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

English Edition Vol. XLIX No. 3 February 7, 2018 www.philippinerevolution.info

Offensives against State terrorism

MILITARY ACTIONS OF the New People’s Army in North Cotabato, Kalinga, Quezon and Bukidnon on the second half of January were the answers to the intensifying military terro- rism of the US-Duterte regime. North Cotabato. Red fighters of the NPA-Far South Mindanao (Mt. Alip Subregional Operations Command) raided the 39th IB-CAA detachment in Sitio Garing, Makilala, North Cotabato last January 21 in the evening. They seized two M14 and M16 rifles, 5 rifle grenades, bullets of assorted caliber and military equipment. The Red fighters also torched a portion of the camp. A Red salute was offered by EDITORIAL the Valentin Palamine Opera- tions Command to three Red Resist and frustrate fighters, Raymart Rusiana (Ka Rocky), Roger Labajo Jr. (Ka the US-Duterte regime's Reden) and Ka Tomas, who became martyrs in the firefight. Bukidnon. The 88th IB sus- reign of terror tained 13 killed and six wounded when Red fighters under the odrigo Duterte has become a mad dog attacking and deriding NPA-South Central Bukidnon people left and right, after his minions in Congress failed to Subregional Command set off railroad his latest federalism scheme through charter change command-detonated explosives Rlast January. against the operating soldiers He froths in the mouth with people who are not cowed by his last February 6, about 3:00 p.m. frenzied threats and profanities strong-man tactics, threats and in Sitio Trocat, against the revolutionary move- intimidation. Cawayan, Quezon. ment, progressive organizations Using the armed forces and his Kalinga. Two tactical of- and individuals, his political en- authority as president of the reac- fensives were launched by the emies, members of the media and tionary state, Duterte is intensify- NPA Red fighters of Kalinga other sectors who fight against his ing his reign of terror in the entire (Lejo Cawilan Command or LCC) crude manipulations to empower country. After he attacked press last January 18 and 24. About himself as a fascist dictator and freedom, he threatened to suppress 6:30 a.m. of January 18, a unit make his would-be fascist dictator- the right to assembly and expres- of the LCC carried out a har- ship appear legitimate. Duterte is sion of the protesting youth. He . . . continued on page 3 desperately trying to suppress the implemented a crackdown in the cities by successively filing fabric- their communities to clear out sus- has propelled protests from various ated charges and attempted arrests pected guerilla bases and open classes and sectors. Protesters a- of activists and leaders of progress- these to plunder by foreign com- gainst charter change have inc- ive organizations. He is bullying his panies. reased, from constitutionalists and rival political factions. He suspen- He relentlessly attacks and senators to students and academics ded an official of the Office of the slanders the revolutionary move- to other democratic sectors. These Ombudsman who exposed his fam- ment. Despite existing agreements, protests have been carried out in ily's millions in secret bank ac- he had Rafael Baylosis, an NDFP tandem with protests against neo- counts. He threatened to file consultant, arrested and is threat- liberal policies such as the TRAIN charges against justices who re- ening the others. He spews disin- law which caused prices of goods fused to testify against Chief formation and fake news which the and services to skyrocket, as well as Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno. He AFP's machinery of paid trolls churn protests for other social services uses people's issues like Dengvaxia out to portray the CPP and NPA as and welfare. and Mamasapano to blackmail offi- terrorists and use these to justify In the people’s resistance cials of the previous regime. In the nationwide imposition of martial against charter change, two camps name of his fake anti-corruption law. These attacks and slander are have emerged: Duterte and his su- campaign, he is booting out one by sure to intensify now that the permajority on one hand and the one state officials appointed by the timorous Supreme Court has con- broad Filipino masses on the other. said regime. firmed his martial law extension up Thus, Duterte is only fooling himself In the countryside, his fascist to the end of 2018. with his high popularity ratings and rule reigns supreme. He harasses, Duterte's fascist schemes will in believing that he still enjoys detains and kills activists from the continue to be thwarted. He has credibility among the people. barrios, relatives of suspected Red long been exposed as a fascist liar It is only right that bigger and fighters and even revolutionaries greedy for wealth and power. He is more frequent protests are launched who have retired, to sow terror isolated due to his arrogance and against Duterte's intensifying ter- among the movement's supporters. contempt for the people. rorism. The people's collective anger He has deployed hundreds of sol- In the case of his fake federal- against the puppet, corrupt and op- diers in “priority areas” to carry out ism, his own haste and crude ma- pressive regime should be channeled brutal and continuous military op- nipulations to monopolize power to these protests to hold him res- erations. He dislocates people from and extend the terms of his cohorts ponsible for his growing crimes. Call for the immediate end to martial law ANG Contents in Mindanao and frustrate the wars of death and destruction. Let the call to overthrow Duterte echo in Editorial: Resist and frustrate the US- schools, factories, markets, com- Vol. XLIX No. 3 | February 7, 2018 Duterte regime's reign of terror 1 munities, barrios and other popula- Ang Bayan is published NPA offensives 1 tion centers. in Pilipino, Bisaya, Iloko, Arrest of Baylosis 3 Further broaden the anti- Hiligaynon, Waray and English. Duterte alliance. Various classes Ang Bayan welcomes Worsening human rights violations in and sectors should take the initia- contributions in the form Mindanao 4 tive to launch campaigns and of articles and news items. protests to condemn the regime's Fake news, part of all-out war 5 Readers are encouraged oppressive policies. The youth and to send feedback and Operation Pacific-Eagle Philippines 6 student movement is in the position recommendations to make their voices louder than for improving our newspaper. Sell-out of national sovereignty 7 ever, just as during the First instagram.com/prwc.official Quarter Storm. Duterte clan corrupt to the core 8 The call to overthrow Duterte @prwc_info Dengvaxia: corruption and profiteering 9 must be spread overseas. Since the fb.com/cppinfo beginning, various sectors and or- Attacks on the mass movement 11 ganizations have expressed alarm [email protected] over the Duterte regime's wide- People's protests 12 spread killings and harassment. Condemn his subservience to im- Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee perialist chief Donald Trump's war of the Communist Party of the Philippines machinery. Further isolate him in

