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

English edition Vol. XLV No. 3 February 7, 2014 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editoryal Unleash a surge of protest to call the US-Aquino regime to account

ore than two months after supertyphoon Yolanda's rising face of such widespread devas- seas and howling winds laid waste to the lives and liveli- tation, the ruling regime has Mhoods of millions of people across vast areas of the Visayas, confined itself to providing lim- it is now the people's turn to surge in anger and protest against the ited relief. Aquino regime's criminal negligence and extreme incompetence. Calamity victims are victim- ized twice over by thieves in the On January 25, the collect- from the Aquino regime's neglect bureaucracy who pocket disas- ive footsteps of up to 12,000 must surge towards the national ter and emergency relief funds victims of typhoon Yolanda urban centers. and even aid provided by inter- thundered through Tacloban's The unity of the people of national agencies. main thoroughfare. Like single must likewise They are likewise victimized waves gathering to create a be further expanded to include by the lack of rehabilitation pro- powerful ocean tide, the peo- the solidarity of all victims of ty- grams tailor-made for victims of ple's mass movement vigorously phoon Yolanda throughout the disaster. The reactionary re- bared the people's real condi- Visayas, and other calamities of gime belittles the damage that tions and cried for an end to the recent years such as typhoons has befallen the masses' liveli- ruling regime that persists in Pablo, Sendong and Santi, the hoods and the threat of wide- stifling the reality of wide- earthquake and floods spread hunger. It has not un- spread devastation, poverty caused by the strong monsoon dertaken emergency measures and hunger. rains. such as cancelling or assuming The swell of protest in East- The vast majority of calami- debts owed by farmers from ern Visayas in January provided ty victims come from the toiling banks or loan sharks or provided but a glimpse of the even more masses, with their devastation investment funds to enable powerful surge of action by the stemming from the ruling re- farmers to plant and make the Filipino people against the ruling gime's refusal to use the state's land productive. US-Aquino regime. From Taclo- resources to ensure their safety Worse, the Aquino regime ban and other Visayan cities, the and provide adequate systems has even been invoking the need protests of victims of typhoon and facilities to save people's for rehabilitatin to pour funds, Yolanda and others who have lives and properties. Even in the not to uplift the victims suffered economically, but to benefit the businesses of People's surge its big comprador bourgeois allies. ehimeng Aquino, kontra-kablas! (Aquino regime is anti-poor) The calamity victims' cry This cry resounded from among more than 12,000 residents of for justice must merge with "RLeyte, and on January 24 and 25 when they the cries of the entire Filipino launched a protest march in Tacloban City's main avenue to hold the Aqui- people for genuine land re- no government accountable for its criminal negligence when supertyphoon form, a just increase in wages Yolanda struck. and lower prices for oil, elec- tricity, water, food, medicine The rally was led by Duluk han vors of typhoon Yolanda. Outside, and other commodities. Even Katawhan (People Surge), an alli- military agents and policemen in as they assail the severely in- ance formed to mobilize Samar, patrol cars surveilled the building. adequate budgets for disaster and Biliran residents to rise Because the huge rally was a preparedness and mitigation, and fight for justice and the right reflection of the people's intense they strengthen their cries to decent livelihood. anger at the Aquino regime for its against the relentless budget- The protesters demanded that neglect of the victims of the super- ary cuts for education, health the regime provide an emergency typhoon, the people did all they and other social services. fund of `40,000 to each family. could to be able to join the demon- The entire people must They assailed the Aquino regime stration. Before the rally, not a unite to hold Benigno Aquino for putting a stop to relief opera- few farmers sold gingerroot and III accountable for his crimes tions, saying that many victims, other cash crops to raise transport not only in terms of his gross especially in the interior villages fare to Tacloban. In other barrios, neglect of the calamity vic- had yet to receive any relief assist- villagers contributed cash for use tims, but for paving the way ance. They belied Malacañang's as pocket money by those intend- for a handful of landlords, big claims that the victims had already ing to join the rally. Village coun- local and foreign capitalists to resumed their normal lives. cils and local politicians who were exploit the people and cause In the afternoon of January convinced of the justness of the them to suffer. 