in Quezon shift to other areas as well as to he AFP’s claims at the end of 2007 that Oplan Bantay Laya 2 (OBL2) focus on other aspects of revolu- had destroyed all guerrilla fronts in Quezon is a big lie. The truth is tionary work. Pursuant to the win- Tthat it is OBL2 that has been defeated in Quezon. The revolution- hold-win strategy and the focus- ary forces in the province quickly adjusted to the intensified enemy ag- and-contain style of the enemy, gression that came with OBL2. In the main, the New People’s Army (NPA) government troops could only oc- not only succeeded in preserving itself, but in advancing its revolution- cupy up to 12 barangays in every ary tasks. guerrilla front for three to six months. The people’s fighters took Rectifying mistakes and deal- for their brutal abuse of the peo- note of this vulnerability and ing with OBL2. The Party and the ple, and defeating OBL2 altogether. exploited it. The NPA conducted leadership of the NPA first had to In launching the struggle and developed revolutionary work rectify tendencies towards military against OBL2, the revolutionary in areas where there was no enemy conservatism in facing OBL2. In movement in Quezon likewise presence and launched tactical some guerrilla fronts, Red fighters overcame a tendency towards offensives against weak and isolat- at first hesitated to launch tactical “guerrillaism” where the struggle ed units of the AFP. offensives, fearing that the enemy against OBL2 was left to the initi- Meanwhile, the NPA used crea- would exact revenge on the mas- ative of individual NPA squads. To tivity and flexibility in continuing ses. This notion was later proven correct this, coordination and other aspects of revolutionary work wrong as the enemy nonetheless planning from the regional level even in areas of enemy concentra- savaged the masses despite the ab- down to the platoon level were ef- tion. With the help of the masses, sence of tactical offensives. fected to cope with the fact that the enemy remained blind and deaf The reality is that without the OBL2 in Quezon was an operation to the presence of the people’s ar- people’s army to launch tactical involving planning at the division my. NPA units could still hold base offensives and drive the soldiers level and the mobilization of a di- in barrios where there were enemy out, the enemy was free to inflict vision-strong enemy force. Close detachments and that were covered unrelenting cruelty on the masses. coordination with other guerrilla by enemy operations. In fact, it It was this realization that invigor- fronts and the entire region result- was in these villages where Red ated the Red guerrillas into inten- ed in more systematic and effective fighters could closely monitor ene- sifying tactical offensives aimed at attacks against the enemy. my movements. defending civilians, weakening and Effective NPA offensives. The People’s courageous resist- meting punishment on the enemy main method employed by the peo- ance. The mass organizations’ in- tense revolutionary resolve and fighting spirit served as the key to nurturing the people’s army and ensuring its security. In the face of torture, enemy repression and oth- er atrocities, the masses took good care of their army and ardently supported it. Whenever there was enemy presence, the masses pro- tected and shielded the comrades. They eagerly looked forward to the Red fighters’ presence, their pro- tection and good counsel amid the enemy’s onslaughts. The masses were not taken in by the enemy’s deceptive schemes. They would pretend to cooperate in the establishment of bogus cooper- atives, sports and community fes- tivals. But as soon as the enemy ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 5 left the area, the masses simply FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE resumed the authentic programs of their revolutionary movement. Recruitment to the NPA conti- UNHRC rebukes Arroyo regime nued amid enemy threats. The he United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has rebuked mass organizations never ran out Tthe Arroyo regime for the deaths of Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gu- of recommendees to their army. It manoy in 2003. The UNHRC, the United Nations agency tasked with was in fact OBL2’s brutality that monitoring compliance of signatory countries to the International pushed the people to join the Red Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) likewise assailed the Ar- army. The people’s militia was ac- royo regime for failing to provide remedies to the victims. tive, with some of its members Relatives of Marcellana and Gu- The UN issued its decision dur- joining NPA tactical offensives. manoy filed the case before the UN ing the commemoration of the In- Villagers who were on the enemy’s in March 2006. Marcellana was the ternational Day for the Elimination hit list were given sanctuary by secretary general of Karapatan in of Violence Against Women on No- the people’s army. Southern