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

Vol XLVI No. 12 October 7, 2015 www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial Intensify peasant resistance against neoliberal policies

he peasant masses must take advantage of the upcoming ing grievance of the peasant November leaders meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooper- masses for democracy and social Tation (APEC) in the to express their disgust and justice. They have turned a deaf protest over their worsening oppression and sufferings under neoliber- ear to the clamor to end monopoly al policies promoted by the APEC and other imperialist agencies and ownership and control of land by instruments. the few and big foreign business which serve as base of the differ- The Filipino people must use the hectares of hacienda and capitalist ent forms of feudal and semifeudal opportunity to denounce worsening plantations are further expanded to exploitation. imperialist plunder and oppression increase agricultural production for Over the past 27 years, five in the country. export. successive reactionary pro-landlord Starting this October, Peasant The peasant masses are further governments implemented the Month, they must thoroughly expose mired in poverty and oppression Comprehensive Agrarian Reform their worsening conditions after after three decades of neoliberal Program (CARP) in order to dupe three decades of neoliberal imposi- policies. There is worsening land- the peasant masses. Through the tions on the Philippines and the res- lessness, landgrabbing and concen- CARP and the CARP Extension with ultant deepening and worsening of tration of land in the hands or con- Reforms, the reactionary state the semicolonial and semifeudal sys- trol of big foreign companies and makes it appear that it is address- tem in the country. their local big landlord and big busi- ing the demand for land reform. Under the weight of neoliberal ness partners. Contrary to the clamor for so- policies, the Philippines is further The successive reactionary gov- cial justice and democracy, CARP confined to a backward, non-indus- ernments that upheld the neoliberal was carried out in accordance with trial and agrarian state. Since there doctrine are all opposed to national the neoliberal concept that land can is no genuine land reform and land- industrialization and genuine land only be owned based on market grabbing is prevalent, more and reform. They stifled the long-stand- value. The value of more peasants have no land to till. Most poor peasants and farm workers suffer worst conditions due to low wages, depressed farmgate prices, usury and high prices of commodities. Because of the absence of na- tional industrialization, more peasants are being engulfed in the rising ocean of the unem- ployed. In the countryside, pro- duction remains small-scale, backward and family-based. In tandem with neoliberal imposi- tions, hundreds of thousands of land is determined by its productiv- the land they till. On the contrary, it ity and profitability. The equivalent has imposed policies which further value was given to the big landlords burdened the peasants. As a result, as compensation or payment; and almost 90% of the CARP "benefi- imposed on the peasant as amortiz- ciaries" can no longer amortize or ation. have had their land taken back. Various schemes were likewise Over the past three decades, employed to circumvent the actual CARP has served to push neoliberal distribution of land to the peasant policies in agriculture. The CARP such as the earlier stock distribu- has paved the way for various tion option and corporatization. To schemes to allow foreign big capit- enable the landlords to regain the alists in connivance with big land- "distributed" land, there is wide- lords to control vast tracts of land. spread implementation of the So-called "agrarian reform seek to acquire such raw materials. aryendo or prenda system communities" (ARCs) are being Foreign control of vast tracts (anomalous leasehold agreements). used as mechanism to subsume of land in the Philippines is being A stark case is the use of this sys- dispersed small-scale production reinforced in order to push pro- tem in Hacienda Luisita by the into production for export, espe- duction for export, build debt-fun- Aquino-Cojuangcos and in other cially in palm oil, as well as in rub- ded infrastructure (such as dams haciendas that remain undivided ber, bananas, pineapple, corn, ca- or dikes) and pave the way for for- and under the control of big land- cao and others. Through eign plunder of the country's re- lords. agribusiness venture agreements sources. Local food production is "Land reform" under CARP, (AVA), small peasants are made to endangered. thus, is no different from real estate sign contracts to supply them with There are now moves to change transactions. It is deaf to the clam- grain, pesticides and other inputs the 1987 constitution to remove or for social justice. In accordance with a promise to buy their produce. restrictions against foreign own- to "non-intervention of the state", Thus, individual peasant production ership of land in the Philippines. the reactionary government has is subjected to the overpowering While prohibitions under the 1987 taken no measure to ensure that commercial operations in partner- constitution still exist, these are peasants will gain and benefit from ship with foreign big capitalists that circumvented through the use of partner local big compradors. There are also various laws that ANG Contents allow them to virtually own the land such as the Foreign Bank Lib- Editorial: Intensify peasant resistance eralization Law which allows for- Vol XLVI No. 12 | October 7, 2015 to neoliberal policies 1 eign banks to own for several years REAP Mindanao Network 3 land used as collateral for unpaid Ang Bayan is loans; as well as the Mining Act published in Land reconcentration in HLI 4 which gives them the right to Pilipino, Bisaya, APEC: Collusion and conflict 4 plunder and extract the riches of Hiligaynon, Fisherfolk protest law 5 the land. Waray and Since the early part of the English. Vendors win vs privatization 5 1990s, all out trade liberalization It can be downloaded from the Yolanda survivors' protests 6 was carried out under the General Philippine Revolution Web Central at International day of protest 7 Agreement on Tariffs and Trade www.philippinerevolution.net and World Trade Organization in- NPA arrests soldier in Agusan 8 cluding breaking down tariffs on Ang Bayan welcomes Peasants killed in 9 imported agricultural products. contributions in the form of articles Guards disperse workers 9 In blind obeisance to neoliber- and news items. Readers are alism, successive reactionary gov- encouraged to send feedback and War against the Lumad 10 ernments in the Philippines made recommendations for improving our Perverted views of politicians 11 no effort to aid the local small newspaper. Send your messages to Peasant killed in 11 peasants in the face of dumping of [email protected] garlic, onion, rice, livestock and Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee poultry and other agricultural pro- of the Communist Partyy of the Philippines duce. This is despite the fact that