24, thousands gathered at the Yolanda victims' objectives like- The surge of protest in Eastern Visayas State University wise provided assistance. Eastern Visayas must signal (EVSU), where delegations crowd- In a desperate attempt to sti- the start of giant storms of ed all three floors. At around 6 fle the people's mass action, the people's protests that will put p.m., People Surge began a vigil- military spread rumors that the an end to this baleful regime. memorial for the victims and survi- rally would be "infiltrated" by NPA Red fighters. The rumors also served as pretext to deploy hordes ANG Contents of military troops in Tacloban. On Editoryal: Unleash a surge of protest 1 the eve of the rally, malicious ru- Vol XLV No. 3 February 7, 2014 People’s surge 2 mors were also spread about an The anti-people “no-build zone policy” 3 alleged NPA attack on a bus. De- Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, Yolanda victims gather in guerrilla zone 3 spite such intimidation, the people Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and forged ahead to join the rally. Res- English editions. Building organs of political power 3 It is available for downloading at NPA attacks energy plant 4 idents of Basey, Samar who could the Philippine Revolution Web Central not get past the military and police located at: NPA punishes mining firm in 5 checkpoints at the San Juanico NPA attacks Sumifru 5 www.philippinerevolution.org. Bridge which connects Samar to People’s militia training in 6 Leyte island rode pump boats in- Ang Bayan welcomes contributions PNP victimizes civilians in 6 in the form of articles and news. stead just so they could join the Readers are likewise enjoined to send Mining dons sanctimonious garb 7 mass action. in their comments and suggestions for AFP turns school into barracks 8 the betterment of our publication. You When they reached Tacloban, can reach us by email at: CAB and the Moro struggle 9 the victims marched along Imelda Oust the landlord president 10 Avenue up to the Legislative Build- [email protected] San Roque in QC demolished anew 10 ing amid reverberating cries of "Aquino is anti-poor!", "Justice Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee for the victims!", and "No-Build of the Communist Party of the Zone Policy is anti-poor!" ~

2 ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 Lessons from SMR and New People's Army in the Building organs region agreed that the task of building and consolidating the of political power mass base must be stepped up to advance the three compo- nents of people's war (armed he consolidation of the mass base has been a thoroughgoing struggle, agrarian revolution endeavor alongside the advance of armed struggle in Southern and base building) in a balanced Mindanao Region (SMR). Since 2013, barrio revolutionary com- T way. To achieve this, the mass mittees have been established in quick succession in the various organizations in the developing guerrilla bases being developed in the region. guerrilla bases must be invigor- ated to the point where they are Before the year ended, a gion's higher targets for OPP able to function on their own. It number of municipal revolution- building in 2014 and must like- was a way to bring out the lead- ary committees (MRC) had also wise be shared with other terri- ership capabilities of mass lead- been formed. The lessons on tories. ers who would be leading the how to fully comply with the req- soon to be established BRC and uisites for building organs of po- Sharp application MRC. The comrades identified litical power (OPP) are impor- of the mass line the key issue that would mobi- tant in order to attain the re- Last year, the entire Party lize the mass organizations and

Junk the anti-poor Yolanda victims "no-build zone policy" gather

rban poor residents victimized by typhoon Yolanda have demand- in guerrilla zone Ued that the Aquino government junk its "no-build zone policy" which prohibits people from building houses near coastal areas. The ore than 200 villagers victims said the policy would benefit only the big comprador bourgeoi- Mand two New People's sie and businessmen. Army platoons assembled in a remote sub-village in Sam- In Tacloban City, the policy wants to move them to over- ar on the night of February 1. will cover an area of more than priced bunkhouses that are too Their assembly's theme 400 hectares, including areas 40 cramped for a family of five to was "Victims of Yolanda, meters from the coast during ten members. rise up and fight! Call to ac- high tide, which are populated by The Philippine Economic Zone count the US-Aquino re- thousands of families. Authority plans to build a manu- gime!" Officers of local According to residents of the facturing area in storm-affected mass organizations and city's Barangay 37 Reclamation sections of Leyte. The plan was representatives of the Party Area, the "no-build zone policy" already the subject of House Bill and NPA gave speeches is an anti-people rehabilitation 3640 or the Tacloban City Spe- during the gathering. The program that will only worsen cial Economic Zone Act of 2013. NPA unit and local youth or- the poverty of typhoon survivors. The bill proposes the building of ganization presented songs It is sure to result in the massive an industrial, commercial, trad- and dances. dislocation of families who de- ing, agro-industrial, tourist, The speakers con- pend on fishing for a living. They banking, financial and invest- demned the reactionary have no other source of liveli- ment center. Aquino regime and called hood except fishing and selling More than 10,000 families in for its overthrow. They said their catch in the market or are- Tacloban City barangays along that while they survived su- as near the pier. To oppose this the coastal areas will be affected pertyphoon Yolanda, they anti-people policy, affected resi- by the bill, whose calls are tanta- are slowly being killed by dents are currently building shel- mount to massive landgrabbing the looming hunger caused ters made from wooden debris and the total demolition and by Aquino's policies. ~ from the storm. The government eviction of thousands of people.

ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 3 address the key interests and their own to leave the area. ernment became concrete to the problems of the peasant and Lu- From this, the comrades identi- Lumad and peasant masses be- mad masses. In accordance with fied the key link that would sus- cause through their experience, the spirit of the mass line, the tainedly invigorate the mass or- they knew that that no one but people's army focused on pro- ganizations. the people's democratic govern- duction. And when typhoon The components of the reha- ment guided them in advancing Pablo struck on December 4, bilitation campaign include mass economic work, provided free 2012, the comrades made emer- movements for production, envi- education to their children, gency relief and eventually, re- ronmental protection and other fought for their ancestral lands habilitation, their priority. items that cater to the masses' and protected the environment. The NPA immediately solicit- welfare such as housing, educa- Simultaneously, they contin- ed and distributed food and pro- tion, health and sanitation. ue to hold the Aquino regime to vided health services. Red fight- These mass movements are like- its promises and assail it and its ers helped in repairing houses wise comprehensively anchored foreign capitalist and big com- and schools. At that time, the on advancing the people's war. prador bourgeois cohorts for revolutionary movement led by Communal farms maintained by their negligence and incompe- the Communist Party was the the revolutionary mass organi- tence. only entity that acted as a gov- zations of peasants, women, ernment catering to the masses' youth and the people's militia Daringness, creativity needs. flourished. Lusong or mutual ex- and decisiveness In the process, the com- change of labor in individual When the OPP were first be- rades further realized the im- farms picked up. Backyard vege- ing established, some comrades portance and urgency of consol- table patches were encouraged. in the subregions were not too idating the mass base through Animal husbandry was begun. sure how to go about doing so. building OPP. Without consoli- The mass organizations be- But this did not stop them. They dation, a single blow from a came busy, holding meetings for harked back to the lessons devastating calamity could planning, assessments and learned from the time when NDF completely destroy the mass studies on their own. They are committees acted as BRCs in the base. For without a strong or- now looking forward to imple- 1980s. For guidance, they also ganization uniting them and a menting even bigger economic reviewed the OPP orientation, revolutionary government pro- plans. how the first MRC was estab- viding emergency services, the In the process, the need to lished and the resolutions on people would simply decide on establish a revolutionary gov- mass work. Aside from these studies, they dared to learn from actual practice and try methods, achieve breakthroughs and glean lessons from both positive and negative experien- ces. Decisiveness and daringness are important because conserv- atism and allowing oneself to be overwhelmed by obstacles are big stumbling blocks. The never- ending process of fulfilling req- uisites, the lack of experienced cadres and militarization, among others are usually in- voked as excuses. In SMR, aside from grasping the key to mobilization, the problem regarding machinery was decisively resolved. Cadres were steeled in actual practice through beakthrough projects.