Tagalog while Eddie Gu- vember 25. According to KARAP- The cruelties suffered by the manoy chaired the Katipunan ng ATAN, of 28 human rights advo- masses during the reactionary mga Samahang Magbubukid sa cates murdered under the Arroyo government’s military operations Timog Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK) regime, six were women, including have driven them to ask the NPA when they and three other com- Marcellana. There are also 107 to mete punishment on the fas- panions were abducted by men un- women victims of extrajudicial cists soldiers by carrying out tac- der then Maj. Jovito Palparan of killings and 31 women victims of tical offensives against them. the 204th Bde in Naujan, Oriental forcible disappearance from Janu- These offensives triumphed with Mindoro on April 21, 2003. The ary 2001 to September 2008. the strong support of the masses. victims were in Mindoro as mem- Meanwhile, records show that Meanwhile, the revolutionary bers of a fact-finding team that Southern Tagalog is one of the ar- movement immediately and ef- was looking into human rights eas that have borne the brunt of fectively addressed the evils left abuses committed during large- human rights abuses under Arroyo. behind by the AFP in areas where scale military operations in Gloria Karapatan reported that majority they maintained a relatively long and Pinamalayan towns. The bod- of the total 927 victims of extraju- presence. Among these problems ies of Marcellana and Gumanoy dicial killings from 2001 to 2007 were antisocial practices and were found the following day in and 977 enforced disappearances crimes such as carabao rustling, Bansud town while their three oth- from 2001 up to the present come theft and drug pushing that the er companions were tortured and from Southern Tagalog. The Cavite revolutionary movement had left with their hands tied behind Ecumenical Movement for Justice long eradicated through revolu- their backs in Bongabon town. and Peace, on the other hand, has tionary education among the The UNHRC said that in the listed 298 cases of violations of people. Revolutionary education case of Marcellana and Gumanoy, political, economic and civil rights was once again undertaken to the Arroyo government violated in Southern Tagalog in the first six weed out these bad practices three articles of the ICCPR—the months of 2008 alone, involving and encourage those who have right to live, the right to liberty 29,352 victims. Twenty of these taken to vice and crime to par- and security and the right of vio- cases involved extrajudicial ticipate in revolutionary pro- lated persons to effective reme- killings and forcible disappear- grams. Individuals identified as dies. ances. part of the enemy’s intelligence Doris Cuario, the current secre- network were immediately neu- tary general of Karapatan-ST, is tralized. likewise being perse- The swiftness with which such cuted by the Arroyo problems have been resolved is a regime. Cuario is one testament to the depth to which of 72 mass leaders the revolutionary movement has and activists from Southern Taga- taken root in Quezon and the ex- log who have been slapped with tent of its advance in the pro- trumped up murder charges in re- vince. ~ lation to an NPA tactical offensive 6 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE in March 2006 in Puerto Galera, Mindoro Oriental where two police- men were killed. Also among the 72 Protect human rights defenders! accused is Orly Marcellana, widower ix progressive congressmen have filed a bill defining the rights of Eden and presently the KASAMA- Sand responsibilities of human rights defenders and setting pun- TK chair and secretary general of ishment for state agents who violate these rights. BAYAN-Southern Tagalog. Since No- House Bill 5600 (HB 5600), which was filed on December 10, is vember, six of the accused have al- sponsored by Rep. Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna, ready been arrested and detained. Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Ga- Abuses in other regions. In briela Women’s Party and Lorenzo Tañada III of the Liberal Party. Eastern Visayas, Atty. Kathrina The authors argued that such a law was of utmost importance due Castillo, secretary general of Katu- to the many abuses of the rights of human rights defenders. The prog- ngod-Sinirangan Bisayas has as- ressive solons cited the cases of Eden Marcellana, Eddie Gumanoy, Le- sailed the reactionary military for ima Fortu and Benjaline Hernandez who were all brutally murdered. being the number one violator of Three human rights defenders have also been abducted and remain human rights in the region. She missing; seven have received death threats, nine were illegally arrest- identified the AFP as the perpetra- ed and eight were illegally detained. Scores have been physically as- tor of all 123 human rights viola- saulted, tortured, treated inhumanely, cruelly and degradingly, and tions in Eastern Visayas from Janu- threatened, harassed, and