2 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN production of rice and other agri- cultural produce continue to be Unity against expansion of plantations state-subsidized and -controlled in to be formed the US, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and other coun- tries enabling them to dump cheap THE Resist Expansion of Agricultural Plantations (REAP) Mindanao Net- products in the Philippines to the work will be established on October 28 during the National Conference detriment of local production. on Plantations in Mindanao at the University of the Philippines in Dili- The reactionary state ignores man, City to unite various organizations and individuals who are the demand to raise the buying against the expansion of plantations in Mindanao. price of palay. Instead, it has al- REAP aims to gain broad local and international support around is- lowed imported rice to flood the sues in Mindanao. Mindanao is home to a large part of the country’s country. This has also resulted in total estimated mineral wealth, but these are controlled by intrusive worsening smuggling and corrup- transnational, multinational and conniving local agribusiness firms. tion in import contracts as well as Also in Mindanao are the largest plantations of rubber, banana ang in manipulation to cause the in- pineapple under giant corporations Del Monte, Sumifru and Dole in crease in rice prices. , South , , Compostela Valley and Davao. Neoliberal polices are a burden About one million hectares of grasslands are now being converted to oil on millions upon millions of peas- palm plantations in , North Cotabato, and North- ants. They continue to call for ern Mindanao. democracy and social justice in the The initiators of REAP are calling for an end to land monopoly, land- face of the continued absence of grabbing and dispossession. They are also calling for respect for life, land reform. Big landlords continue livelihood, traditional beliefs and culture of indigenous peoples’ to retain large land monopolies. or Lumad communities affected by the intrusion of agricultural planta- In the face of the continuing tions. They uphold agricultural workers’ welfare against retrenchment, international capitalist crisis, the contractualization and other forms of flexible labor, slave-like wages, backward system of production in health and work hazards and inhuman working conditions in plantations the country is further exploited to and related mills, factories and packaging plants. They also call for the extract cheap raw materials. The end to impunity and to uphold the peoples’ civil and political rights. They Philippines and other semicolonial seek to stop environmental degradation and ecological destruction states under imperialist domination brought about by the expansion of plantations. REAP seeks to highlight are being pushed onto this path. the crucial role of the agricultural sector in attaining genuine national Under the weight of neoliberal- industrialization and other sustainable and pro-people measures. ism, forms of feudal and semifeudal The founding of REAP Mindanao Network is initiated by the Rural exploitation of the peasant masses Missionaries of the Philippines, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Unyon are worsening. Landgrabbing and ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, and the Center for Trade Union and displacement of peasants have be- Human Rights. come more frequent and brutal. Usury has become more preval- ent as peasants are forced to are also victims of non- being further pushed by the neolib- use commercial grains re- stop rise in consumer eral policies imposed by US imperi- quiring expensive fertil- prices and absence alism and its various agencies must izers and pesticides. of public health be exposed. As imperialism deepens Big loansharks prevail and education feudalism in wide swathes of the alongside “rural services. countryside, the development of the banks” and The anti- industrial base and the economy in “dev- feudal struggles general will not happen. elopment of the peasant The Filipino people must pro- corporations” with masses must be mote the struggle of the peasant similarly heightened and masses against various form of burdensome advanced across feudal and semifeudal exploitation loans. the country. The and oppression. On the other hand, Peasants are worsening forms the peasant masses should firmly subject to low and methods of link up their struggle to the struggle farmgate prices that pull them feudal and semi- of the people for national and social deeper into debt and misery. They feudal exploitation liberation.