4 ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 To ensure that the entire NPA punishes Cagayan process is monitored, the leaders of each subregion led mining firm and actually joined in the plans' implementation. he New People's Army Henry Abraham Command meted pun- Through actual practice, ishment on January 13 on San You Philippines Mining Trade new ideas and practices TLtd. in Barangay Catayuan, Lal-lo, Cagayan. The Red fighters emerged. One of these is to destroyed company machinery during the punitive action. assign the region's vertical formations (such as the NPA Among the items burned and fisherfolk communities because fighting units) as the main eventually destroyed were three of the destruction wrought by machinery for building guer- big ships that were being used the mining activities on the up- rilla bases. In one subregion, to extract magnetite sand from lands, farms and fishing grounds a production platoon served the sea and the Cagayan River; a from which the masses derive as the arm of the production backhoe; a loader; two dump- their livelihoods. campaign in the guerrilla trucks; a bulldozer; and the min- Second, they have unbri- base. Another entity that ing company's conveyors and dledly stolen the province's min- proved to be a big help espe- separators. The NPA likewise eral wealth to the detriment of cially in propagating basic confiscated a BSL firearm from a the environment. Third, they mass courses was a youth guard as well as office equip- have raked in gigantic profits group trained to be a PADEPA ment. from their plunder but have and cultural arm. Their as- Cagayanos have long been been paying their workers sistance made it possible to demanding a stop to the plun- measly wages. fully implement the mass edu- derous activities of San You, Li- Since 2007, these conniving cation program. an Xing Philippines Stone Carv- foreign corporations have Not one of the guerrilla ing Corp., Philippine Mining squeezed billions of dollars from fronts with MRCs was free Group Holdings, Inc., Shaitan their operations in Cagayan. from enemy operations. Com- Cagayan Sand and Gravel Corp., They have a big ship that re- rades addressed this situation and Yin Yii. These companies ceives tons upon tons of mag- by adopting an offensive have been simultaneously ex- netite sand from five smaller stance and by struggling tracting mineral resources from ships and earn up to `70 million against the civilianization of more than 13,000 hectares of from every dumptruck of refined the people's army. Military shoreline in the towns of Lal-lo, magnetite. Tons of ore are actions are quickly put in gear Camalaniugan, Aparri and Bu- shipped directly to Taiwan, Chi- because there is a clear de- guey all the way to Sta. Ana. na and other countries for for- fense plan. These companies' long and eign profit, leaving in their wake On various levels and for filthy list of crimes has been pitted grounds and ruined rivers various issues, there are legal etched in the people's collective and riverbanks. It is clear that conduits for the masses' ac- memory. First, they have been this plunder of the province's tivities, even as the Party slowly killing entire peasant and natural resources has not bene- branch and revolutionary mass organizations serve as their solid core. Gaining ex- NPA attacks energy company pertise in combining legal and open with illegal and under- A New People's Army unit attacked one of the plants of the Philip- ground operations provides pine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc (PHESI) in Tabinay Liit, Puerto Ga- enough leeway to mass organ- lera, on January 23. The Red fighters burned a izations and even to the backhoe owned by the company. The attack served as a warning to BRC/MRC to fulfill their tasks. the company to give consideration to environmental issues and re- This can be done effectively spect the rights of the area's residents. because the legitimacy and Two days after this armed action, Red fighters clashed with a justness of their activities and unit of the PNP Regional Public Safety Battalion in Barangay Talipa- the issues they have been nan, Puerto Galera. Two police elements were killed and nine wound- fighting for are clear to the ed in this encounter. ~ masses. ~

ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 5 fited the people at all. People's militia training The masses have long been fighting these min- in Cagayan Valley ing companies in various ways. They have filed pe- he people's militia in a guerrilla front in Cagayan Valley recently un- titions, held dialogues, derwent military training alongside newly recruited fulltime fighters of launched picket-marches Tthe New People's Army. The training formed part of a programmed se- and built barricades. This ries of trainings of every people's militia platoon established in every barrio. struggle, which began as far back as 2007, has The training lasted seven days conducting reconnaissance and erupted and spread to all and consisted of maneuvers, individ- standing watch at night. parts of the affected ual combat techniques (ICT), target The militia and their trainor towns. The people have shooting and marksmanship and mili- summed-up the training togeth- even raised their grievan- tary drills. The political component of er. From the first day to the end, ces before Malacañang. the training had already been previ- attendance among the militia The US-Aquino regime ously given, such as NPA History and was complete. Aside from dis- and local politicans who Regulations, NPA Military Regula- covering potential military com- have also profited from tions and Intelligence and Counter- manders from among the militia foreign mining such as intelligence Work. and the new recruits, each the Enrile dynasty, Caga- The members of the people's mili- trainee was able to try his or her yan Gov. Alvaro Antonio, tia attended the training even if it was ability to unite and cooperate Vice Gov. Odi Fausto, 1st the height of the planting season. Even with others during a military sit- District Rep. Sally Enrile, if they were all poor peasants, with uation. Lal-lo Mayor Florante some dependent on being farm work- When asked what he thought Pascual, Aparri Mayor ers, they sacrificed their work in order of the training, Ka Rim, the polit- Shalimar Tumaru, Buguey to join the training. Some would go ical guide of a militia squad said, Mayor Licerio Antiporda home every afternoon to fulfill house- "We still need to be more con- and Gonzaga Mayor Car- hold responsibilities and come back scious of the time and of follow- litos Pentecostes have all early the next morning for the train- ing orders. We are thankful for been turning a blind eye ing. Others tethered their carabaos learning ICT." to the destruction caused before hurrying towards the training On the part of the new re- by these mines. Despite ground. Though late, they would still cruits, they enjoyed learning the people's intense op- join the ranks. alongside the militia. According position, they have grant- The militia's determination to con- to Ka Jho, it was hard but enjoy- ed these foreign vultures tinue was underscored during an ene- able. "There were times when we 25-year mining permits.~ my operation. The members joined in found things difficult, but we ex- plained ourselves. We were pa- tient with each others' weak- NPA attacks Sumifru nesses because we maintained our military bearing and bore in RED fighters under the Mt. Kitanglad Subregional Command at- mind the political objectives of tacked the Sumitomo Fruits (Sumifru) plant in Barangay Barobo, our training." Valencia City, on the night of January 18, seizing two Ka Rey, the lead trainor was firearms. very happy even if being an in- Sumifru is estimated to have sustained `11 million in dam- structor was not an easy job. He age due to the attack. The NPA targeted the company due to its said he was glad that no one anti-worker and environmentally destructive operations. Its gave up on the difficult training 5,000-hectare banana plantation was seized from peasants and and everyone graduated. Lumad in two municipalities of Bukidnon. Many of those who lost The graduates and their fam- their land were hired as workers by the company. ilies were all smiles. They ended In 2010, the packing plant workers struck due to low wages the activity with cultural presen- and unjust working conditions. They were all contractuals and tations. As for the training deprived of their right to unionize, receive benefits and enjoy ground, it was planted to veg- security of tenure. ~ etables so it could serve as the area's first communal farm. ~

6 ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 Mining in hoods, the Jose Rapsing Com- mand of the New People's Army dons sanctimonious garb called on Masbateños to resist FRC's looming onslaught in con- he Filminera Resources Corporation (FRC), the Philippine Army nivance with the AFP and PNP. 9th ID and the PNP-Masbate cabal has been trying to shroud It appealed to the people not to Twith sanctimonious garb its scheme of expanding the plunder allow the seizure and destruc- of the island-province's mineral wealth. tion anew of lands, the expropri- ation of mineral resources, the Chaplains under the 9th ID and the destruction of the liveli- pollution of the island's waters plan to hold masses in Mas- hoods of the poor and other sec- and the death of Masbate's ma- bate's various barangays. The tors. rine life, the suppression of the masses, however, will be con- This is the face of Oplan Ba- Masbateños' right to life and ducted in combination with mili- yanihan in