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

Vol XLVII No. 23 December 7, 2016 www.cpp.ph

Worsening human rights violations

HUMAN RIGHTS violations under the Duterte regime are worsening.. All democratic forces must stand and defend civil and political rights and demand justice for the thou- sands of victims of extrajudicial killings as well as military abuses in the countryside and continuing political repression and persecu- tion. Despite his avowal of support for the peace talks and for the EDITORIAL CARHRIHL, he has allowed the AFP to continue its war of sup- Conditions for extending pression with impunity. In the past six months, AFP combat units oc- the ceasefire cupied and controlled barrios sus- pected to be base areas of the New n the spirit of peace negotiations and to extend the unilateral People's Army (NPA). ceasefire declaration, the Communist Party of the Several hundred thousand (CPP) and the Filipino people insist that GRP President Duterte people have been subjected to Imust end or suspend Oplan Bayanihan and the suppression operations various forms and degrees of mil- against the people and their revolutionary movement. itary harassment. Peasant masses have been subjected to curfews, He must order the Armed lasting peace. restrictions, interrogations, Forces of the Philippines to with- He must cast away his illusion threats, intimidation and other draw its armed combatants from that the GRP has exclusive domin- abuses of civil and political rights. the guerrilla zones and areas under ion over the entire Philippines. In To them, there is practically no the control of the revolutionary significant parts of the country, the difference between the Duterte government. He must carry this out fact is that there exist two govern- regime and the previous regimes in while fulfilling his promise to free ments which are at war with each terms of military abuses. political prisoners en masse through other: the GRP and the people's Activists continue to be sub- an amnesty proclamation. democratic government which the jected to surveillance and harass- If he accomplishes this by Janu- NDFP represents. ment. Close to 20 have been ar- ary, Duterte can have the guaran- By continuing to forward-de- rested and charged with tee that the CPP will prolong its ploy his abusive troops and occupy trumped-up criminal cases. Du- unilateral ceasefire declaration. It peasant communities, he is pressing terte also has yet to correct the will further encourage the revolu- on the civil war and proving himself injustice done by the previous re- tionary forces to forge with it a bi- no different from the war freak gimes against more than 400 lateral ceasefire to boost acceler- Aquino and Arroyo regimes neither political prisoners languishing in ated negotiations for a just and of which were interested in the continued on page 3 peaceful resolution of the armed persisted only because NPA units command of the AFP respected nor conflict. have chosen to carry out evasion implemented this policy. On the The CPP commends all units of maneuvers to avoid armed skir- contrary, the AFP continues to re- the New People's Army (NPA) for mishes with the AFP as well as gard the CPP-NPA with extreme standing by the Party's unilateral combat troops of the Philippine Na- hostility. ceasefire declaration. They have tional Police (PNP). During the entire course of the withstood and forborne the con- Against the spirit of the recip- unilateral ceasefire, the AFP has tinuing Oplan Bayanihan armed op- rocal ceasefire declarations, the deployed armed units and main- erations of the AFP within and AFP leadership itself ordered its tained armed presence in centers of around NPA guerrilla zones and troops to continue with Oplan Ba- civilian communities in violation of base areas. yanihan counterinsurgency opera- the CARHRIHL and international The CPP condemns the Armed tions. When confronted by the protocols which protect the welfare Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for people, its operating troops even of civilians in times of war. bullheadedly continuing to carry out make claims such as "only the NPA Continuing Oplan Bayanihan armed hostile actions against the has a ceasefire." counterinsurgency operations un- peasant masses and NPA units in The CPP is utterly dismayed at dermine the reciprocal unilateral the guerrilla zones and the failure of GRP President ceasefire declarations. By deploying revolutionary areas. For to rein in the AFP fully-armed units to the very heart the past three months, the war dogs. It is quite apparent that of NPA guerrilla zones and guerrilla AFP has practically ob- the order made by Duterte last bases, the AFP leadership wants its served no ceasefire. August as commander-in-chief units to engage the NPA in armed The unilateral to the AFP to "be friendly skirmishes to force the ceasefire to ceasefire declar- with the revolutionary an end. They know full well that the ations issued government" and with NPA can only evade and counter- reciprocally the CPP-NPA is an maneuver so much. by the GRP empty one considering The AFP's forward troop de- and the that not a ployments are preparations for an NDFP have single area offensive in a vain attempt to crush the NPA and the wide and deep support it enjoys among the peas- ant masses. ANG Contents If he presses on with the AFP's deployment in the guerrilla zones Editorial: Conditions for and occupation of communities, Vol XLVII No. 23 | December 7, 2016 extending the ceasefire 1 Duterte will be virtually setting the stage for widespread armed clashes Ang Bayan is published in Worsening human rights violations 1 with the New People's Army as Red Pilipino, Bisaya, Hiligaynon, Military operations during the fighters will be forced to engage in Waray and English. active defense and defend the ceasefire 4 Ang Bayan welcomes people against abuses by the for- contributions in the form of Political prisoner dies in jail 5 ward-deployed combat troops of articles and news items. Readers the AFP. He will only have himself Youths join Black Friday Protest 6 are encouraged to send feedback to blame if this forces the hand of and recommendations for Youth in the armed movement 7 the CPP to terminate its unilateral improving our newspaper. ceasefire declaration. KM stages lightning rally 8 instagram.com/prwc.info Bonifacio Day commemorated 9 youtube.com/PhilippineRevolutionWebCentral US exercises to continue 9 @prwc_info Groups hold Lakbayan-Visayas 9 fb.com/PhilippineRevolutionaryWebCentral October Revolution economic program 10 [email protected] Red Salute to Fidel Castro 11

Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines

2 December 7 , 2 01 6 ANG BAYAN "Worsening violations. . . ," from page 1 killed by police operatives inside a obeisance and loyalty from police police jail in Leyte. and military officers, as well as local jail over trumped-up criminal There are also the daily killings and congressional politicians; as charges. On two successive days of supposed small-time drug users well as a tool to persecute his rivals last October, protest demonstra- and peddlers and other petty crim- and render them inutile. Duterte's tions were violently dispersed by inals. It is as if there is a national anti-drug war has become an addi- the military and police. network of death squads which are tional arsenal in the factional rival- There are at least 16 cases of trying to outnumber each other's ries among the ruling classes. extrajudicial killings against activ- kills and outdo each other in the ists, including peasants demanding tabloid news media with increas- Demand justice and defend land reform. In Compostela Valley, ingly sick methods of murder and human rights environmental anti-mining activist demented "cardboard messages." Amid continuing abuses of hu- Joselito Pasaporte was killed last Victims are invariably described as man rights by the Duterte govern- October 13. To downplay the killing, criminals in a subtle way of dis- ment, the Filipino people must unite Pasaporte was described by the po- missing or even justifying the crime. and demand justice for all victims of lice as being a "drug personality". This orgy of drug killings has military and police abuses. The AFP is increasingly using been set forth by Duterte's display Duterte's display of utter dis- the tactic of linking political of total disdain for human rights. regard for human rights must be repression cases to the war against He has brazenly encouraged the denounced by the Filipino people. drugs. In Kalinga, 73-year old re- police to carry-out gangster killings They must condemn his threats to tired NPA Red fighter Marcos Ag- of suspected criminals with impun- include human rights organizations galao was arrested and accused of ity. He has assured police officers of among the targets of his anti-drug possession of illegal drugs. On Octo- backing and has gone to the extent killings. ber 4, four peasant activists in San of reinstating key officers of the He must be opposed in his drive Jose del Monte, Bulacan were ar- PNP behind the Espinosa execution to employ the police and military to rested and accused of illegal drugs who were relieved for involvement trample on human rights with im- possession. To justify the conduct of in illegal drugs. punity. He must be castigated for hostile operations despite the He fans extreme prejudice any plan to suspend the writ of ceasefire order, "peace and devel- against drug users whom he has habeas corpus or bring back martial opment" operations under Oplan adjudged as social dregs and openly law. Bayanihan are being described as encourages their execution. He The Filipino people must unite to part of the "war against drugs." chooses to be blind to the deep so- demand an end to the war of sup- cial and economic roots—unem- pression. They must call for the im- Grave disregard of human rights ployment, low wages, poverty and mediate pull-out of AFP combat in Duterte's war against drugs hunger—behind the problem of troops from their communities. They There is grave disregard of hu- widespread drug addiction and in- must raise the demand to free all man rights under the Duterte re- sists on his killing spree. political prisoners. gime's so-called war against drugs. He has arrogated judicial powers The friends and loved ones of In just less than six months, close to by coming-up with a so-called narco- victims of extrajudicial killings, in- 5,000 people have been killed. list of supposed big drug lords and cluding those killed in the course of Around half have been killed by po- coddlers. He has practically up- the war against drugs, must raise lice operatives in supposed arrest turned the universally accepted their voices and demand justice and operations typically in urban slums. principle of the criminal justice sys- reparation from the Duterte gov- These operations have been so tem: he makes the accusations and ernment. contrived that reporters have prac- demands those he ac- tically come up with a report tem- cuses to prove plate where victims are described as their innocence. having "resisted arrest" and in pos- Duterte's session of a .38 caliber handgun and drug-tagging several packets of shabu (metam- is a virtual phitamine hydrochloride). The gen- death sen- eral public has grown skeptical of tence which such police reports, especially after only he can lift. the same template was used to ex- He has em- plain away the celebrated case of ployed this power to Mayor Rolando Espinosa who was sow fear and demand