2 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN the international community. Most importantly, the New NDFP denounces Baylosis arrest People's Army must carry out sig- LUIS JALANDONI, MEMBER of the Executive Committee of the National nificant tactical offensives to rock Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), strongly denounced the Duterte's fascist reign. His fascist illegal arrest of Rafael Baylosis by agents of the Government of the troops must not be allowed to lord Republic of Philippines (GRP) and called for his immediate release. over the countryside. The revolu- Baylosis, an NDFP consultant to the peace talks between the NDFP tionary movement should resol- and GRP, was arrested by the combined forces of the Criminal utely face relentless military oper- Investigation and Detection Group-Philippine National Police and the ations and frustrate destruction Intelligence Service of the AFP in the afternoon of January 31 along and pacification of mass organiza- Katipunan Avenue and Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City. He and his tions and local Party units. The companion, Guillermo Roque, Jr., had just alighted from a tricycle when enemy's encirclement campaigns he was collared. must be frustrated by expanding The illegal arrest is a brazen attack on the Joint Agreement on Safety and deepening guerilla fronts to and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), according to Jalandoni. The JASIG create wider areas of maneuver for remains in effect whether or not there are negotiations. NPA units. According to Atty. Rachel Pastores, managing counsel of Public While the revolutionary move- Interest Law Center (PILC) and Baylosis' legal counsel, no warrant of ment in Mindanao perseveres in arrest was shown by arresting officers, contrary to the PNP statement to resisting the combined all-out war the media. They were also banned from calling their lawyers, and from and martial rule, NPA units in visits by families and friends. Luzon and Visayas should launch Baylosis, 69, has a heart ailment and is now confined at Camp Crame, bigger attacks to force the AFP to Quezon City. overstretch itself.

"Tactical offensives". . . from page 1 assment operation against the good defense of the Red fighters, sula, the 85th IB sustained two CAFGU Active Auxiliary detach- they seized the initiative and killed and six wounded when an- ment in Barangay Allaguia, Pinuk- wounded a trooper. other unit of AMC set off explos- puk. This was followed by an am- Quezon. Last January 15, at ives against the headquarters of bush last January 24, about 10 least five soldiers of the 85th IB Bravo Company in Barangay a.m., against troops of the 50th IB were killed after active defense Bagupaye, Mulanay last January patrolling in Turod Bongod, in the was executed by the Red fighters 19. boundary of Barangay Dao-angan, of Apolonio Mendoza Command Successive armed actions were Balbalan and Barangay Baay, also (AMC) against the attempt of the also launched by the Red fighters in the said municipality. The milit- military to raid their encampment last January 26. Prior to this was ary sustained three killed and two in Barangay Jongo, Lopez. the sniping operation against an wounded. Again at dawn of January 16, a element of PNP Regional Public Abra. Around noontime of unit of the AMC made a rifle har- Safety Maneuver Battalion in Ba- January 18, a platoon of NPA-Abra assment against a CAFGU detach- rangay Bocboc, Lopez. It was fol- (Agustin Begnalen Command) en- ment in Sitio Eybol, Barangay San lowed by a harassment operation of countered troops of the 24th IB in Francisco A of the same municipa- NPA-Quezon on the CAFGU camp at a forested area of Pilar, Abra and lity. Mataas na Bundok, Barangay del Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur. Due to the Meanwhile in Bondoc Penin- Rosario, Gumaca.

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 3 Worsening human rights violations in Mindanao under martial law

ow that the faint-hearted Supreme Court has ratified martial law ex- fected. There have been 54 bomb- Ntension in Mindanao, human rights violations are sure to worsen. The ings or an average of one every people know that this is for Duterte's self-serving, pro-bourgeoisie and pro- five days. Most of these are in US plans for the entire island, as well as for defeating the revolutionary Marawi, next in Region 12 and movement. Soccsksargen. In a speech this February, Duterte has long carried out At the same time, arrests and Duterte blatantly told Lumad lead- indiscriminate attacks against the filing of fabricated criminal ers to leave their ancestral lands people of Mindanao. Until Decem- charges are widespread. Around because he will invite foreign in- ber 2017, human rights organiza- 407 individuals, wherein 150 are vestors and their partners into tions have already recorded 123 peasants and 84 are Lumads, have their areas. He offered to relocate cases of political killings and 58 been charged with murder, at- the Lumads in low-cost housing in cases of frustrated killings. Sixty- tempted murder, kidnapping and town centers, similar to what he six of these occurred under martial other non-bailable offenses. has done in Marawi. This is to law. Four more were added this Around 234 political detainees make way for large plantations and January alone. Among the most continue to languish in jail, 33 of foreign mining. One of these pro- chilling are the murder of 19-year whom are sickly and elderly. jects is an old plan to open up Pa- old student Obillo Bay-ao, the In the countryside, military quibato District to commercial oil massacre of eight Lumads in Lake operations are pervasive under the palm plantations. In tandem with Sebu and the frustrated murder of regime's all-out war. As of the this plan are Duterte and his two friends Janry and Jerry in moment, there are around 64 bat- daughter Sara's threats against Compostela Valley. talions in the island, forty-four of the legal mass movement in the Around 600,000 individuals which are focused on NPA areas. Davao provinces. Last February, have been forced to flee their These include the newly-formed Sara had already test-piloted a homes due to intense bombings battalions which are now camped scenario of wide scale crackdown and militarization. In the entire in Davao del Norte (88th IB), on national democratic forces in Mindanao, there have been 77 in- Bukidnon (89th IB) and Sultan the form of a lockdown and terror cidents of evacuations, mostly in Kudarat (90th IB). The 56th IB has drill in the city. Included in these ARMM. Around 400,000 of them been deployed in Talaingod. The drills are simulated incidents such are Marawi residents who are still said battalion was once com- as explosions, fires, hostage-taking living with their relatives or in manded by butcher Jovito Palparan and firefights. evacuation centers up to the and has committed heinous crimes Also last week, Duterte inaug- present. Some 200,000 are from in Central Luzon and Southern Ta- urated a new military camp in various other Moro and Lumad galog. In addition, no less than 15 Marawi City for his so-called “war areas. Around 122 communities paramilitary groups are also fo- on terror.” American troops are and 179 schools have been af- cused on NPA areas. sure to use this camp as one of their bases for Operation Pacific Eagle. This was after Duterte crammed the city's evacuees into narrow strips of land with tiny temporary houses. Only a few res- idents were allowed to enter the city to salvage their properties and only for 10 days. Aside from these injustices, Duterte also ridicules the people of Mindanao, especially the Lumads whom he says allow themselves to be “used” by the re- volutionary movement, and the Moros who are swayed by a “for- eign ideology.”