Masbate, where the livelihood, and the killings of tary and police attacks on the chaplains serve as agents of de- family and friends. The people villagers, with the ultimate goal ception and the Division Recon- must likewise resist bribery and of paving the way for FRC's fur- naissance Companies and PNP false promises of development. ther theft of Masbate's mineral strike forces launch armed at- The Jose Rapsing Command resources, which should right- tacks. also called on officials of the fully benefit the people. The Meanwhile, intelligence op- provincial government, from the masses will first be held in the erations are relentlessly being governor to the barangay chair- third district (comprising the conducted against the people's men to side with the people and towns of Cataingan, Cawayan, revolutionary movement. Other prevent FRC from further ma- Dimasalang, Esperanza, Pala- government agencies will be rauding the island. It also en- nas, Pio V. Corpuz, Placer and used as well, such as the De- couraged churchpeople and Uson) and eventually in other partment of Education and local good elements in the mass me- parts of the island. government units to extract in- dia to repudiate the AFP-PNP's Through these masses, the formation from the struggling jesuitical use of the mass to ad- soldiers and police will be por- people and spread lies. The goal vance Filminera's exploitative trayed as good and God-fearing, is to thwart the advance of the interests. and FRC's monstrous destruction people's revolution and pave the Said the NPA-Masbate, the of more than 8,000 hectares of way for exploitation by big capi- conduct of masses will never be land in Aroroy town covered up. talists. able to obscure the sinister FRC has been mining gold in this In the face of such dangers schemes of FRC and its AFP-PNP town since 2009, despite the to the people's lives and liveli- defenders. ~ people's fierce opposition. Vari- ous sectors have raised numer- ous complaints against Filmi- Civilians victimized in Sorsogon nera, from the small miners being displaced, to peasants and fish- pond owners whose livelihoods A civilian was killed and another one arrested by policemen after have been ruined due to the mine elements of the PNP-Sorsogon clashed with a number of New Peo- tailing runoffs in their rice fields ple's Army (NPA) operatives at a police checkpoint in Cabid-an, and fisheries. Sorsogon City on the night of January 30. Henry Orbena, a work- Filminera is under the Mas- er at a coconut water plant near the scene of the fighting was bate Gold Project, which is cur- killed in the policemen's indiscriminate firing. He was felled by rently the biggest nationwide. bullets from an M16 rifle. His cousin Brian Gallega, also a worker From June 2009 to June 2010, at the plant, was arbitrarily picked up. Both civilians were ac- FRC raked in $38.4 million from cused of being NPA members. the tons of gold it has mined in The Celso Minguez Command (CMC) of NPA-Sorsogon belied Aroroy, to the people's detri- this and the PNP's claims that the NPA had seized two M16 rifles ment. from them. Thus, behind the mask of ho- The CMC charged that the PNP-Sorsogon should own up to its ~ liness is massive landgrabbing responsibility for Orbena's death and release Gallega from jail.

ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 7 AFP turns school roughshod on the children's rights and put them in danger in into barracks the name of "civil-military oper- ations." The DepEd has allowed he Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's the military to enter schools, Army roundly condemned the 25th IB's brazen use of a school particularly elementary and Tas an encampment. The school, located at Side 4, Barangay high schools in the countryside Mangayon, Compostela, Compostela Valley is being used by the Ma- where the revolutionary move- tigsalog, a Lumad tribe. ment is active, purportedly to launch forums, discussions and The soldiers' use of the kanugon Community Learning medical missions. Memorandum schoolbuilding as their barracks Center with the assistance of No. 221, series of 2013 is ironi- directly contravenes the rules of the Rural Missionaries of the cally entitled Guidelines on Pro- war which guarantee the safety Philippines. It currently has 230 tection of Children during of civilians amid war and prohib- students from Grades 1 to 5 and Armed Conflict. Based on an it the use of civilian structures five fulltime teachers. AFP directive on the conduct of for military purposes. It is also a The soldiers were forced to "civil-military operations" in ci- violation of the right of children pull out from the school on Jan- vilian institutions like schools to education because adminis- uary 28 after the residents, hu- and hospitals, it is framed with- trators are forced to