ANG BAYAN December 7 , 2 01 6 3 Military operations during the ceasefire

FP and PNP operations are at the Acore of fear and anxiety in the coun- tryside. This is contrary to Duterte's as- sertions that the AFP "cannot be pulled out" from the countryside because nobody will "maintain peace and order." These operations of taking over villages cut across the whole country. Preliminary reports from NPA commands show that the AFP and PNP launched operations in no less than 495 villages in more than 144 towns and 48 provinces from Au- gust 21 until the first week of December. The AFP deceitfully portrays troops their combat and psywar operations scoured as "peace and development," "civil the NPA's military operations," "medical mis- mass base before sion," "visitation," "community deploying PDTs to the *data from intial reports outreach," "anti-drug campaign," villages. and so on. Last September 11, combined activities such as gambling, selling At a press conference in Sierra elements of the 50th IB and the and use of illegal drugs, porno- Madre on November 24, Jaime Pa- PNP-SAF illegally arrested a 73- graphy, sexual abuse of women, and dilla (Ka Diego), NPA-Southern Ta- year old retired NPA Red fighter so on. galog (Melito Glor Command) and framed him up for possession of In North Central Mindanao Re- spokesperson expressed that up to illegal drugs. Likewise, four civilian gion (NCMR), the military launch 70 villages in the region are covered hunters were arrested by the 24th unencumbered attacks in up to 78 by Oplan Bayanihan's abusive op- IB and the PNP and were divested barrios mainly because Red fighters erations. of their hunting weapons. They carry out counter-maneuvers to A stark example is the 76th IB's were later accused of being NPA avoid encounters. Ka Allan Juanito marauding of Harrison and Aglipaoy members. of the NPA-NCMR said that the villages in Paluan, Occidental The people of Eastern Visayas people of the region are calling for Mindoro last August 29. In these (EV) share the same plight. NDF- the termination of the ceasefire, barrios, where the population runs EV's Fr. Santiago Salas (Ka Sanny) due to the fact that AFP operations to over 4,800, soldiers tried to co- in a statement said that because of continue to hound them. erce the villagers into joining the the PDTs' military operations, the Ka Ariel Montero of the NPA- CAFGU. According to the military, NPA in the region has no recourse Northeastern Mindanao Region for CAFGUs must be recruited, other- but to actively defend the people his part said that up to 70 villages wise the whole area will be regarded and its ranks. In any case, he ad- in the region reported the presence as NPA barrios, and everyone will be ded, the peace negotiations could of soldiers. arrested whenever an encounter proceed even without a bilateral In Far South Mindanao, no less ensues in the area. ceasefire. than 25 villages are currently under In Ilocos-Cordillera region, no In Panay, up to 40 villages in 14 the control of different military less than 64 villages and 17 towns towns are under attack by PDTs and units. Not once did the operating are hounded by PDTs from five bat- combat operations by the AFP-PNP. PDTs pull out nor were their num- talions of the AFP, as well as com- According to Ka Julian Paisano of bers reduced. Worse, the NPA's bat units of the PNP. In the Ifugao- the NPA-Panay, aside from intimid- unilateral ceasefire declaration has Nueva Vizcaya border, an 18- ation of the village folk, soldiers are even made the military's operations column combat operation by 5th ID at the forefront of anti-social more brazen and indiscriminate.