4 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN Fake news part of Duterte’s all-out war

isinformation regarding encounters between the AFP and NPA to dis- quests. A number of the peasants Dcredit the revolutionary movement is an integral part of the US-Duterte were suffering from flu, cough and regime’s all-out war. himself parrots these lies, in chorus colds and other illnesses due to bad with the AFP and paid trolls who spread “fake news” or wrong information in weather in the wake of Typhoon the internet. However, the people know the real events and they are not eas- Urduja. ily fooled by this smear campaign. Among the latest “fake news” are the fol- Some 35 elements of the 20th lowing: IB secretly prepared to attack the NPA unit that was carrying out Regarding the NPA’s alleged and murder of the Lumads. medical services. The NPA members beheading of a CAFGU element: Regarding the alleged NPA were able to notice this on time, Ariel Montero, NPA-Northeastern ambush of soldiers bringing relief: enabling them to quickly exit the Mindanao spokesperson, belied the Amado Pesante, NPA-Northern village and launch active defense, 402nd Brigade’s Brig. Gen. Gacal’s Samar (Rodante Urtal Command) killing four enemy soldiers. The accusation that Red fighters be- spokesperson, refuted on January military shelled the area with 105 headed a Lumad in Sitio Haguimit- 28 the 20th IB’s lies that the NPA howitzers from the 20th IB’s bat- an, Barangay Castillo, San Miguel, allegedly ambushed soldiers carry- talion headquarters, hitting their Surigao del Sur last January 27. ing out a "relief mission" in own soldiers. According to farmers Montero clarified that this is an AFP Barangay Hinagonoyan, Catubig, in the vicinity, six to nine soldiers ploy to conceal their involvement in Northern Samar on December 16, were killed in the shelling. The NPA the incident. 2017. unit was able to withdraw without Mar Acebedo Bocales, a CAFGU Reports received by the RUC casualties. member deployed to the Barangay from the Silvio Pajares Command Regarding the surrender of an Los Arcos detachment at Prosperid- clarified that the NPA was deliver- alleged Anakpawis Partylist mem- ad, Agusan del Sur, was beheaded ing medical services in the said vil- ber and mass surrender of Red and dismembered by the Magahat, a lage to address the residents’ re- fighters: Anakpawis Partylist belied paramilitary group, headed by the AFP’s story about a supposed Emerson Cuarteron. This group is member who “surrendered” as a under Calpit Egua and is extorting Red fighter. According to Anakpaw- money from the gold mine workers is, Gemma Burgos Quiroga was not a in Barangays Castillo and Bolhoon, member of the party but an impost- San Miguel. The two paramilitary or who was on the military payroll. groups are fighting over territory At the same time, the NPA de- for their extortion activities. rided Duterte’s claims of many Red Members of the Magahat group, fighters surrendering to the reac- together with the 75th IB, were the tionary government. The regime main perpetrators of the massacre uses these surrenderees, fake or of three Lumad leaders in Han-ay- not, to create the impression that an, Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del the NPA and the revolutionary Sur on September 1, 2015 and the movement are weakening. However, killing of Kapunungan sa mga Mag- it is no secret to the people that the uuma sa Surigao del Sur peasant multi-billion AFP scheme for sur- leader Selvestre Maratas in renders, such as the Balik Baril and Barangay Castillo, San Miguel on CLIP (Comprehensive Local Integ- July 2017. The Magahat group con- ration Program), are fake programs tinues to roam free, serving the AFP that serve as military officials’ and PNP in carrying out harassment milking cows.

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 5 Operation Pacific Eagle-Philippines in exchange for support to Duterte's corrupt and criminal rule