suspend man and child rights advocates in Oplan Bayanihan and targets classes due to the ensuing dis- confronted them. Nonetheless, communities and organizations turbance and the dangers posed they merely transferred their legitimately fighting the reac- by the soldiers to the students. camp to the outskirts of the tionary state. The military has long been community, where they continue Aside from a series of inci- repressing the community be- to sow fear among the children dents involving repression cause its residents have been and residents of Side 4. against children and schools in known for their struggle against In reality, the soldiers are Compostela Valley, KARAPATAN the US-Aquino regime regarding paving the way for the entry of has likewise documented other the latter's incompetence in Agusan Petroleum Corporation, AFP abuses in schools in the providing assistance when ty- a mining company owned by Ed- name of "civil-military opera- phoon Pablo struck in November uardo Cojuangco. tions," among them 2012. In October 2013, resi- To give militarization a legit- > the compulsory attendance dents evacuated after soldiers imate face, the AFP has con- starting July 1 last year of refused to pull out from their nived with the Department of Grade 6 and high school stu- community. Among the evacuees Education (DepEd) through dents in all public were three youth who were a memorandum of agree- schools in Cagayan beaten up by soldiers after they ment dated December province in anti- were accused of hauling rice for 13, 2013, allowing AFP communist fo- the Red fighters. The residents soldiers to enter rums organized are also known schools, run by the 5th Civil for having Military Opera- risen inde- tions Battalion, pendently 5th Infantry Divi- from the sion tragedy > the use by the wrought by the 81st IB on July 28, 2013 typhoon. Among of the barangay hall of their efforts to Nagtenga, Sta. Cruz, Ilo- improve their cos Sur, which also houses community the day care center, was to build > the 8th IB's encamp- their own ment at the Sampaguita Ele- school under mentary School in Barangay the Salugpu- Sampaguita, Kibawe, Bukidnon ngan Ta Tanulg- on March 21, 2012. ~

8 ANG BAYAN Pebrero 7, 2014 CAB will not suppress lies or 35,334 individuals were affected and forced to evacuate. the Moro struggle In September, the AFP at- tacked five barangays in Mid- sayap, North to sub- ll stakeholders in the Moro struggle should not lose sight due BIFF forces in the area. The of the fundamental causes of the problems that saddle the BIFF was formed in 2008 after "AMoro people. This is crucial because, no matter what Ameril Umbra Kato, commander agreement is forged, if the feudal and semifeudal bondage imposed of the MILF 105th Base Com- upon the Moro people by the local ruling classes and their imperialist mand assigned to masters remains, no significant change will be forthcoming." refused to join the MILF struc- ture during ongoing talks with Thus said Jorge "Ka Oris" address these more basic issues the GPH. Madlos, National Democratic because its only objective is to The Moro resistance move- Front of the Philippines-Minda- deceive and cause the surrender ment must clearly adhere to the nao spokesperson, after the and pacification of the MILF. more basic demands of the Moro Government of the Philippines The economic sharing agree- peasants for the defense of their (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Lib- ment will benefit only a few tra- ancestral lands and must closely eration Front (MILF) signed the ditional leaders, upper class Mo- coordinate its struggle with the Comprehensive Agreement on ros and their imperialist bosses. struggle of the entire Filipino the (CAB) on Janu- In essence and in form, it is no people. It must understand the ary 25. He added that only different from the agreement true reactionary nature of US through revolutionary struggle previously signed by the Moro puppet regimes so that it can can the fundamental problems National Liberation Front and avoid being ensnared in its of the Moro people be ad- the Ramos regime in 1998. traps, as what happened to the dressed, genuine autonomy The reactionary government MNLF before and to the MILF achieved and chauvinism may have succeeded in effecting more recently. against them resolved. the MILF's surrender, but this Meanwhile, militarization is The agreement cannot early, it is clear that it has fail- set to intensify nationwide, es- change continuing landlessness ed to subjugate the entire or- pecially in Mindanao, now that among the majority of the Moro ganization. Major sections of the MILF's armed struggle has people. Multinational planta- the MILF in the field are now decisively been put to a stop. tions and destructive mining openly supporting the Bangsa- The Aquino regime recently