ANG BAYAN October 7, 2015 3 Farmworkers assail land aryendo system in Hacienda Luisita when he defended his close friend reconcentration in Hacienda and fellow gun enthusiast Virginia Torres. Torres is notoriously known Luisita as the “aryendo queen” in HLI. She herself admitted to “renting” land he UMA (Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura or Agricultural inside the hacienda, though denied TWorkers Union) assailed the US-Aquino regime’s various schemes to re- that Aquino had prior knowledge or store the Cojuangco-Aquino family’s control over distributed lands in endorsed her scheme. In Aquino’s Hacienda Luisita Incorporated (HLI). haste in defending her against sugar smuggling allegations, he One of these schemes is sugar locating P2 billion for sugar block inadvertently exposed his know- block farming which will consolidate farming. Block farming is no differ- ledge of Torres' activities in HLI. small land holdings under CARP. ent to agribusiness venture agree- According to Aquino, why should These blocks, which will group to- ments most hacienderos have em- she (Torres) help in smuggling gether 30-50 hectares of land, will ployed to take back their lands. sugar when she has heavily inves- ensure the continued planting of Block farming will prop up and ted in its local production? Peas- sugarcane on the hacienda scale. strengthen the aryendo system that ants have long known that Torres Peasants have long objected to is now widespread in the hacienda. is a mere dummy of the Cojuangco- this scheme since it will only restore Under this system, beneficiaries Aquinos. control of their crops and produc- “rent out” their land parcels to CARP prohibits the renting out tion to the Cojuangco-Aquino family hacienderos for an extremely low or sale of distributed lands. But this who will then act as the sole buyer fee. Currently, most of the sugar- does not prevent hacienderos and of their harvest. They understand lands distributed under CARP have their cohorts in forcing, intimidat- fully that under block farming, they been returned to the hacienderos. ing and deceiving peasants into en- will be landowners only on paper, In Hacienda Luisita, many benefi- tering anomalous agreements to but in reality will be farmworkers ciaries have “rented out” their rent out their lands. again to the hacienda system. lands to dummies of the Cojuangco- In Negros, another home to Despite protests, the Depart- Aquino family through the aryendo large sugar haciendas, estimates ment of Agriculture, Department of system under which the haciendero show that hacienderos have taken Agrarian Reform and Sugar Regu- pays P7,500 annual fee for the use back control of up to 80% of CARP latory Committee conspired to push of a .66-hectare parcel of land. lands through the prenda system, a the scheme forward. This Septem- Benigno Aquino himself con- scheme similar to the aryendo sys- ber, the three offices announced al- firmed the widespread use of the tem.

APEC in : Collusion and conflict between imperialist powers tion of many countries in the Asia-Pacific but excludes “THE coming APEC Summit will display conflict and col- lusion between the US and China. They will collude to China, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic continue neoliberal policies and they also aim to com- Partnership, which is based in the Association of pete for profits in this region of Southeast Asia and the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and has a looser form Philippines." This is the statement of Jose Maria Sison of integration including China but without the US. in thanking the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Aklat ng There is the possibility the the APEC will craft a hybrid Bayan and Liga ng Kabataang Propagandista who proposal, which will become more encompassing than launched his new book. either of the two. Whichever will be agreed upon, the He continued, “They are in conflict because the US yearly push of the APEC is already putting in place wants to gain bigger profits and the pro-US bourgeoisie measures for regional integration. to dominate within China itself.” Various methods are being applied such that liber- Two proposed templates are in a race within the alization of trade and investment is being fully imple- APEC: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which is mented and destroying the country’s remaining na- ruled by the US and requires a higher level of integra- tional protection of natural and human resources.