4 December 7 , 2 01 6 ANG BAYAN Political prisoner dies in jail

he call for general amnesty assumed increased urgency upon the death of comply with the agreement. Tanother political detainee on November 28. Bernabe Ocasla, 66, expired Meanwhile, Ocasla's relatives four days after he was brought to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and human rights activists held upon his third cardiac arrest. He is the 13th political prisoner to die in jail in various protest actions to demand the past five years. justice for his death and call for the immediate release of political pris- According to Fidel Agcaoili, ND- 33 are elderly, and 33 are women. oners. On December 3, protesters FP negotiating panel chief, the ND- Four NDFP consultants are still in from Karapatan-ST, Selda-TK and FP strongly reiterates its call for the jail. Three of them, Eduardo Sarmi- other groups assembled at the Na- immediate release of all the political ento, Emeterio Antalan and Leo- tional Bilibid Prison's gate in prisoners. "Allowing them to contin- poldo Caloza, are serving sentences. City for the Interna- ue suffering—and to die—while un- President Rodrigo Duterte had tional Day of Solidarity with Polit- justly detained is an abomination promised a general amnesty for ical Prisoners. The Bureau of Cor- which the NDFP cannot tolerate." more than 400 political prisoners rections did not allow them to use a He also said that their release is not since last May. But according to loudspeaker. only a matter of goodwill or justice Agcaoili, this is one of many prom- Political prisoners in various but the implementation of the Com- ises that have since fallen through prisons all over the country have prehensive Agreement on Respect the cracks. Since then, the GRP started a hunger strike since for Human Rights and International peace panel has trimmed down the Monday, to go on until December 10 Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) that list to merely 70, "without at all ex- to highlight the demand for their the NDFP and the Government of plaining how it arrived at this num- release. They will fast until Decem- the Republic of the Philippines had ber, and without any assurance that ber 7, and stop eating until Decem- formally signed in 1998. the most seriously ailing among ber 10. NDFP political consultant Rey them, like Ocasla, would be part of They are joined by their families Casambre also clarified that the re- the lucky few." and human rights activists in a lease of political prisoners is not "The planned release of a mere "peace tent" at the Mendiola just a conditionality for a bilateral 40-50 political prisoners is an un- bridge, where a vigil and fasting ceasefire. "The release of political acceptable token," said the CPP. until December 10 will also be held. prisoners is a matter of justice. In "Worse, they are being made to go Other strike centers are up at vari- fact, it's a matter of life and death." through a tedious legal process ous points all over the country. Ocasla has been suffering from which adds to their agonizing legal They are joined in a sympathy fast hypertension which was exacer- ordeal after being made to face and hunger strike by 15 NDFP con- bated by almost a decade of long in- trumped up criminal charges, typ- sultants and staff who are taking carceration under inhuman condi- ically, possession of explosives turns to join fasting political pris- tions. He was a peasant activist which are unbailable." Cleo del oners in different prisons across the when arrested at his home in Cat- Mundo of BHB-Quezon (Apolonio country. balogan City, Samar in October 31, Mendoza Command) supported this To calm the protesters' rage, 2007 and was implicated in the statement. The NPA command re- Silvestre Bello, GRP panel chief, trumped-up murder cases in 1985 in leased a list of political prisoners in promised to release Martin Vil- Hilongos, Leyte. He was transferred their area of responsibility. lanueva from Bilibid, Bonifacio to the City Jail in 2014 According to Ka Diego, spokes- Suyon and Dindo Absalon from the where his ailment grew worse. The person of NPA-Southern Tagalog Leyte Regional Prison, and Rico trial has still not been concluded at (Melito Glor Command), "As long as Bodina from Iwahig. They had long the time of his death. Duterte treats the NDFP demands been recommended for pardon but He was one of the elderly and this way, the continuation of the the previous regimes sat on their sickly prisoners on the NDFP list for peace talks and ceasefire are en- cases. Bello also said that they will immediate release on humanitarian dangered." The NDFP has earlier soon release 21 ailing prisoners, grounds. Of the more than 400 clarified that it will not go into a bi- three elderly and one woman, but political prisoners, 130 are sickly, lateral ceasefire if the GRP cannot he did not mention their names.