intimidated. These violations are being ary to October 2008. The violations committed with impunity by government security forces. include five cases of extrajudicial The bill prohibits the act of black labeling or name calling a hu- killings. man rights defender, subjecting them to surveillance, threats and In Bicol, there were 171victims intimidation. Any government personnel who issues declarations of extrajudicial killings from 2001 and statements favorable to suspected human rights violators but to November 2008, according to adverse to the victim is presumed to have personally issued Bayan Muna regional spokesperson instructions to the suspects. Any denial of any document or refusal Ricardo Responde. to produce or present said document when required to be presented In Western Mindanao, the by any competent authority shall establish the allegation to which Union of People’s Lawyers in Min- the said document is offered to prove. danao (UPLM) has denounced the “National security” and “executive privilege” may not be in- military for issuing death threats to voked as defenses in violating the rights of human rights defenders. Atty. Emiliano Deleverio, UPLM vice Anyone found to have violated these provisions will be meted 10- chair and ardent human rights ad- 17 years imprisonment and/or a fine of `100,000. ~ vocate. Deleverio has been receiv- ing text messages warning him to be careful with his activities be- “Protests...,” from page 12 cause he was getting too well liked by the people in the mountains— hundred youths have since been arrested. implying that his activities favored There is more to the series of protests than a simple reaction to the New People’s Army. the killing of a teenage boy by the police. The Greek people have long Deleverio was one of the been angered by successive corruption scandals involving high-rank- lawyers who filed the first success- ing government officials, a severe economic crisis, widespread unem- ful petition for a writ of amparo to ployment and grave criminality. secure the release of church activist The protests eventually expanded to a series of strikes and protest and Bayan Muna organizer Ruel actions by students, teachers and workers who expressed their anger Muñasque who was abducted in Du- at the severe economic crisis and a number of government policies. malinao, Zamboanga del Sur in Oc- Opposition leaders have also taken advantage of the broad protests by tober 2007. Deleverio also serves as renewing their call for early elections to replace the conservative gov- the lawyer of Angelina Bisuña- ernment of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. Demonstrations have al- Ipong, a prominent political de- so been launched in various European countries in support of the tainee in Western Mindanao. ~ struggles of the Greek people. ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 7 FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE

AFP imposes food blockade in Surigao del Sur Military violates children’s rights in Samar THE 401st Bde of the Philippine Army has been enforcing a food blockade on civilians in the mountainous barrios of Lianga and San The Efren Martires Command (NPA- Agustin towns in Surigao del Sur. The entry and exit of civilians are Eastern Visayas) denounced the Of- also being controlled in these areas. Several civilians have report- fice of the Presidential Adviser on edly been arrested and interrogated by the military in relation to the Peace Process for a deceptive a series of victorious tactical offensives by the NPA in Lianga. Many report claiming that the NPA uses farmers have been forced to flee due to threats by the AFP. child soldiers and puts them in per- ilous situations during armed clash- es. The Command said that the NPA Policemen breach Nestlé picket respects the physical and moral in- tegrity of children pursuant to revo- lutionary principles, provisions of POLICEMEN brutally demolished the picket line of protesting work- the Comprehensive Agreement on ers of Nestlé Philippines factory in Cabuyao, Laguna in the morning Respect for Human Rights and In- of December 11. ternational Humanitarian Law and The Union of Filipino Employees (UFE) of Nestlé Philippines de- other international laws and stand- nounced in an indignation rally the brutal assault of about a hun- ards. dred elements of the Calabarzon Regional Mobile Group and Cabu- yao PNP and the arrest of Noel Alemania, 43, UFE-Nestlé Philip- It is the Arroyo regime and its pines vice president and secretary general of Pagkakaisa ng mga military that are the worst violators Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK). of children’s rights in armed con- The union leader was charged with alarm and scandal and oth- flicts, it added. The children and the er cases before the Biñan Regional Trial Court. youth in the countryside are usually The workers staged their strike to demand the implementation harassed and tortured by govern- of the Department of Labor ruling on