ower-hungry Rodrigo Duterte has earned himself an exalted Pplace in Trump's international war machine. This January, the US' new mission in the country, dubbed “Operation Pacific Eagle- Philippines” was finally made public after months of clandestine operations. The mission “replaces” Opera- In just under two months tion Enduring Freedom which was of Pacific Eagle’s operations, the supposedly shut down in 2014 but US has poured P800 million in whose troops left the country only funds for its operations. in 2015. Since July last year, US At the start of his term, senators have been capitalizing on Duterte portrayed his Duterte's anti-Moro war in Marawi engagement with the US to call for the reestablishment of an as “pera-pera lang” (it’s operating base and justify stockpil- all about the money). He ing various weapons, including vowed to give the AFP planes and drones, in the country. brand new weapons and Duterte's martial law against went on a begging spree to the so-called “ISIS” in Mindanao China and Russia for soft Pacific Eagle-Philippines set a perfect backdrop for the loans supposedly to modernize gives the US an advant- reentry of US troops and their per- his army. In “Pacific Eagle- age over China, which it manent basing in the country Philippines,” he gets both and identified as its “stra- without a signed treaty. His termin- more. He gets Trump's explicit tegic competitor” in ation of the peace negotiations with support and funding for his its recently published the National Democratic Front of one-man rule. National Security Strategy (NSS). the Philippines and subsequent de- In 2017, the US OCO started For years now, the US has been at- claration of the Communist Party of with $42 billion in February but tempting to contain China by for- the Philippines and the New Peo- ballooned to $65 billion by the end ward-deploying troops and ships, as ple's Army as “terrorist organiza- of the year. For 2018, Trump asked well as stockpiling war materiel, in tions” further set the stage. for an initial $64 billion for the the region. This was the impetus For a long time now, the US mil- program. In November last year, he behind the “pivot to Asia” of the itary has participated directly in asked for an additional P7 billion for then Obama regime. AFP operations against the NPA. “missile system and defense en- Under Trump, the US continues The reactionary state’s successive hancements” against North Korea to use the so-called threat from the campaigns of repression against the and more funds for its “anti-ISIS” Democratic People's Republic of revolutionary and progressive efforts. This is despite the US' own Korea (DPRK) as a pretext to “en- movements have been designed in pronouncement that ISIS forces in hance” the US expansive missile line with the US counter-insurgency the Middle East are losing ground. defense system. This includes the manuals. The US supplies the funds Qualifying for OCO, or more spe- positioning of three X-band radar and weapons of AFP and PNP spe- cifically, its “counter-ISIS train and systems and Terminal High Altitude cial units which have been created equip program,” means having for- Area Defense (THAAD) systems in to counter NPA units. ward-deployed US troops “near or the region, as well as the construc- The declaration, which was in combat forces they support.” tion of 10 new anti-ballistic missile made specifically in line with the US OCO includes setting up bases capable warships. In 2012, US de- State Department's foreign terrorist in areas where "ISIS threats" exist. fense officials scouted for a location organizations (FTO) listing, bolstered Although only a small portion will be of the third X-band radar system in Duterte's access to the US' budget allotted for the Philippines, Duterte Asia, and found one purportedly off for overseas contingency operations and his generals will surely make a the coast of Sarangani. By 2015, a (OCO), the Pentagon's bloated “anti- killing from these funds. total of 20 off-shore radar systems terror” slush fund. At the same time, Operation have already been built in the Sulu

6 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN and Celebes Seas, with an additional four off the coast ippines. of Palawan, near Scarborough Shoal. On the same year, The US focus on Mindanao and Palawan for its Op- a “national coast watch center” built by US company eration Pacific Eagle is significant. It has actively sup- Raytheon was completed using a $20 million fund from ported the pulverization of Marawi to render it a poten- the US. tial military base. Aside from its strategic position for On a smaller scale, Trump mouths the same anti-ter- control of the region’s sea routes, it will also provide se- ror rhetoric that his predecessors used in the past dec- curity for US economic interests in largescale multina- ade to forward-deploy troops and equipment. In the tional commercial plantations, and the 220,000-hectare Philippines, the US maintained 600 special operations Liguasan Marsh with an estimated $580 billion worth of forces, said to be the largest anti-terror contingent in natural gas deposits. the Pacific, for close to 15 years. Operation Enduring Operation Pacific Eagle, the Pentagon promises, will Freedom was withdrawn after the botched “anti-terror” be bigger and more expansive. Peoples’ resistance will raid against Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan) in likewise expand, more so that the US has identified Mamasapano, Maguindanao. It took another botched “radicalization and violent extremism” as its targets, “anti-terror” raid, this time against Abu Sayyaf leader which encompasses even legitimate groups defending Isnilon Hapilon, for the US to correct what it later saw their rights to ancestral land and fighting for the right to as a “mistake” of reducing special operations in the Phil- self-determination.

Duterte’s sell-off of national sovereignty

THE VACUITY OF the US-Duterte regime’s sham of an 2017, from 180,000 square kilometers in 2016. This be- independent foreign policy was most obvious these past lies Roque’s assertion that the structures had been there few weeks. Rodrigo Duterte often mouths the defense of before Duterte became president. Philippine sovereignty specially against countries that The people are aware of Duterte’s direct sell-off of air concerns against his “anti-drug war.” But at the the country’s islands and territory on the South China same time, he lets his minions get into all sorts of un- Sea in exchange for Chinese billions in loans for his co- equal trade and military agreements that auction off the terie’s corruption and the grand "Build, Build, Build" people’s natural wealth and labor force. program for his favored compradors. Last January, the regime received flak when it de- Earlier in January, Duterte arrogantly rejected a fended the purported research by Chinese ships on P2.4 billion aid from the European Union because of the Benham Rise, part of the Philippines’ sovereign territ- latter’s open criticism of his indiscriminate killings in ory. According to patriotic scientists of AGHAM, it is the name of the “anti-drug war.” But on December not true that the Philippines has no capacity for re- 2017, Duterte hastily signed a free trade agreement search, as the regime’s spokesman Harry Roque says as (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Free an excuse. Also, according to Roilo Golez of P1NAS, the Trade Association (EFTA) which allows the unregulated Chinese might be doing not only scientific research but entry of products and services from this trade bloc. also surveying for favorable positions for their military The agreement will also allow entry of foreign workers submarines. In the face of these criticisms, Duterte to “all service sectors,” despite constitutional prohibi- was forced to order all foreign ships out of the territ- tion on employing non-Filipinos in certain professions. ory, but only after the Chinese ships have gone on their Duterte also signed a separate agreement with the way. Benham Rise is a 13,000-million-hectare area off United Kingdom allowing the entry of their meat the coast of Aurora and Isabela products even if there is no provinces. This is rich in natural shortage of local supplies. Aside gas and minerals, likewise in other from this, the regime’s techno- marine resources. crats are vigorously drafting a Under the Duterte regime, trade agreement that will be ac- Chinese structures in sovereign ceptable to the EU but detri- Philippine territory have increased. mental for the country. Among these are big hangars beside At the same time, Duterte is airports, radar and communications seeking to draft similar agree- facilities, and other military struc- ments with Russia, Australia, tures at the Fiery Cross, Subi and China and US. Common to all his Mischief Reefs at the Spratly group desired agreements is the com- of islands, and also on the Paracel plete opening up of the local eco- Islands. These encompass 290,000 nomy and sectors to foreign plun- square kilometers at the end of der.