ANG BAYAN December 7 , 2 01 6 5 Against the Marcos hero's burial Thousands of youth join Black Friday Protest

ore than 15,000 trooped to Luneta Park last November 25 to protest burial accorded Marcos violates the Mthe burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga CARHRIHL as the agreement states Bayani (LNMB) and the political rehabilitation of his family. that both parties should respect the rights of the Martial Law victims Dubbed as Black Friday Protest, munities, systematically murders against the oppression and tyranny the rally was organized by the Cam- activists, and violates human rights. of the Marcos regime. Luis paign Against the Return of Mar- Before marching to Luneta Park, Jalandoni of the NDFP said, coses to Malacañang (CARMMA) members of the organization earlier "Presenting him (Marcos) as a hero and was participated in mostly by assembled at Mendiola. Meanwhile, is an insult to the many thousands youth and students from various the League of Filipino Students of victims and their families...the schools, colleges and universities in spearheaded the walk-out of stu- Duterte administration has shown Metro Manila and nearby provinces. dents from their classes to join the insensitivity to the feelings and po- Martial Law activists also joined the protest. sition of the many thousands of protest, along with known personal- The ACT Teachers Party-List victims." ities, teachers and administrators of likewise joined the protest and con- Black Friday Protests were also some of the schools, and different demned the burial of Marcos and held in major cities and towns progressive organizations. the blatant historical revisionism. across the country, including According to Bonifacio Ilagan, Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers Tuguegarao, Santiago City, Vigan, one of CARMMA's members, the stressed that in fact, history has Baguio, major cities and towns in late dictator's burial at the LNMB is already judged Marcos as a plun- Southern Tagalog and Bicol, in a revival of the Marcosian ideology, derer, murderer, fascist and crim- Tacloban, Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo, or the belief that what the country inal. Tinio added that most of the and also in Davao, Cagayan de Oro, needs is the regime of a dictator problems being faced by schools General Santos, Surigao, Iligan and who is indisputable and beyond today began or worsened during the other areas in Mindanao. doubt. He likewise criticized Pres. rule of Marcos. In this connection, two officials Rodrigo Duterte's threats of sus- Meanwhile, the Kilusang Mayo of the National Historical Commis- pending the writ of habeas corpus Uno and the Kilusang Magbubukid sion of the Philippines (NHCP) and declaring Martial Law. ng Pilipinas gathered at Plaza Mir- resigned from their posts. Accord- The organizers and activists anda in Quiapo before joining other ing to NHCP chairperson Maria from the Martial Law period com- sectors under Bagong Alyansang Serena Diokno and Commissioner mended the significant participation Makabayan at Liwasang Bonifacio. Francis Gealogo, Duterte was un- of the youth. The protest high- KMU said that their action is a con- yielding with regard to giving Mar- lighted the creativity of different demnation of the continuing wide- cos a hero's burial despite the placards and posters which were spread contractualization which documentary evidence submitted made by the participants them- Marcos introduced. by the NHCP refuting Marcos' selves, all of which assailed the For the NDFP's part, the hero's claims about his military record. former dictator. Youth leaders were called onstage for the symbolic hand-over of the torch of struggle. At the same time, thou- sands of cell phones and tablets served as torches as the rallyists simultaneously lit them. In a statement, Anakbayan condemned the Duterte regime for continuing the Marco- sian Oplan Bayanihan which militarizes com-