4 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN US maneuvers cargo trains that traverse the con- signs of a new and greater crisis are The US excluded China from the tinent from China to Russia, Central appearing. Recession continues in TPP because the former wants to Asia, until Western Europe and the US. On a bigger scale, produc- press China to privatize strategic Africa. This system of roads and tion is falling especially in China and public enterprises. The US wants railways will connect to the sea to various financial bubbles are burst- easier entry of its investments and Europe through ports in Italy, ing, including the debt bubbles of further access to the immense Greece, and Turkey; to the Medi- states and stock and bond markets. Chinese market. terranean, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Last September 25, the biggest The US is also displaying its spanning the coast of the Indian Chinese coal mining corporation containment policy of China by Ocean; to Malacca and the China decided to retrench 100,000 work- transferring or increasing US milit- Sea. This will be joined up by a sys- ers. As the second biggest economy ary forces in East Asia. US-led tem of railways in Vietnam, Cam- in the world, the three successive forces including Japan, Canada and bodia, Thailand, and Laos, the $46 yuan devaluations last August 10- Australia are dominant in the world billion railway from the Chinese 12 shook the dollar and other cur- and determined to complete the TPP border to Pakistan, and the newly rencies in the world that are tied talks and the US pivot to East Asia. finished railway connecting the both to the dollar and yuan. China This includes guaranteeing EDCA in ports of Ethiopia in Africa. Through dumped at least $107 billion US the Philippines to expedite position- the Silk Road, China is establishing Treasury Bills in 2015 to accumu- ing of naval troops in the West Phil- itself as a trade center while el- late more dollars and control the ippine Sea. bowing out the US. the yuan. This created apprehension in the US, fearing the further de- China maneuvers Currency war valuation of the yuan and other cur- On the other hand, China is con- The currency war is intensify- rencies will follow. Finance agencies tinuously fortifying its position by ing. With Russia, the Chinese yuan estimate that China holds around building closer economic relations increasingly threatens the US-dollar $1.48 trillion of US debts in the form with Russia, India, and other states domination in world trade. It aims of Treasury Bills. in South Asia and Central Asia within to undermine the dollar and US su- The imperialists can not solve the expanding Shanghai Cooperation premacy. China is continuously ex- the problems of their system. There Organization, and in the world panding its dollar reserves, rapidly is intensifying oppression and ex- through the newly established BRICS dumping US Treasury Bills and set- ploitation of the working people in (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South ting up yuan exchange centers in imperialist and underdeveloped Africa) New Development Bank. Europe and other parts of the countries. The imperialists them- Last July, China initiated setting world. At the same time, China and selves are in conflict and come into up the Asian Infrastructure Invest- Russia are increasing direct yuan- collusion only when they are able to ment Bank (AIIB) together with 49 ruble trade. Also being pass the burdens of the crisis on to other countries in Asia-Pacific, strengthened are trade between the working people and impoverished Europe, Africa and Latin America. Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakh- countries. APEC is only an arena of Seven other countries have ex- stan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and this collusion and conflict. The suf- pressed their intention of join- other nations of the Commonwealth ferings of the working masses can ing—including the Philippines. This of Independent States that do not only inflame and amplify their will be fully established by the end use dollars or euro. struggle. of 2015. By setting up the AIIB, China hopes to rival on the one Unresolvable world crisis hand, and complement on the other, Amid the US and China the International Monetary Fund as schemes in East Asia, the crisis of a new imperialist tool for its plans world capitalism goes un- to attain hegemony and dictate the abated. While still reeling terms of inter-regional integration. from the blows Another grand Chinese project brought by is the New Silk Road and Maritime the 2008 Silk Road, a trade route that fea- crisis of tures special infrastructures for world closer economic integration of Asia capit- and Europe. This is composed of alism, highways and railways for the most modern, high-speed passenger and

ANG BAYAN October 7, 2015 5 Fisherfolk protest pro-foreign amendments Manila vendors to fisheries law win against privatization PROTEST actions by fisherfolk and operators were successively launched these past weeks against RA 10654 or law against illegal fishing and amend- ments to the Fisheries Code of 1998. MARKET vendors simultaneously closed their stalls in five markets A "fish holiday" was held on February 27. This amended the in Trabajo, Sampaloc, San An- September 2-3. Fisherfolk, big fish- fisheries law or RA 8550 to abide by dres, Sta. Ana and parts of ing companies and markets in European Union policy. It raised the Quinta to rally in front of the Quezon, and other fine for violations of earlier prohib- Manila City Hall. Market vendors parts of Bicol stopped fishing oper- itions against fishing within 15 kilo- from Paco and Dagonoy, as well ations. In Navotas, fish supply fell meters from the shoreline and the as ambulant vendors from from 100 tons to less than 10 tons use of nets and other “active fishing Park, Pedro Gil, Padre Faura and that day. On September 3, some gear”. This further limits the area, joined the 1,000 marched from the volume of fish that can be caught protests. During their negoti- Grandstand to the front of the Sen- from permitted fishing areas. ations with Manila City Mayor ate building in Manila. It is clear that the , they attained On September 22-23, similar implementation of the law is in ac- one of their demands — to stop protest actions were launched by 20 cordance with foreign dictates to the privatization of public mar- big commercial fishing boat operat- the detriment of millions of small kets. ors in . This coin- fisherfolk and fishing operators in This is the second protest of cided with the APEC Ministerial the country. the Save Manila Public Market Meeting on Small and Medium En- “It is not true that small fish- Alliance or SAMPAL against terprises in City. erfolk will benefit from this amend- plans to privatize 17 city public Even earlier, on August 29, ments because even in municipal markets. The alliance called for Anakpawis-National Capital Region fishing, fines for violations were the scrapping of City Ordinance initiated a gathering of affected raised to as much as P30,000 while 8346 or the Joint Venture small fisherfolk and operators in those for small and medium-scale Agreement (JVA) and for the Navotas against RA 10654 which fishing were raised to P9-15 mil- defense of small vendors’ liveli- they described as a way to direct lion,” according to Fernando Hicap, hoods over those of a few private the country’s fishery sector towards Anakpawis representative. companies. They likewise called aquaculture along the lines of an “The government aims to des- for the upgrading of market fa- intensified export-orientation. troy the livelihood of the mass of cilities instead of privatizing RA 10654 was enacted after the small fisherfolk and operators to them. European Union imposed more allow the big and foreign commer- Aside from putting a stop to stringent policies in importing fish. cial fishing to monopolize our water privatization plans, This used as pretext the allegedly resources and the big and foreign market high incidence of illegal, unreported business to monopolize aquacul- vendors and unregulated fishing which viol- ture.” also ate Council Regulation No. Anakpawis denounces the Fish- suc- 1005/2008. The EU threatened on eries Code as the root of the cess- June 2014 to stop fish importation worsening conditions of fisherfolk, fully from the who are considered the de- Philippines. “poorest among the poor”. man- Both An ordinary fisher ded houses of family earn a that Congress measly P190 per fees hurriedly day. remain passed RA in ac- 10654 by cordance the end of to current 2014. laws. Thus, RA 10654 stall fees took effect on will be