November 28 calling on both ment troops and forcibly used as the union and management to resume negotiations for their col- guides in military operations. It cit- lective bargaining agreement. ed as examples Jino, 13 and Lino de la Cruz, 11 who were maltreated, in- timidated and forced by 63rd IB troops to act as guides in their mi- Soldier guns down civilian litary operations in Barangay Caroli- na, Matuguinao, Samar on July 7. A civilian was killed and two others were wounded after a soldier On September 13, 46th IB troops indiscriminately fired his weapon in Antique. The fatality was Fran- fired at cousins JR, 12, Barton, 13, cisco Tacorda, a resident of Barangay Cabladan, Sibalom, Antique and Ronie, 21 in Barangay Bayang, while the wounded were Apolonio Prado and Barangay councilor El- San Jorge, Samar. This led to the mer Batiles of Tubudan, San Remigio, Antique. The civilians were death of JR’s brother Ronie. The sol- hit when Pfc Jerry Davila arbitrarily fired his M16 rifle during the diers then burned his body and used fiesta celebration in Barangay Aningalan, San Remigio on Decem- the smoke to guide a helicopter’s ber 6. landing. The Napoleon Tumagtang Command of the New People’s Army Hundreds of children have also in Southern Panay strongly condemned officers of the 31st Division suffered from artillery attacks by Reconnaissance Company and the Philippine Army for turning a the military on their communities blind eye to the criminal act. and the mass evacuation of civil- The 31st DRC was also responsible for indiscriminately firing on ians in the three provinces of Samar civilians in May 2006 in Barangay Panpanan II, San Remigio that island due to intensified military killed Epifania Cabaya, 65 and wounded 13 of her relatives, includ- operations under Oplan Bantay La- ing two children. ya 2.

8 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 Arroyo has no interest in peace talks

he US-Arroyo regime has shown no interest at all in achieving last- The GRP’s insistence on its fas- ing peace through negotiations with the National Democratic Front cist agenda for the peace talks has Tof the Philippines (NDFP). It has violated past agreements and de- caused the NDFP National Council stroyed conditions for the continuation of the peace process. to approve two recommendations from the NDFP Negotiating Peace The Government of the Repub- for ceasefire and for the surrender Panel: lic of the Philippines (GRP) only of the NDFP and the Filipino people a) That the NDFP revoke its uses the peace talks to ensnare the who are badly in need of, and ur- former offer of a temporary cease- NDFP into declaring a longterm gently demanding, basic reforms. fire whenever the two negotiating ceasefire of indefinite duration. The US-Arroyo regime has long panels conduct formal meetings as The NDFP conducted informal been trampling on the peace talks. the GRP has misrepresented this as talks with GRP representatives in As far back as 2004, Malacañang a sign of the NDFP’s readiness to the last week of November with the has refused to comply with its ob- enter into a longterm ceasefire of aim of reviving the suspended GRP- ligation to demand from the US the indefinite duration without having NDFP formal negotiations. The talks removal of the CPP, NPA and Com- resolved social, economic and poli- failed, however, as the GRP insisted rade Jose Ma. “Joema” Sison from tical issues which are the subject that the NDFP enter into a long- that country’s list of foreign terror- of the peace talks’ substantive term ceasefire of indefinite dura- ists. In 2007, the GRP in con- agenda. tion as a precondition for the for- nivance with US security agencies b) That the NDFP refuse to en- mal talks’ resumption. even sought to bring the NDFP to ter into any talks with the GRP in The NDFP has refused to comply its knees by filing trumped-up the absence of a clear agenda and with the GRP’s demands. Going in- charges against Ka Joema in The sequence of discussions. This is to a long-term ceasefire without Netherlands that resulted in his ar- meant to prevent the GRP from vi- clearly resolving the issues that lie rest and detention for 17 days in a olating The Hague Joint Declara- at the roots of the armed conflict Dutch prison. tion and the Agreement on Recip- would be tantamount to the sur- In imposing preconditions, the rocal Working Committees which render and pacification of the revo- GRP is in violation of The Hague set the agenda and sequence of lutionary forces. It would set aside Joint Declaration of 1992 that sets the talks to wit: social and eco- all previous agree- the principles and conduct nomic reforms; political and ments and de- of the talks. In its wide- constitutional reforms; and cessa- rail whatever spread violation of hu- tion of hostilities and disposition significant man rights of forces. talks have and in tar- The GRP has long wanted to put been held geting par- an end to its peace talks with the on the ticular NDFP NDFP at the urging of the