6 December 7 , 2 01 6 ANG BAYAN Interview Patriotic youth in the armed movement

n a guerrilla zone in Samar, hundreds of Iyoung people actively carry out their tasks in the armed movement. Most of them are members or former members of the Kabataang Makabayan (Patriotic Youth) in the barrios and cities. They are the youth who answered the Party's call to directly engage in the armed revolution and offer their company her back to her unit. vigor, intellect and time in serving the people. "If I didn't go full time, I They are challenged to develop They slept over in the NPA's out- would've continued with my stud- themselves in their new tasks, re- posts, delivered supplies and in- ies. Even if I graduated, I wouldn't main steadfast in the face of hard- formation and gathered donated have anywhere to go but Manila," ships and limitations, and overcome rice in the barrio. said Ka Lina. And since she knew of obstacles to their continuing in- In 2015, they held a large youth her sister's experience, deciding volvement. assembly to discuss different na- was easier. tional issues. It was during this Sisters, comrades activity that the sisters became in- From DOTA to NPA Among them are sisters Guia, volved in cultural work. Zac, 20, an integree from Ma- 20, and Lina, 18, who are members "We had to prepare songs, nila, is also a member of Guia and of the New People's Army. They are dances and poems to entertain the Lina's unit. An integree is someone the 6th and 7th among 12 siblings. delegates," said Guia. Now, the sis- who serves in the NPA for a certain Their parents are members of the ters can be counted on to perform a period of time. Comrades have been local revolutionary organization. cultural number on any occasion. encouraging him to continue his in- Prior to joining the people's During the latter part of 2015, volvement in the countryside for his army, they both served as members Guia decided to work in Manila to specialized skill. of their barrio's youth group. Guia help out with her family. But she Like many youngsters, Zac was first became a member when she didn't stay long. "The wages were very fond of computer games when was invited to a study on Philippine pitiful," she said, "and I got so he was still a student. In particular, Society and Revolution in an out- homesick that I cried so much." Her he became preoccupied with play- post set up by Red fighters at the pay was so small that she had to ing DOTA, an online game involving outskirts of their barrio. She re- ask one of her siblings to pay for hundreds of young players. members being with 20 others from her fare home. After a short while, "I played for a minimum of six other barrios. When they returned she decided to serve fulltime in the hours (each day) then," said Zac. to their respective barrios, they people's army. Gaming took up almost all his time gathered their childhood friends to "I've already tried everything," and attention that it came to a set-up a KM chapter. To expand Ka Guia said. "I worked in Manila, I point that he himself decided to their ranks, they held study ses- studied, but nothing good came out stop. "I lost weight," he said. "And sions and invited other youngsters. of it. I should have just gone full it was such a waste of time and Her younger sister Lina became one time since I've discovered I can money." of their students. help more from here." Her mother He became even less of a gam- From 2014, the sisters became agrees, and is thankful to her and ing addict when he became an act- actively involved in carrying out other comrades in sorting out a ivist. Slowly, he became aware of their chapter's plans. Among these family problem which arose this society's realities during educa- were developing their communal year. "I've learned a lot of things in tional discussions which his fellow farm and setting up a cooperative the people's army, and I have activist gamers cheekily referred to store which they ran by teams. They learned to use these to look for as "power sharing" sessions. His had meetings and discussions al- solutions to problems. continuing collaboration with most every day. "It's not unusual Like Ka Guia, Ka Lina also grew people's organizations and involve- for discussions to run until mid- into her revolutionary tasks as a KM ment in their activities opened him night," shares Guia, "especially member. When her sister visited to other forms of struggle until he when comrades are in the barrio." last October, she decided to ac- was recruited to the underground