6 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN maintained for the next two years at their current level and Calamity victims launch increases in the succeeding years will be limited to 5-10%. protests in EV Also, public markets in Sta. Ana and other markets “in good n , the people’s anger at the US-Aquino regime’s gross condition” will not be demol- Ineglect of Yolanda and other typhoon victims is intensifying. They are ished. enraged mainly by the slow-moving and arbitrary distribution of the P30,000 Estrada’s concessions are Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) which should have been given them in substantial victories in negoti- November 2013. ations initiated by the vendors. The Department of Social Work tion of houses. The mayor clearly did not anti- and Development (DSWD) delisted Last September 7, more than cipate the widespread protests, many Yolanda survivors from its 600 people under the banner of especially by the stall owners beneficiaries, while burdening those People Surge demonstrated in front who face the threat not only of in the list with numerous docu- of Julita, ’s municipal building losing money but of losing their mentary requisites. Those who are to press the mayor and the DSWD stalls altogether. There are no earning P15,000 per month are to release their ESA. Julita is not assurances that would-be dropped from the list, as well as listed as an ESA recipient. The private concessionaires will those who are residing in hazardous people there are outraged by this honor previous stall ownership zones and those who have received neglect since their town suffered after markets are reopened. temporary shelter from relatives, extensive damage from the Furthermore, an estimate of other agencies or organizations. typhoon. Earlier, around 4,000 res- 50,000 ambulant vendors will Worse, the DSWD is in cahoots idents from Basey, Samar also lose their livelihood due to the with usurers in the “kase-kase” launched a rally to condemn the JVA. scheme, wherein ESA funds are re- slow-moving and arbitrary ESA dis- Meanwhile, vendors and leased to them and offered as loan tribution. stall-owners in San Andres mar- to identified beneficiaries at 16% Local governments have united ket conducted a noise barrage interests. with the people against the DSWD on October 1 against the sup- According to government stat- and Aquino regime’s scheme to wi- plemental agreement drafted by istics, out of 205,000, only 73,000 thold ESA funds and other aid from the city government. The said of the poorest families have re- calamity victims. The Yolanda sur- agreement runs counter to Es- ceived housing funds from the re- vivors’ organization People Surge trada’s promises during the gime. Majority, or 132,000 of the likewise demanded from the DSWD September 12 negotiations that poorest families remain homeless. the P400 million fund earmarked for the said market will remain Almost two years after Yolanda’s the survivors that has been left public. devastation, they still live in tents sitting in the bank. The People The supplemental agree- or bunkhouses in Tacloban and oth- Surge also united with victims of ment was discussed in a forum er areas. This is because the US- typhoons Ruby and Senyang to push which the vendors boycotted in Aquino regime has released to the for the people’s interests in the face protest against the JVA. local government only a third or of the Aquino regime’s neglect. Clearly, the mayor is taking P21 billion out of the back what he promised in the P75 billion alloted dialogue conducted during the for the re- market holiday. construc- Privatization of public mar- kets has long been implemented in other cities. Among the cor- porations which have won con- cessions are the Titanium Cor- poration (owner of the Legend Hotel and operator of the Mayon Market in Quezon City) and companies owned by Henry Sy. Meanwhile, the Balintawak mar- ket has been sold to the Ayala group of companies.