US and substantive consultants, fascist officials. But it wants to pin agenda of the GRP has the blame on the NDFP for the socio-econo- likewise violat- scuttling of the talks. The GRP has mic and po- ed the Joint failed in this because of the NDFP’s litical re- Agreement on Safe- allout efforts to pursue the talks forms. ty and Immunity Guar- on the basis of previously signed NDFP Hu- antees (that ensures pro- agreements and its earnest efforts man Rights chair and tection for consultants to explain its just stance and ex- negotiationg panel and staff of both parties) pose the GRP’s lies and malicious spokesperson Ka Fidel and the Comprehensive schemes. Agcaoili said that the Agreement on Respect for Human As the US-Arroyo regime further Arroyo-Ermita-Gonza- Rights and International Humani- reveals its utter lack of interest in les clique’s real objec- tarian Law (that obliges both par- pursuing the peace talks, the NDFP tive is to kill the peace talks and ties to respect the Filipino people’s stands ready to wait for the next transform it into mere negotiations human rights). GRP administration. ~ ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 9 CPP declares holiday ceasefire VICTORIOUS NPA OFFENSIVES he Information Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines T(CPP) announced a five-day unilateral ceasefire by all units of the NPA military New People’s Army (NPA) from December 24 to 26 and December 31 to January 1, 2009. In a directive issued on December 19, the Par- ty Central Committee said that the observance of a ceasefire is in actions keeping with the Filipino people’s Christmas traditions. The cease- ollowing are partial reports of fire will also pave the way for people’s gatherings in over 100 guer- military actions launched by the rilla fronts from north to south in celebration of the 40th anniver- FNew People’s Army (NPA) in Min- sary of the CPP’s reestablishment on December 26, 2008. danao, Bicol, Panay and Mindoro as The Party Central Committee nonetheless reminded the NPA to re- the year came to an end. main vigilant in the face of expected treachery by the US-Arroyo December 18. A CAFGU element regime and its armed fascist troops. An earlier declaration of a “sus- was killed and two others were wound- pension of offensive military operations” (SOMO) by the AFP only ed when Red fighters assaulted a serves to camouflage military surveillance on the activities of the CAFGU detachment in Paquibato Dis- masses and the revolutionary forces in areas where celebrations of trict, Davao City at about 10:30 a.m. the Party anniversary will be held, said the CPP Central Committee. ~ Dawn of December 15. Elements of the 58th IB and Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary (SCAA) watched help- AFP endangers prisoners of war lessly as NPA guerrillas set fire to The New People’s Army-Southern Mindanao Region (BHB-SMR) heavy equipment owned by Surigao assailed Malacañang Press Secretary Jesus Dureza for announcing Development Corp. (Sudecor). It was a that the military would continue with its operations in Davao Ori- punitive measure on Sudecor for its ental instead of negotiating for the safe release of two prisoners destruction of forests in Surigao del of war (POW) currently being held by the NPA in the region. Dureza Sur, its unjust treatment of its workers issued the statement on December 11. and the abuses of the 58th IB-SCAA on Pursuant to orders from Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Lumad and farmers in the area. the Philippines (AFP), over 4,000 military troops or the equivalent December 14. A soldier belonging of eight military battalions are scouring the whole of Southern to the 23rd Military Intelligence Com- Mindanao in a futile attempt to rescue the two prisoners. This, de- pany (MICO) was killed in an ambush spite the prisoners’ urgent appel to stop military operations to by the NPA in Mindoro island. The sol- hasten their release. dier was ambushed at around 2:30 The refusal to negotiate for the release of the two prisoners be- p.m. as he was conducting military trays the Arroyo regime’s lack of interest in the welfare of its offi- surveillance in Barangay Santa Teresi- cers, said the NDF-SMR. It considers it more important to cover up ta, Mansalay, Mindoro Oriental. the AFP and PNP’s series of humiliating defeats in the hands of the An officer of the Philippine National NPA in the region. Police (PNP) in Mansalay tried to come Prior to this, the NPA-SMR released a video clip on December 8 to his rescue but he was prevented from showing PO3 Eduardo Tumol appealing to PNP and AFP officers to doing so and disarmed by Red fighters. suspend military operations in Davao Oriental to pave the way for his In Agusan del Sur, a CAFGU ele- and his fellow POW 1Lt. Vicente Cammayo’s safe and orderly release. ment was wounded when NPA fighters The National Democratic Front-SMR had also written to the from Front 14 sniped a detachment of wives of Tumol and Cammayo assuring them