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 7 Duterte clan corrupt to the core

ast February, the US-Duterte regime suspended Melchor Arthur ruption scandals and controversies. LCarandang, overall deputy ombudsman of Ombudsman Conchita Car- Duterte bends legal processes and pio-Morales, for supposedly authorizing the release of private and falsified policies using "public interest" as documents. This came after he exposed to the public documents of the an excuse to pave way for the in- Duterte family’s hidden wealth which was first revealed by Sen. Antonio terests of his closest allies and Trillanes IV. cronies and to further open public funds for corruption. Along with this, Mark Taguba, a employees during Duterte’s mayor- Last February 27, Duterte an- customs broker, was charged with ship, who received up to P708 mil- nounced that there will be no tax evasion. Taguba was the one lion for 2014 only. He also accused public bidding on government pro- who implicated Paolo Duterte and the Duterte family of possessing jects. Instead, private companies Manases Carpio, husband of Sara P200 million worth of properties were asked to submit unsolicited Duterte, in the P6.4 billion shabu undeclared in their SALN. These proposals or proposals in favor of smuggling controversy. also include 41 real estate and commercial interests and join a These measures were done to other properties. scheme called “Swiss challenge." persecute those who risked to ex- The Commission on Audit has This system allows a government pose the corruption of the Dutertes already investigated the 11,000 agency to receive proposals from and to threaten anyone who is contractual and job order employ- private groups which will compete planning to speak against them. ees under Duterte, during his term to match each other’s offer. Here, Nonetheless, these did not stop the as a mayor in Davao. Based on the public will not be notified on continuing exposés of their corrup- COA’s investigation, Davao LGU the bidding process which will be tion of billions of people’s money. only employs 3,253 regular em- controlled solely by these agencies ployees while there were 11,000 directly under the president. This Bureaucratic corruption contractual and job order staff dir- scheme is being implemented in Recently, Vera Files published ectly under the office of the may- where undeclared bank deposits and in- or’s payroll without proper em- monopolizes profitable govern- vestments of Rodrigo Duterte and ployment documents. Funds were ment projects. Through this, the his daughter Sara while they were transacted on Rodrigo and Sara Dutertes will be assured of full mayor and vice mayor of Davao Duterte’s joint account. control of corruption while ensur- City. This information was retrieved Before the anomalies on from the documents submitted by Duterte’s bank deposits were once the two parties to Congress and again exposed, Malacañang’s in- their declared wealth on their volvement on the acquisition of a Statement of Assets, Liabilities and P16-billion worth Combat Manage- Net Worth (SALN) in the same ment System of year. Based on Vera Files’ analysis, the Philippine Navy, their undeclared wealth will pos- through Bong Go, was sibly amount to P100 million ac- uncovered. This was cording to their transactions at the known after the dismissal Bank of the Philippine Islands. In- of Vice Admiral Ronald volved in these transactions are Mercado as chief of the those known dummies of their fam- Philippine Navy, who opposed ily, Samuel Uy and some of their the recommendation of Go to known allies. The said document is award the contract to Han- part of the P2.2 billion corruption hwa Thales, a Korean case filed by Trillanes at the Om- company. budsman and is currently being investigated the Senate. Growing wealth Trillanes has long exposed through public Duterte’s hidden wealth and cor- contracts ruption. According to his complaint Not only were the filed at the Ombudsman, the Davao Duterte clan and their local government had 11,000 ghost allies involved in cor-

8 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN ing that big ticket projects will be which is worth P31.54 billion. particular business or tasks during awarded to their most favored the trips. cronies. Fake anti-corruption campaign This belies the Duterte family’s One example is the recent Last 2017, Duterte expelled projection of a simple lifestyle. In awarding of a multi-billion contract government officials in succession fact, just recently, his granddaugh- to the Philippine Airport Ground for having gone on more than 13 ter, Isabelle Duterte, held her de- Support Solutions Inc. (PAGSSI) trips abroad. However, Duterte, his but at the Peninsula Manila, to the last January 18. Duterte even pre- family and most trusted puppets in amount of P10 million for her pre- tended to be furious about the lug- fact have the highest expenses on debut shoot in Malacañang and gage theft incidents of MIASCOR’s trips abroad. For his first year alone, Australia, more than five gowns, employees, an aviation service pro- his foreign trips had already cost food, LED invitations, etc. vider for the Ninoy Aquino Inter- P386.2 million. This is triple the Moreover, Duterte doubled his national Airport. After terminating combined amount of the Arroyo and salary, including members of the MIASCOR’s contract, news imme- Aquino regimes' foreign trips. Tag- cabinet, senators and congressmen diately broke that he will grant the ging along with him on his travels for 2018. This is in addition to the contract to PAGSSI, an aviation were his closest friends and their annual P80 million and P200 million service provider owned by Jeffrey wives, his family, businessmen and pork barrel of congressmen and Cheng, a close friend of his ally other government officials without senators. Pantaleon Alvarez. Another obvious beneficiary of his close ties with the Duterte fam- ily is businessman Dennis Uy, owner of Phoenix Petroleum and 2GO. Since Duterte came to power, Uy’s wealth swiftly increased. Just last year, the P62 billion Manila Bay re- clamation project in Pasay was giv- en to Uy. Groups also expect him to benefit from the maintenance and operations of the Mindanao Railway