an- companies are aggressively and moro Islamic Freedom Fighters nounced the deployment of an relentlessly expanding. The Mo- (BIFF), which broke away from additional seven battalions of ro's ancestral land and waters, the MILF due to special military forces in including the Liguasan Marsh disagreements and Region 10 in the first two and the vast plains are persist- over the course of months of 2014. The US-Aquino ent targets of plunder by the big the peace negotia- regime has been further embold- comprador bourgeoisie and mul- tions. In a desper- ened to end the people's revolu- tinational corporations. The lo- ate attempt to si- tionary movement through vi- cal ruling classes continue to lence the BIFF, the cious military campaigns. But threaten the Moro people as AFP launched Aquino and his fas- second class , peddling "Operation Dark- cist forces will fail the utterly chauvinist line of horse" on Janu- because his re- their imperialist master that ary 27 and con- gime is in the Moros are "terrorists" and their ducted aerial process of be- communities "terrorist havens," bombings in the ing completely thus giving the fascist AFP the towns of Sharif isolated from license to brutally attack genu- Saydona, Rajah the people and ine Moro resistance movements Buayan and Datu the revolu- as they did the MNLF in Zam- Piang in Maguin- tionary move- boanga City in November 2013, danao, and Pikit, ment contin- added Ka Oris. North Cotabato. ues to gain Clearly, the CAB does not Up to 9,465 fami- strength. ~

ANG BAYAN Pebrero 7, 2014 9 peasants' cry sailed infrastructure projects in Oust the landlord president Central Luzon under the re- gime's Public-Private Partner- ship program. The projects have n January 22, peasants from Guimba, and Porac, caused the displacement of launched a caravan to mark the 27th anniversary farmers from their land and de- of the Mendiola Massacre. They called for the immediate O stroyed their livelihoods. Among ouster of Benigno Aquino III, the foremost advocate of landlord in- them are economic zones and terest and enforcer of anti-peasant and anti-people policies. big highways that would be The mass action was led by Miguel, . The Villafuer- serving foreign corporations ex- the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa tes are a clan of politicians from ploiting the labor of the region's Gitnang Luson and allied organ- workers. izations based in Hacienda Lui- > landgrabbing and land- In Manila, hundreds of peas- sita, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, use conversion in several ants and members of progres- , , , towns of Pampanga, Bulacan sive organizations Bulacan, and . and Bataan. hied to Mendiola Among the issues they raised The peasants also as- Bridge that day. were > landgrabbing by Ayala Land and its front organiza- tions of the 2,000-hectare Hacienda Dolores in Po- rac, Pampanga > the looming cancel- lation of certificates of land ownership, certifi- cates of land transfer and emancipation patents in Nueva Ecija and the reconcentration of land in the hands of big land- lords like the Angaras, Kilan- San Roque, QC demolished anew tangs, Ruedas, De Santoses, Ti- nios, Ilagans, Gonzaleses and VARIOUS progressive organizations condemned the Aquino re- Domingos, among others. gime and the City local government for the violent ten- > the eviction of farmers and hour demolition at Agham Road, Sitio San Roque, Barangay Pag- national minorities from Casigu- asa, Quezon City on January 27. ran, Aurora to give way to the Using tear gas and truncheons, the demolition team forced Aurora Pacific Economic Zone its way into the community and brutally tore down the residents' and Freeport (Apeco) being houses. Several were wounded, including 11 children age five pushed by the Angaras years and younger. Eleven residents were likewise arrested, in- > landgrabbing by the Cen- cluding two minors. Two-hundred and fifty families were affect- tral Azucarera de Tarlac Realty ed by the demolition and have nowhere to go. After two days, Corp of a 400-hectare landhold- they rebuilt their shanties along the Agham Road central island. ing in Bayambang, Pangasinan. The demolition was the third in a continuing campaign by the The Azucarera is a business Quezon City local government to evict San Roque residents to partner of a company owned by pave the way for the QC-Central Business District. In accord- the Aquino-Cojuangco family ance with an agreement signed by Ayala Land Corporation and > landgrabbing by the Villa- the National Housing Authority, all urban poor communities in- fuerte family of a 375-hectare side a 37-hectare area within North Triangle, Barangay Pag-asa piece of prime real estate in San will be demolished to build the `65-billion project. ~

ANG BAYAN February 7, 2014 ANG BAYAN Pebrero 7, 2014