that their husbands the 23rd IB-CAA in Sitio Basabong, were safe and their rights duly respected. The NDF further ex- Barangay Bayugan 3, Bunawan. plained the processes that their husbands are currently undergoing December 13. A soldier was killed as officers of AFP and PNP special units. and another one wounded when Red Due to their status as commanding officers, said the NDF-SMR, fighters ambushed a military convoy in the prisoners are directly accountable for military operations that Barangay San Isidro, Bulan, Sorsogon. resulted in various violations of human rights of many civilians in The soldiers were headed back to their their areas of assignment. These abuses are thoroughly being in- camp when they were attacked at vestigated and studied by a revolutionary court. The results of the around 3:30 p.m. investigation will be made known to the public. ~ December 11. Five soldiers of the 10 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 VICTORIOUS NPA OFFENSIVES NEWS 36th IB were killed and many other government troopers wounded when MILF-BIAF inflicts mounting the NPA ambushed a column of the AFP unit conducting military opera- casualties on AFP tions in the logging areas of Diatagon he Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) suffered mounting ca- in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. The NPA Tsualties in successive encounters with the Moro Islamic Libera- seized an M16 rifle and five back- tion Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) in the first packs. half of December. The latest reports revealed that 56 AFP troops The 36th IB is one of the military died in gunbattles with BIAF mujahideen. units responsible for the killing of Eight soldiers were killed when the AFP raided the headquarters several innocent civilians in Bislig of the MILF-BIAF in Piagapo, Lanao del Sur on December 16. Two City, Bunawan and Rosario in Agusan mujahideen were killed in over nine hours of fighting. del Sur. The 36th IB also connives The MILF reported that the BIAF was forced to defend itself with a number of local government when the AFP attacked one of its units under Abdullah Macapaar and DENR officials as well as illegal (Kumander Bravo) in Piagapo. loggers responsible for denuding the Meanwhile, two government soldiers were killed while the BIAF dipterocarp forests in areas covered suffered three casualties in another gunbattle in Barangay by the Forest Research Institute as Bansayan, Piagapo. well as watershed areas in the adja- On December 11 at around 11 a.m., mujahideen from the BIAF cent towns of Bislig,Tagbina and Hi- 102nd Base Command attacked AFP elements in Barangay Pantaon, natuan in Agusan del Sur. Munai, Lanao del Norte killing five soldiers and wounding an unde- December 9. The NPA seized a termined number of troopers. The military retaliated by firing mor- shotgun when they disarmed an abu- tar shells. sive guard at a fishpond owned by In the morning of December 9, the AFP sustained its biggest ca- the Dy Ty Ban and Libarios families in sualties in this period when close to 43 soldiers of the 8th Marine Barangay Can-aga, Malimono, Surigao Landing Battalion Team (8th MLBT) were killed in a clash with fight- del Norte. ers of the First Brigade under the MILF-BIAF 114th Base Command December 8. Two soldiers be- in Barangay Kailih, Al Barka, Basilan. The Marines used helicopter longing to the 31st DRC (Division Re- gunships to support their ground operations and only stopped the connaissance Company) of the Philip- aerial bombings shortly before nightfall. The AFP dropped four pine Army were wounded in an en- bombs that narrowly missed an evacuation center. A number of counter with Red fighters of the houses were also torched by 8th MLBT elements in Sitio Bakisung in Napoleon Tumagtang Command of the same area. NPA-Southern Iloilo. The Red fighters suffered no casualties and safely withdrew from the scene after a five- minute firefight. The three columns, AFP is responsible for Iligan bombing—MILF touted as the “elite force” of the 3rd ilitary agents of the Arroyo government were behind the two Infantry Division and even two sec- Mbombings in Iligan City on December 18 that killed two civil- tions of the 47th IB that were near ians and wounded 48 people, according to the Moro Islamic Libera- the scene of the fighting could do tion Front (MILF). nothing to help the DRC. The military In a statement posted December 20 on its website Luwaran, the purposely brought their two casual- MILF said it had received an “A-1 intelligence report” from Camp ties to the hospital in the evening to Aguinaldo itself that the bombings would be blamed on Commander avoid detection but they were Bravo, Commander Umbra Kato and other MILF commanders. The nonetheless spotted by the villagers. scheme is aimed at justifying bigger and more sustained AFP attacks December 7. Two soldiers were against the MILF in 2009. The plan was said to have been finalized wounded in a harassment operation after the AFP received a bigger budget and after public anger by NPA Red fighters on a military de- against the MILF had been fuelled through a series of bombings in tachment in Monkayo, Compostela Mindanao that have all been blamed on the Jemaah Islamiyah and Valley. ~ the so-called “special operations group” of the MILF. ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008 11 NEWS Recession to linger for years Irate Iraqi journalist throws shoes at Bush Official US economic data confirmed in the first AN Iraqi journalist did not pass up the chance to week of December that the economy had plunged in- give US Pres. George W. Bush the gravest of in- to recession as early as December 2007. After the sults—by hurling his shoes at him. The incident oc- 0.5% dip in the economy from June to August, the curred on December 14 at a press conference in economic is expected to register a 4% decline in the Baghdad where Bush and his puppet Iraqi prime last quarter of 2008. The prolonged recession or de- minister Nuri al-Maliki were to speak. pression will be marked by continued drops in pro- Even before the two rulers could speak, televi- duction and worsening unemployment. sion reporter Mundathar al-Zaidi, 28, had thrown Almost 533,000 workers in the US were re- both his shoes at Bush, shouting “Here’s your good- trenched in November after manufacturing plunged bye kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the or- to its lowest levels since 1982. Unemployment rose phans and those who were killed in Iraq because of to 6.7% from 6.5% in October. Almost 1.9 million your war.” In Arab culture, the gravest insult is to workers lost their jobs this year. Manufacturing is not call a person a dog and to throw a shoe at a person expected to recover until the second quarter of 2010. or beat him with it. Unemployment is even expected to worsen to be- Al-Zaidi was immediately arrested and detained tween 8.7% and 9.5% in the next two years. by the police. He could be sentenced to four to sev- The world capitalist system is reeling from the re- en years in prison for disrespecting a person in au- cession. The German economy is expected to contract thority. According to his brother and lawyer, al-Zai- by 3% in 2009, the worst since the end of the Sec- di was tortured after the incident and had bruises ond World War. The Japanese economy also shrunk by all over his body. 1.8% in the third quarter of 2008. For the first time The Arabs now consider al-Zaidi a hero for what in the last seven years, Chinese exports nosedived by he did. Protesters have been launching daily street 2.2% in November as a result of reduced demand demonstrations to demand his release from prison. from the US. Manufacturing will continue to plummet Pres. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has also offered as a consequence, resulting in the loss of millions of sanctuary to him should he be released from jail. jobs. Protesters throw shoes at Gloria. Meanwhile, protesters threw shoes and slippers at a portrait of Ecuador defaults on debt payments Gloria Arroyo in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs on December 18 in a reprise of the shoe- THE Ecuadorian government decided on December 15 throwing protest against her master Bush. The not to pay $31 million in interests on the country’s shoe- and slipper-throwing was part of a bigger $3.9 billion debt from foreign banks. The government protest by members of Migrante International who considers the debts “immoral” as they are mired in condemned the regime’s continued neglect of mi- numerous cases of corruption. grant workers’ interests. An audit ordered by the Ecuadorian government of the country’s financial transactions with foreign banks from 1976 to 2006 has revealed that past gov- ernments were guilty of criminal violations for having Protests blaze through Greece sold the country’s debt to pension funds, hedge funds PROTESTS have flared in various cities in Greece and other foreign investors. since the second week of December. The protests The government said Ecuador’s decision to default were triggered by the killing of a 16-year old youth on its debt payments had no relation to its financial by the police in Athens on December 6. problems. The country earns enough income from its The demonstrations first erupted in the Athen- oil exports and is capable of paying its debts. ian district of Exarchia, the frequent site of clashes Ecuador has launched the slogan “life before between the police and militant groups, as hun- debt,” which has received the Ecuadorean people’s dreds of youth threw molotov bombs at police sta- widespread support. The country is prepared to face tions, shops and banks. The protest actions quickly any investigation or litigation for its decision. spread across 12 more cities across Greece. Two This is the second time in a decade that Ecuador has defaulted on its foreign debts. Continued on “Protests...,” on page 7

12 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2008