Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo English Edition Vol.XLIV No. 4 February 21, 2013 www.philippinerevolution.net Editorial Tasks in addressing the reactionary 2013 elections t is the duty of the Party and the revolutionary of the Arroyo clique with the corruption of his rel- movement to expose the reactionary elections atives and cronies. His regime is relentlessly re- Ias a bogus democratic process that forms part pressive and brutal despite its "peace and devel- of the mechanisms that maintain the exploitative opment" rhetoric. and oppressive system. The people must oppose the continuing oil Reactionary elections in the Philippines are po- price hikes and the impending power and water litical carnivals held every three years. Their main rate increases. They must advance their mass features are politician-clowns who pose as pro- struggles to fight for genuine land reform, demand moters of the people's interests. They divert the wage hikes, resist demolitions, the privatization of people's attention from their gravest socio-eco- health services and the commercialization of edu- nomic problems and offer them false promises of cation and other public services. reform under the ruling system. They must hold the Aquino regime accountable We must thwart the US-Aquino regime's objec- for its servility to IMF-WB dictates, its implemen- tive of using the reactionary elections to consoli- tation of the policies of liberalization, privatiza- date its political rule. In the face of Aquino's rap- tion, deregulation and denationalization and for idly dwindling "popularity," he wishes to utilize the taking measures that favor foreign big capitalists coming elections to create the impression that he and banks and cede the national patrimony. still enjoys the people's broad support. Aquino in- We must take advantage of the period of reac- tends to use the elections as a platform to tionary elections to expand the united front in or- propagate the illusions of a "robust der to isolate the ruling Aquino clique. There economy," the "right- is currently no major reactionary opposi- eous path" and "good governance." The Filipino peo- In this issue... ple must show that the US-Aquino re- Military vents gime is no differ- ire on ent from previ- civilians ous regimes. 3 Aquino has NPA punishes merely re- Del Monte, placed the Dole corruption 7 CLOA distribution, a big deception 10 tion party. The two main rival and expand and strengthen the tions even if these are bogus parties, Team PNoy (a coalition united front for the purpose of and dominated by the power and of the Liberal Party, Nationalist isolating the ruling Aquino clique resources of the major reaction- People's Coalition and Naciona- and advance the programs of the ary parties. The participation of lista Party) and the United Na- revolutionary movement. progressive and patriotic par- tionalist Alliance (a coalition of Progressive and patriotic ties in the coming elections will PDP-Laban, Pwersa ng Masang forces are intensely involved in definitely be thoroughly op- Pilipino and Laban ng Demokra- the coming 2013 elections. For posed by agents of the US and tikong Pilipino) are in close col- more than a decade now, pro- the latter's men in the military lusion in implementing the pro- gressive parties have success- and bureaucracy. As before, grams of the US-Aquino regime. fully participated in reactionary they face intimidation, violence But underneath this collabo- elections despite the lack of re- and fraud. ration are deep-seated rivalries sources and the all-out fascist Working for the victory of for positions in government. attacks of the military and anti- progressive and patriotic forces These rivalries will become more communist groups. A significant in the upcoming elections has marked and intense during the number of representatives have particular significance in the elections because of the con- taken their seats in the reac- face of the brewing consensus tending factions' desire to place tionary Congress, advocating among the ruling classes to their closest allies in various the people's national and demo- amend the reactionary 1987 government posts. The coming cratic aspirations. They have constitution in order to cast May elections are likewise cru- been able to use their positions aside the national patrimony cial in the preparations being in Congress to resist and pre- and pave the way for the further made by the leading political vent the enactment of anti-dem- liberalization of foreign invest- camps for the presidential elec- ocratic and antipeople laws. It ments and trade. tions in 2016. is favorable to the people to The placement of patriotic As the May elections near, have representatives within the forces within the reactionary the rivalries will become more reactionary Congress who sup- government can also be of use in pronounced not only on the na- plement their mass struggles the all-out battle against the tional level, but