ANG BAYAN October 7, 2015 7 Groups hold Int'l Day AFP captures 26th IB of Protest soldier in Agusan Sur NATIONAL-DEMOCRATIC groups and human rights ad- he New People’s Army-Western Agusan Norte-Agusan Sur Subregional vocates in the Philippines and TCommand arrested a memvber of the 26th IB last September 19 at Km.16, abroad held an International Barangay Policarpo, San Luis, . Sergeant Adriano Delapeña Bengil Day of Protest last September (Serial Number: 831966), team leader of a Peace and Development Team (PDT) 21. The coordinated protests of the 26th IB was taken prisoner while conducting psywar operations in Ma- are part of the series of hagsay, Agusan del Sur. protests and actions against the continuing militarization On September 20, around 4:30 caliber .45 pistols were confiscated and human rights violations of a.m., an NPA unit used a command- from them. Lumads, other minorities and detonated explosives against a 26th According to Aris Francisco, civilians under the US-Aquino IB platoon that was pursuing the ar- spokesperson of NPA-Comval-North regime’s Oplan Bayanihan. The resting unit of Bengil. Two troopers Davao South Agusan Subregional action was also held to mark and one member of the Civilian Command, they arrested Alavaro and the 43rd anniversary of the de- Armed Auxilliary (CAA) were killed Anover who both were part of the op- claration of martial law. and four were wounded. erating troops of the 25th IB, for their In , groups On September 21, at 6:45 am, an role in the atrocities perpetrated by trooped to Mendiola to call for NPA team harassed a column of the their unit against the people. an immediate halt to the 26th IB in the mountains of “The NPA mounted the checkpoint killings (#stopLumadkillings) Kamingawan, Barangay Balit, San Lu- in response to the atrocities commit- and to hold the US-Aquino re- is. Five were killed and an undeter- ted by the 25th Infantry Battalion. gime accountable for its role in mined number of soldiers were The fascist Army troops committed the intensification of state fas- wounded. grave human rights violations in the cism. In attendance was Ka Allan Juanito, spokesperson of villages when they ransacked several Michelle Campos, daughter of NPA-North Central Mindanao Re- houses, encamped in village centers, MAPASU head Dionel Campos gional Command, praised the NPA waged intense psychological warfare who was brutally murdered by units for their successful tactical of- and arrested civilians on account of paramilitary groups on fensives against the military opera- fake criminal charges. It was the same September 1. tions. He also clarified that “As we army unit which seized and tortured Also in the rally was An- have done with the POW of last year to death three Red fighters in Mon- drea Rosal, daughter of the and the captured member of 58th IB tevista, Compostela Valley last year,” late Communist Party of the last July in Alagatan, Gingoog City, Francisco said. Philippines’ spokesperson we will formally release him as an- According to Francisco, the arres- Gregorio Rosal, who called for other gesture of goodwill and sincer- ted soldiers will be investigated and the release of more than 700 ity in seeking the resumption of subjected to “the judicial process un- political prisoners in the coun- peacetalks with the Aquino regime." der the tenets of revolutionary try. The NPA assured Sgt. Bengil’s justice.” Francisco also stated that Similar rallies were held in family and the public that he is being under the protocols of war, the NPA Baguio, Davao, de treated well and will be able to return custodial unit is duty-bound to treat Oro, Bicol and other cities. as soon as conditions allow his safe the soldiers humanely and leniently. Bayan, other national-demo- and orderly release. What could pose Meanwhile, on July 29, Red fight- cratic groups abroad and Mi- as threat to his safety are the rescue ers of the Arnulfo Ortiz Command grante spearheaded protests in operations of the AFP. ambushed goons of the Tan dynasty in the US and Europe. Two soldiers were also captured Parek, Matuguinao, Western Samar. On September 24, the New by the NPA in Compostela Valley on Red fighters confiscated two M16 York-based Human Rights September 30, 1:00 pm, at a check- rifles and one caliber .45 pistol. The Watch called for a quick resol- point in Barangay Casoon, Monkayo, military action aims to punish the ution to the attacks against the Compostela Valley. Pfc. Nino L. Alav- powerful Tan dynasty that has long Lumads, the dismantling of aro and Pfc. Marjon S. Anover left been violating strict regulations of the paramilitary groups and pun- army headquarters in Banlag, Mon- people’s democratic government re- ishment of soldiers who sup- kayo and were on their way to conduct garding the use of goons and violence port these groups. military operations in the area. Two against the people.