Dengvaxia: Corruption and profiteering by the state and Big Pharma

n the name of profit, Sanofi Pasteur, in connivance with the reactionary experimented upon. Parents were Istate, placed the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in grave not informed that Dengvaxia was danger. This is the real tragedy of Dengvaxia, a vaccine believed to have killed still on the test process. Consent 26 Filipino children since they were inoculated in 2016. from some parents were likewise not obtained for the vaccination of At the latest investigation by program pushed by its manufacturer their minor children. Congress last February 5 regarding Sanofi Pasteur and the Department Apart from these, international the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, of Health (DOH) even before having medical authorities released an Gabriela Women’s Party revealed proven the vaccine’s safety and ef- advisory cautioning that Dengvaxia some of its effects on children who ficacy. When the program was may be ineffective or may even in- had been injected. Parents reported started last April 2016, Phase 3, the crease the danger to those who cases of recurring high fever, fa- last stage of Dengvaxia’s clinical have not yet had dengue. Similar tigue, stomach ache, dizziness, loss trials had yet to conclude on studies were also released on the of weight, rashes, vomiting, bleed- September 2017. Results of experi- succeeding months by other re- ing, loss of hearing and failing eye- ments were not available until such search centers from the United sight among others. time. Despite this, up to a total of Kingdom and Singapore. Nonethe- These effects are attributed to 870,000 students aged 9-14, along less, the DOH under the Duterte the criminal Dengvaxia vaccination with 15,000 police personnel, were regime decided to continue the

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 9 program. Vaccination was discon- wise notorious in many countries voring the company. At the height tinued by the DOH only on Decem- for bribing doctors to promote the of the Sanofi and DOH scandal, a ber 2017. Immediately after this, company’s drugs. newly-formed organization of doc- Sanofi Pasteur turned to India and These oppressive methods in- tors presented themselves to the pressed for the waiver of Dengvax- tensified under globalization. Be- mass media to absolve Sanofi Pas- ia’s Phase 3 of clinical trials, and to cause of the push for maximizing teur, in unison with high ranking likewise launch the same vaccina- profit, big pharmaceutical compan- officials and agencies of the reac- tion program in the country. ies outsourced their clinical trials to tionary government. poor countries, particularly in Asia, Big pharmaceutical companies Criminal experimentation Africa and Latin America. likewise cut back their expenses. Long before this tragedy cre- In these countries, patients Developing a new drug to be intro- ated by Sanofi Pasteur, violations are forced to undergo clinical trials duced to the market costs an aver- by big pharmaceutical companies due to the lack of medical support age of $1 billion. The biggest chunk were already unbridled with re- from their governments. Majority of expenses are on clinical trials, gards to the ethical conduct of clin- have low levels of literacy, making most especially the third phase ical trials or the human experiment- them vulnerable to compulsion by which is the most extensive and ation of drugs being developed. For doctors and hospitals who are paid crucial. Because of competition, example, during the early years of for every patient enrolled in the experiments are rushed, which is the 2000 decade, the pharmaceut- experiments. One study revealed why it is to the drug companies’ fa- ical company AstraZeneca listed that up to 80% of patients from vor that hundreds of thousands of Alzheimer’s disease, depression and poor countries are not informed of poor patients are ready to accept others as diseases treated by the the nature of the clinical trials purported cure. Clinical trials out- anti-psychosis tablet Seroquel des- they undergo. Many of these clinic- sourced to poor countries by phar- pite no clinical trials on the said al trials are not publicized as ex- maceutical companies cost 50-60% diseases. Serious secondary ill- periments. cheaper. nesses came out of AZ’s criminal la- Bureaucratic corruption in In the Philippines, the wave of beling of their medicine. The com- poor countries serve to favor drug clinical trials outsourced by big pany likewise bribed doctors to companies. In the case of Sanofi, it drug companies to the country prescribe the tablet. is estimated that large kickbacks started in 2005. At present, there In 1996, 200 Nigerian children were pocketed by officials of the are more than 900 clinical trials afflicted with meningitis were sub- reactionary government from the being conducted in different parts jected to clinical trials, this time by P3.5 billion Dengvaxia vaccination of the country. AstraZeneca, Pfizer Pfizer, without consent from their program. (Former DOH Sec. Ja- and Novartis lead in the most num- parents. Eleven of the children died, nette Garin’s motive was also ber of trials. Drugs being experi- while many more suffered from questioned by the public in her mented by Merck and GlaxoSmith brain damage and paralysis. avid preference to Sanofi and dum- Klein are also considerable. These Sanofi’s cases of criminal prac- ping an application for an herb- drug companies all have cases of tices are numerous, such as the based anti-dengue vaccine created criminal and unethical practices in Ketek antibiotic scandal of 2007 from Artemisia or damong Maria). conducting clinical trials. where the company withheld in- This is aside from bribes to differ- Endangerment of the people’s formation that its clinical trials in ent government agencies involved health will persist as long as the the US were bogus, resulting in in the approval of drug being country is mired in poverty which is many cases of patients’ liver mal- tested, and to supposed “experts” exploited by big companies who function and deaths. Sanofi is like- that publish recommenda- tions fa- feast on diseases.