ANG BAYAN December 7 , 2 01 6 7 movement. He then worked full- discussion, his chapter also Bonifacio Day time in his unit in the city. When planned to set-up a collective a chance to integrate in a guer- farm. They'd already cleared the commemorated rilla zone was offered, he jumped land and planted seeds but were THOUSANDS OF WORKERS and other at the opportunity. forced to give it up when soldiers sectors led by Kilusang Mayo Uno Since becoming a revolution- came and combed through their (KMU) marched last November 30 to ary, Zac poured the attention he barrio. Two of his younger commemorate Bonifacio Day. On this once gave to gaming to fulfilling brothers are also KM members. day, the marchers highlighted the con- his tasks. He still plays games At present, Ka Jake and his demnation of false hero and dictator sometimes but he makes sure group are busy providing support Ferdinand Marcos' burial at the that this doesn't interfere with to the local NPA unit. Part of their Libingan ng mga Bayani. At the same his work. A positive thing about daily tasks include monitoring and time, they demanded an end to con- gaming, he said, is that it com- reporting on the enemy's move- tractualization and other neoliberal pelled him to study different ments. They also help set up policies in the country that were initi- computer systems. This helps him travel routes for the comrades. ated during the dictatorship. The rally- in his line of work. Last November 4, their group ists assembled in front of the Welcome Zac sees a world of differ- held a meeting to assess their Rotonda in Quezon City and marched ence between his past obsessions work, put a six-month plan in towards Mendiola, Manila. and life with the Red fighters. "In place and orient new members. The workers likewise criticized the gaming, you can buy a life when They also agreed to set up their Duterte regime's inaction with regard you die," he said. "Here, you just collective farm again, hold dis- to the people's adversities. "There is no have to very, very good." cussions twice a week and expand wage increase for workers. Nor is there Like the strategy games he into nearby sitios not frequented a significant development to end con- was once so fond of, he sees re- by Red fighters. Since they have tractualization, not even the endo sys- flected in the NPA's movements student members, most of their tem. There also isn't any clear plan on the importance to map out a cor- activities fall on weekends. how to implement his supposed inde- rect strategy, read the situation They also discussed ways on pendent foreign policy," said Elmer and positions accurately and act how to further systematize their Labog, KMU's chairperson. closely as a group or collective. tasks and support the people's According to the group, programs army. Initially, they set up teams adopted by Duterte are no different Support and recruitment and assigned suitable tasks. from those of the past regimes. For All three Red fighters know In the future, they will put on many years, workers have constantly Ka Jake, a nearby barangay's KM the agenda a program to deploy protested the ill effects of liberaliza- vice-chairperson. Ka Jake be- members to the NPA. As of now, tion, deregulation, and privatization. came a KM member after attend- three of their members are Aggravating these are the price in- ing a study session organized by already serving as full time Red creases of basic commodities without Red fighters in 2014. After the fighters. any increase in wages and improvement on their livelihoods due to wage region- KM stages lightning rally alization and contractualization. ON THE occasion of Kabataang Makabayan's 52nd founding an- "Instead of burying Marcos at the niversary, members of the organization staged a lightning rally along Libingan ng mga Bayani, Duterte should Blumentritt St. in Manila City. They carried the slogans "Join the re- have buried the neoliberal policies volution! Join the New People's Army!" The rallyists said that KM which are legacies of Marcos," Labog members are very much alive, young, exuberant, and very ready to said. take up arms and further intensify the revolution in the countryside. KMU added that Marcos may Also, they called for the junking of Oplan Bayanihan. The KM already be gone but his legacy of con- firmly condemned GRP Pres. Duterte's statement that military and tractualization, cheap labor, ban on police operations in the countrysides will not be pulled out. unions and strikes, killings, abductions, "The president's refusal to discontinue Oplan Bayanihan, which illegal arrests, torture and militariza- has wreaked havoc to the livelihoods of many peasant families and tion are ever thriving and continue to communities of rural peasants, proves that his "genuine change" oppress Filipino workers and the people. slogan may indeed be nothing but an election catchphrase," KM said. The marchers challenged Duterte to KM urged the youth to not only study history and review the ex- emulate Bonifacio and uphold the cesses and crimes of Martial Law, but also to deeply analyze the so- people's democratic rights and imple- cio-economic ills that the country still faces. ment an independent foreign policy.