8 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN Army kills peasant couple national-democratic organizations and the progressive church. They in Bulacan were charged with illegal assembly and civil disobedience, detained in midst the people’s wrath and condemnation of successive and brutal Iloilo City Police Station 1, but Akilling of Lumad and other civilians, armed state agents unflinchingly were released on the same day. killed a peasant couple who are community leaders in San Jose del Monte, UP students condemned the Bulacan. At the same time, there is relentless harassment of national-demo- arrests and police overkill which cratic activists, indigenous peoples and National Democratic Front of the they believe are part of the tight- Philippines (NDFP) consultants. ening of security measures in pre- paration for the Asia Pacific Eco- Bulacan. Motorcycle-riding filed against him. nomic leaders’ meeting to be held armed men gunned down couple Iloilo. Eleven rallyists were il- in the city. According to the pro- Lucila and Roger Vargas who were legally arrested while protesting testers, they were only fighting for on their way home to San Isidro, cuts in the budget of the University their right to education which the San Jose del Monte on September of the Philippines (UP) last Septem- US-Aquino regime is grossly neg- 19. The couple were active mem- ber 22. Around 500 students, lecting. The entire UP system’s bers of the Nagkakaisang Samahan teachers and their supporters were budget is set to be reduced by P2.2 ng Magsasaka sa San Isidro marching from the UP campus to billion, from P13.4 billion in 2015 (United Farmers in San Isidro) and Gen. Luna St. when they were ac- to P10.9 billion in 2016. Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan costed by hundreds of police of- . On September 17, (Bulacan Peasant Alliance), organ- ficers. the Pasig City Regional Trial Court izations affiliated with the Among those arrested were sentenced Emeterio Antalan and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas two UP-Visayas teachers Erick Leopoldo Caloza to life imprison- (Philippine Peasant Movement). Aguilar and Gretchen Velarde ment with no possibility of parole Roger was shot on the head and and leaders of for a fabricated murder case. An- died immediately. Lucila man- talan and Caloza are NDFP con- aged to call fellow peasant sultants who were illegally ar- Cecil Rapis and tell her she rested in Nueva Ecija. The NDFP recognized the gunmen but strongly condemned the sen- died before she could name tencing, and called on the re- the culprits. gime to stop filing trumped-up A day earlier, guards charges against its consultants, who identified themselves and stop criminalizing political as personnel of the Sing- acts. son family from threatened the couple. The Var- gases stayed on a 2.5 hectare land Guards disperse Tanduay workers which is part of the 11-hectare A protest launched by Tanduay Distillers Inc. workers and their sup- property being claimed by the porters was met with gunshots last September 22. The workers were Singsons. marching towards Gate 2 of the Asia Brewery Complex in Cabuyao, La- Cagayan. Members of the 17th guna when company guards pelted them with rocks. A firetruck also IB abducted an indigenous Aggay bombarded them with water. Meanwhile, police armed with high- from Barangay Masi, Rizal last powered rifles attempted to run over protesters at the tail end of the October 3. According to his fam- march. ily, soldiers forced out an ailing The workers were demanding that Tanduay comply with the De- Leonor Danao from his hut and partment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) order to declare them as made him walk in the rain from regular workers. In September 8, the DOLE secretary affirmed the Barangay Masi to Barangay earlier decision of its regional office ordering Tanduay to regularize its Gagamutan before he was bundled workers. The Tanduay management still refuses to implement the order. into a military vehicle. Before the Prior to this, the workers held protests in front of the Nestle factory abduction, soldiers searched his to commemorate the 10th death anniversary of its late union president, hut where a “baby armalite” was Diosdado Fortuna (Ka Fort). Ka Fort was killed in the height of the uni- supposedly discovered. He was on’s struggle for higher wages and benefits. brought to a precinct in Rizal where trumped-up charges were

ANG BAYAN October 7, 2015 9 State continues war the area. Most of them are now staying with relatives in Arakan against the Lumad Valley, North Cotabato. AFP’s fake datus ilitarization of Lumad communities and brazen violation of their rights Lumad victims of state fascism Mpersist and continue to spread despite the opening of the Senate in- and brutality condemned the AFP’s vestigation last October 1 and protests by Lumad leaders at the Commission presentation of fake datus to make on Human Rights last September 24. it appear that the massacres, ex- trajudicial killings and militarization Terror and martial rule the Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa of their communities are con- In , about 1,000 White Kulaman (United Peasants in sequences of a mere war among Manobos evacuated from sitios White Kulaman or NAMABAW). Lumad groups. Nestor Apas, Rico Luknodon, Palunpon and San Roque Last August 26, 13 NAMABAW Mapa and Marcial Belandres are not in Barangay Mahaba, Marihatag members were illegally arrested, just fake datus, they are also lead- last October 2. According to the forcibly bundled into helicopters ers of armed paramilitary groups residents, soldiers first arrived in and flown to Malaybalay City. who actively take part in AFP oper- their communities on October 1. On Charges of rebellion and illegal ations. In the military press con- the same day, a Magahat-Bagani possession of firearms against the ference, the military virtually group led by a certain Bobby Tejer- 13 were dismissed and the courts crowed over its control over these os also descended on them. Tejeros ordered their immediate release. paramilitary groups. asked for the residents’ names and Earlier, Cabugnason attempted Apas is known as an Alamara told them to identify who among to stop the 300-member fact finding leader, the paramilitary group en- them are “NPA members.” mission which sought to document gaged in harassing schools in Davao Fearing another Lianga-like human rights violations in White del Norte, and was involved in the massacre, the residents decided to Kulaman in September 16-18. botched “rescue” operations of leave their communities the next In Help Kitaotao Mercy Mis- Lumads staying in Haran Compound day and sought refuge in the may- sion’s report, the barangay is virtu- led by Nancy Catamco. He initiated or’s office. They added to the swell- ally under martial rule. Soldiers are the filing of trumped-up charges of ing number of Lumad evacuees, of using the barangay hall as barracks. illegal detention and kidnapping which more than 3,000 are tempor- They impose restrictions on the against the supporters of the arily staying in Tandag City. residents’ movements and activit- evacuees, which the prosecution In White Kulaman, Kitaotao, ies, as well as the entry and exit of dismissed last September 8 due to Bukidnon, the local barangay cap- resources, including food and com- lack of evidence. Maco is a member tain is forcibly closing down a modities. They even ban sending of the paramilitary group headed by Lumad school in the pretext that it text messages, or the retail of cell- a certain Hasmin Acebedo which has is being run by “NPA members.” In phone “load” (credits). Because of been sowing terror in San Miguel, October 1, Felipe Cabugnason this, more than 55 families have left Surigao del Sur. Meanwhile, Be- ordered the closure of the Fr. landres is a known member of the Fausto Tentorio Memorial School Magahat-Bagani and was involved being run by the religious group in the killing of Lumad leader Henry Mindanao Interfaith Services Alameda in Sitio Cabalawan, San Foundation Inc. Cabugnason cited Isidro, Lianga in October 24, 2014. the school’s supposed failure to ac- The fake datus admitted to be- quire a permit from the local council ing part of the Whole Nation Initi- as his excuse. ative (WNI), an anti-Lumad and The captain’s order was met anti-civilian scheme under the with strong protest from teachers Oplan Bayanihan. Human and administrators, especially since rights groups discovered the captain himself accompanied that like Oplan Bayanihan, them to apply for accreditation the WNI was hatched under from the Department of Education the guidance and dir- last year. The school was ection of the US established in response to Joint Special Oper- the request of the local ations Task Force. peasant organization, The said US milit-