10 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN Killings, harassment and crackdown on the mass movement

hese past two weeks, four farmers have been shot dead by the Armed Tamucco and Balagan in Sto. Nino, TForces of the Philippines (AFP) while thousands of families were subjected Cagayan. These villages have previ- to intense militarization, violence and forced evacuation. Meanwhile, filing ously submitted petitions in 2017 fabricated charges and illegal arrests of progressive leaders follow one after against the planned establishment of another in the urban areas within a series of crackdowns foisted on the open a military camp in the area. The res- mass movement. idents are extremely fearful of being accidentally shot by patrolling sol- Killings on January 5. diers specially when going out to On January 28, 10 a.m., AFP their fields at dawn and dusk. agents shot dead Ricky Olado, 30, a Militarization and forced evacu- In Manila, the three months-long Lumad and member of Kulamanon ation Homeless Camp of Floodway, Pasig Lumadnong Panaghiusa (Tikulpa). More than 100 Lumad students, residents in Mendiola was violently Olado was killed while picking up school staff, and 246 families were demolished. The demolition was led passengers for his motorcycle in again forced to evacuate last Janu- by the Manila Police District under Barangay Datu Ladayon in Arakan, ary 29 due to the continuing harass- orders of Manila Mayor Joseph Es- North Cotabato. His passengers ment of 75th IB soldiers. At least trada. At the same day, police also were wounded in the incident. 161 families or 758 individuals from attempted to demolish the com- On January 22, soldiers shot 12 communities in the towns of Li- munity in Sitio 6 Dumpsite, Catmon, dead Aniceto Lopez, Jr., secretary- anga and San Agustin were forced to Malabon. general of Kahugpungan sa mga evacuate to Km. 9, Barangay Mag-uuma (Kasama)-Bukidnon in Diatagon, Surigao del Sur due to in- Abductions, illegal arrests, and Purok 3, Paitan, Quezon, Bukidnon. tense militarization that started last harassment The killer was identified as Ernesto January 8. Around 10 cases of in- After relief operations by the Balopenios of the Philippine Mar- timidation and threats have been Samahan han Gudti nga Parag-uma ines. Previously, Lopez received a recorded by the Kahugpungan sa ha Sinirangan Bisayas (Sagupa-SB) in call from a person identifying himself mga Lumadnong Organisasyon Alang-alang, Leyte on January 30, as a Bukidnon policeman and telling (Kasalo)-Caraga since the start of Alex Mendoza, a member of the 78th him to surrender as an NPA support- military operations. According to IB, forcibly took the list of the or- er. Kasalo, this is intended to allow the ganization’s aid recipients while On January 20, James Flores, mining and plantation companies to looking for three peasant leaders of 33, member of Tanang Asosasyon sa start operations in their ancestral the Alang-alang Small Farmers’ As- mga Mag-uuma sa Agusan ug Davao lands. sociation (ASFA). Mendoza threa- (Pamulad) was shot dead while leav- A few days later, three children tened that the area will become like ing a marketplace in Tagum City. The were hit by an M203 grenade in a Marawi if the residents continue re- AFP has long been accusing the house near the 75th IB patrol base in lations with progressive organiza- Pamulad of supporting the NPA. Purok 6, Sitio Neptune in the same tions. On January 25, 7 p.m., Arturo village. Renz Galdiano, 3, Reden That same day, 11 farmers of Colao, 56, resident of Blanco, Balin- Galdiano, 1, and Rynna Tiu, 12, were Zinundungan Valley, Rizal, Cagayan gasag, Misamis Oriental was shot in killed instantly in the explosion. The were stopped at a Regional Public Puting Balas, Talisayan. He was at- AFP captain said that the children Safety Battalion checkpoint in tending a gathering when motor- might have been playing with the Magapit, Lal-lo, Cagayan. They were cycle-riding gunmen shot him. He grenade which they picked up near returning home from the wake of survived the attempted killing. Col- the patrol base. The incident Lolito Raza, who was slain by AFP ao is an organizer and provincial demonstrates once again why the and PNP troops in Tarlac. The milit- leader of the Misamis Oriental people object to military camps in ary interrogated the farmers and Farmers Association (MOFA). This the midst of thickly populated village searched their things. Raza and his was the fourth in a series of at- centers. companion Victorio Tesorio were tempts on his life, with the first on On January 21, the military oc- killed on January 24 in San Manuel, Abril 22, then May 1, 2017, and last cupied the barangay halls of Tarlac. Both were retired Red fight-