even more so on outside of Congress. continuing entry of American the local level. This opens so The Party encourages pro- soldiers in the Philippines and many opportunities for the revo- gressive and patriotic forces to US military intervention. Posi- lutionary forces to touch base participate in reactionary elec- tions within Congress can also be used to push for the abroga- tion of the oil deregulation law ANG Contents and other policies that are oner- ous to the people. The patriotic and progres- Editoryal: Tasks in address Vol. XLIV No. 4 February 21, 2013 sive forces must also take ad- the reactionary elections 1 vantage of the election period to Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino, US intervention in the elections 3 Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and give equal attention to expand- English editions. Military vents ire on civilians 4 ing their ranks and launching It is available for downloading at Harassment of NDFP consultants 5 mass education to expose the the Philippine Revolution Web Central located at: Another Capion killed 5 rotten reactionary system. Militarization in Albay 6 Simultaneously, the Party www.philippinerevolution.org. 3 encirclement operations in Bicol 7 encourages the progressive and Ang Bayan welcomes contributions 25 soldiers killed in Bukidnon 7 patriotic forces to thoroughly in the form of articles and news. expose the bogusness of the re- Readers are likewise enjoined to send NPA punishes Del Monte, Dole 8 actionary elections and how be- in their comments and suggestions for Plunder by Dolefil and Stanfilco 9 the betterment of our publication. You reft it is of genuine democracy. CLOA distribution in Bondoc Peninsula 11 can reach us by email at: In the Philippines, genuine One Billion Rising 12 [email protected] democracy is enjoyed by the Fil- Semirara Mines closure demanded 12 ipino people only within the ter- ritories of the People's Demo- Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee cratic Government where or- of the Communist Party of the Philippines gans of political power are es- 2 ANG BAYAN February 21, 2013 tablished on the basis of their US intervention democratic organizations. In areas under the jurisdiction in Philippine elections of the People's Democratic Gov- ernment, a new political system imperialism constantly monitors, and intervenes in, elec- coexists with the old rotten sys- UStions in the Philippines. It is crucial to the US to use elec- tem of the ruling classes. In these tions as a means of stabilizing the ruling system and resolving con- areas, the revolutionary forces flicts among rival factions of the ruling class. may allow reactionary elections Since 1972, such conflicts have culminated in clashes outside of and campaigns by candidates. the electoral framework. All elections called by Marcos under mar- The people's government tial law were slammed as zarzuelas meant to justify fascist dicta- must use its armed strength and torial rule. Even after Marcos' downfall, reactionary elections political authority to oblige those failed to peacefully resolve political rivalries. participating in the reactionary In 1986 and 2001, rival factions out of power, including their elections to abide by the policies allied officers within the military and police rode on the wave of the on the conduct of campaigns in powerful democratic mass movement and uprising against the iso- order to ensure that the people's lated ruling regime. rights will not be trampled on The intensity of conflicts among rival factions of the ruling and the masses' interests will be class mirrors the depth of crisis of the ruling system. Bringing protected. As candidates ap- these rivalries outside of the electoral contest shakes the ruling proach revolutionary authorities political system and benefits the democratic mass movement. to seek permission, let us take Thus, since the beginning of the 2000s, the US has made thor- this opportunity to strengthen oughgoing efforts to build a consensus among the ruling classes for our unities with them on other elections. Part of the effort was pushing for "automated elections" policies and programs of the peo- to create the illusion of fraud-free polls. The US funded various ple's government. programs to restore the credibility of elections. Even as we address the reac- The US played a big role in Aquino's election in 2010. Days be- tionary elections, the Party fore the actual election, the US directly showed its partiality to- must continue holding fast to its wards Aquino by having him featured on Time magazine. This tasks in the people's war. We served as a signal to the other candidates to withdraw from the must expand and strengthen the fight. The day after the election, the US immediately declared that Party, the New People's Army the elections were "clean" and congratulated Aquino on his victo- and the revolutionary mass or- ry even if the Comelec had not yet released the official results.