10 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN ary unit has based itself in Mindanao Perverted views of perverted politicians since 2002.

International pressure INTENSE outrage was directed at a congressman for having a hired group Meanwhile, the US-Aquino regime of young women dance a lewd number in public last October 1 in . has once again turned down the re- In his birthday party, Rep. Benjamin Agarao, allowed the libidinous dance peated requests of three UN investig- show of girls who were supposed to be “gifts” from another politician, ators to visit the country to document MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino. the situation of victims of militariza- tion and human rights violations. An internet petition was ini- women as "gifts." Victoria Tauli-Corpus, UN Special ated demanding Aquino’s ac- Women's group Gabriela said, Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous countability as head of state and "MMDA Chair Tolentino, do you peoples and Michel Forst, UN Special chairman of the Liberal Party (LP). consider these women objects that Rapporteur on the situation of human The group also demanded you can give as surprise 'gifts?' rights defenders, declared that “milit- that Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Shame on you." ary occupation of civilian structures Tolentino and Agarao be invest- Gabriela added, “Despite like schools which should serve as a igated and be “held liable if Tolentino's denials, the fact re- safe haven to children against all proven guilty” for violating sec- mains that he was not appalled by forms of violence, as well as killing of tions of the law that forbids the incident and did not have the civilians, are unacceptable, deplorable “portrayal of women in a discrim- decency to stop the show when it and against international human inatory, demeaning and/or was obviously becoming lewd. rights laws and international human- derogatory manner.” Even Congressman Agarao did not itarian standards.” Forst reiterated Tolentino denied that he was find anything wrong with the show his request to visit the country to as- the “gift-giver" after receiving and obviously enjoyed it." sess the situation and see for himself flak from the internet. On his part, The performance was done the situation of human rights defend- Agarao said he saw nothing lasci- after the oath-taking of 80 new ers. Christof Heyns, UN Special Rap- vious in the show. On the internet, officials to the LP in Agarao’s porteur on extrajudicial, summary and many slammed Tolentino and house, in front of the public where arbitrary executions, made a similar Agarao, saying it was "disgrace- students, women and minors were appeal. ful" and "offensive" to refer to present.

Soldiers kill peasant in Samar

FASCIST troops of the 87th IB killed farmer Generoso Gabane, 46, in Barangay Ang Bayan Caulayanan, Motiong, Samar last August 19. Gabane was harvesting coconuts with will his nephew Michael, 26, when soldiers arrived and opened fire. The 15 soldiers were publish conducting operations against an NPA unit in the area. Gabane was killed the fourth immediately. The soldiers beat up the wounded Michael before taking him with them. installment in the To cover up their crime, the 87th IB told the media that the two peasants were series of articles on “NPA members.” Afterwards, they audaciously distributed relief goods in the barrio. the US National The soldiers have yet to release Michael. Meanwhile, Generoso Gabane’s family is Security Strategy on determined to file charges and has refused all “help” from the military. the next issue. On September 14, operating soldiers from the 87th IB trampled and damaged

11 October 7, 2015 ANG BAYAN