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 11 ers who were living as ordinary civil- obedience to a person in authority intimidate farmer-beneficiaries of ians in the area. and violation of the Public Assembly the Nagkahiusang Agrarian Reform On January 25, elements of the Act of 1995 on November 13 during Beneficiaries Association, Inc. The 730th Philippine Air Force entered a the anti-Trump protests. police and Laude had to leave when community in Barangay Quisumbing, Previously on January 29, three the farmers asserted their rights Calaca, Batangas, creating terror men in civilian-clothes attempted to and legal ownership they had and anxiety among the residents. It arrest ACT-National Capital Region previously gained from the series can be recalled that on December chairperson Joselyn Martinez based of dialogues with the Department 23, 2017 a CAFGU member shot on a fake arrest warrant at the of Agrarian Reform. Goons of dead Moises Hernandez, a peasant Imelda Elementary School in Mala- Lapanday Foods Corporation were leader in the area. bon City. also seen in the vicinity. On January 23, men believed to In Davao City, the AFP re- On January 27, soldiers of the be soldiers forcibly took Jorimar peatedly called on Sheena Duazo of 59th IB threatened Andres Dela Japitan, 20, resident of Barangay Bayan-SMR and Hanimay Suazo of Cruz, 54, of Barangay Pacabit, Magangit, Maco, Compostela Valley. Karapatan-SMR to "surrender" for Catanauan, Quezon with fabric- Japitan is currently detained without their alleged crimes of kidnapping ated charges. Dela Cruz is a peas- charges at the 71st IB camp in and serious illegal detention. ant leader and chairperson of Pin- Mawab. No warrant of arrest was In Compostela Valley, soldiers agkaisang Lakas ng Magbubukid sa presented when he was taken. of the 66th and 25th IB gathered Quezon. residents of Sitio Pogi in Barangay The Human Resource Manage- Crackdown on the legal mass San Miguel on January 29. The sol- ment of the National Food Authority movement diers said Duterte has ordered the (NFA) issued a memorandum on A day after Duterte’s declara- arrest and execution of leaders of January 18 on their 'affiliation' with tion of a "crackdown" on legal or- organizations branded as CPP and AFP. In the 200-054 FORM from the ganizations last January 31, charges NPA “legal fronts.” The soldiers AFP General Headquarters, the em- were filed against Anakbayan chair- showed them a list of those they ac- ployees were required to fill in in- person Vencer Crisostomo and sec- cused as secret members of the CPP formation regarding their personal retary-general Einstein Recedes, and NPA. Among them were Roland background, employment history, Bayan Muna (BM) Rep. Carlos Zar- Cobrado, Perlita Milallos and Elmer residence, organizational member- ate, former BM representatives. Neri Atamosa, labor leaders of Shinsun ship, sketched map of their place of Colmenares and Teddy Casiño, Tropical Fruits Corporation and residence, other places they had KMU’s Roberto de Castro and Ren- Sumifru Philippines, Corporation. resided in, countries they had vis- ato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang The soldiers threatened them with ited, and others. Makabayan (Bayan). The Manila City death if they did not “surrender” This happened at the same time Prosecutor issued a subpoena within three days. when COURAGE National President against the six for alleged cases of On January 26, PNP-Tagum Ferdinand Gaite was subjected to physical injuries, resistance and dis- City police led Col. Laude went to harassment on January 19. People’s protests

arious sectors militantly faced the US-Duterte regime's continuing at- and quality education for all. A Vtacks on their welfare. They responded with protests against the candle-lighting protest was first worsening oppression inflicted by the regime. conducted in PUP Sta. Mesa, fol- lowed by a picket in front of the Students' walkout. Last Feb- Manila), PUP, University of the Commission on Higher Education. ruary 1, students from various East and UST. Students from the Workers’ protest. Last Janu- schools conducted a nationwide Bulacan State University, UP Los ary 31, workers and union members walkout to protest Rodrigo Baños, UP Mindanao, West Visayas of COKE FEMSA launched a picket Duterte’s tyranny and his threat of State University, and St. Louis rally in front of the company's of- dictatorship, as well as against the University also joined the walkout fice in Ilagan, Isabela. The group regime's oppressive tax reform. In and protests. protested the impending retrench- Metro Manila, among those who Before this, students held two ment of more than 600 employees. walked out of their classes were consecutive protest actions last According to union officials, this the students of UP (Diliman and January 23 and 24 to call for free violates their rights not only as

12 February 7 , 2 01 8 ANG BAYAN union members but also as workers front of Quiapo church in Manila the abolition of haciendas and for based on the country's labor code. last January 24. The group also free land distribution. Workers from Central Luzon commemorated the first year of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipi- stormed the Department of Labor the tragic fire at House Technology nas led the commemoration of the and Employment's main office in Industries in Cavite. 31st anniversary of the Mendiola Manila last January 29. Among According to BIEN, no one has Massacre last January 22. Farmers those who joined were workers been held accountable for the said demanded justice, genuine land from Hanjin Shipyard, Dong In tragedies. reform and genuine change. KMP Entech K1, Mighty Corporation, In Davao City, Kilusang Mayo also slammed Duterte’s Tax Reform Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Uno led a picket rally in front of for Acceleration and Inclusion. and Mighty Food Ventures along the burnt mall. During the rally, the KMP also with All Workers Alliance. They Teachers’ action. The Alliance joined the struggle against con- demanded the DOLE to junk De- of Concerned Teachers (ACT) led a struction of Clark Green City in partment Order 174 which per- protest in front of the office of the Central Luzon which will displace petuates contractualization. Department of Budget and Man- around 20,000 peasant and Aeta Meanwhile, in solidarity with agement in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro families in 12 barangays in Pam- the call for justice for workers City calling for salary increases panga and Tarlac. killed in the NCCC mall fire in Dav- last January 26. According to ACT- Similar protests were also held ao City, members of BPO Industry Northern Mindanao president in Southern Mindanao, Negros, Employees’ Network (BIEN) and Ophelia Tabacon, their group will Bicol and Southern Tagalog. Per- the Institute for Occupational hold a signature campaign among sisting political killings where ma- Health and Safety Development all the teachers in the region to jority of the victims were farmers held a candle-lighting protest in strengthen their demand. Teachers were condemned in the said rallies. from Lunugan Elementary School in Valencia, Bukidnon also joined the Support for migrants. Last protest by wearing black arm- January 25, a picket and an appeal bands. to the Supreme Court was held in Campout and Mendiola Mas- support of Mary Jane Veloso, a sacre commemoration. From victim of human trafficking. January 24-27, farmers from Si- Through Migrante, family and tio Centro, Barangay Tuhian, supporters appealed to the court Catanauan, Quezon held a cam- to allow Veloso to explain her side. pout protest. The campout was Members of Migrante Internation- set up through the solidarity of al, Church Task Force to Save Mary PIGLAS, CLAIM and Anakpawis. Jane, Churches Witnessing with During the last day of the cam- Migrants and St. John Neumann pout, peasants marched to the Migrants center also held a picket neighboring barangays to call for in Nueva Ecija.

ANG BAYAN February 7 , 2 01 8 13