8 December 7 , 2 01 6 ANG BAYAN Lakbayan-Visayas launched US exercises to continue

CARRYING THE CALL of rehabilitation for the victims of LAST NOVEMBER, the Mutual Defense Board and Se- Typhoon Yolanda, hundreds of Samarnons and curity and Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) in Camp Leytehanons trooped to Manila to launch a series of Aguinaldo in Quezon City was convened to determine protests. Named "Tindog Visayas-Lakbayan Laban sa US activities in the Philippines for the next year. US Kagutuman at Militarisasyon" (Stand Visayas-People's Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris revealed march against Hunger and Militarization), this was that despite Duterte's fighting words during the past spearheaded by People Surge, the organization of months, he has not formally requested any changes Typhoon Yolanda survivors. According to the group, to US-AFP relations. Instead, Duterte only asked to government's neglect of the victims continues to the "reduce" joint military exercises from 13 to six or present. Thousands still remain in temporary shelters and seven for the next year. As a concession to China, do not receive financial aid for their rehabilitation. two large naval exercises in the South China Sea—the The Samahan han Gudti nga Parag-uma ha Sinirangan PHIBLEX and CARAT—will supposedly be cancelled. Bisayas, a peasant organization, joined the Lakbayan. In any case, military exercises are just one as- The group said that the farmers' conditions worsened pect in US control of the AFP. Duterte has not even because after Yolanda, four more consecutive typhoons touched underlying and deeper aspects in the US- damaged their areas. Also, pestilence struck their farms Philippines military relations which are largely kept thrice, targeting coconuts, abaca and rice. As a result, out of the public and classified. production fell by 85-90%. The AFP made it clear that Duterte agreed to this The Lakbayan marchers likewise condemned the plan in a cabinet meeting on the first week of militarization of their communities under Oplan November. Prior to this, Duterte proved that he does Bayanihan. not keep his word when he conveyed to the US that Progressive organizations from Manila met the he will honor all military agreements through De- Lakbayan delegates and marched towards Mendiola. The partment of Foreign Affairs Sec. Perfecto Yasay. caravan will remain at the Polytechnic University of the He also allowed Department of National Defense Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila until December 10, Sec. Delfin Lorenzana to determine US-AFP relations. International Human Rights Day. More delegates from Lorenzana stayed in the US as the AFP's military at- the Visayas are expected to arrive in the coming week. taché for more than decade. The 1917 October Revolution's socialist programme

entralized economic development, national industrialization, nationaliz- erupted, the Soviet Union's socialist Cation of feudal lords' lands and industrial advance was the programme economy was strong enough to de- set forth by the October Revolution of 1917. fend the revolution's gains against This program gave impetus to bountiful life. fascist Germany and to play a key the succeeding period of socialist The Soviet Union attained 428% role in defeating the Axis powers construction. By mid-1937, just two of the production level of 1929, the (Japan-Germany-Italy). decades after the revolution, the So- start of the world capitalist crisis. The development of a socialist viet Union had become a modern so- Meanwhile, other imperialist coun- economy passed through transition cialist country. It achieved more tries reached only 95-96% of the measures. After the October Re- than 700% of the production level 1929 level, and were poised to fall volution's victory was proclaimed before the world war. From the ex- into a new crisis that would later before 11 o-clock in the evening of treme poverty inflicted by the auto- erupt into a second world war. October 25 (November 7 in the cracy of Tsar Nicolas and oppression The Soviet Union developed Gregorian calendar), 1917, the by other stronger imperialist coun- modern techniques in industry, agri- Second Congress of Soviets immedi- tries, Russia was developed to be- culture and science. It raised the ately passed the Land Decree, which come one of the most powerful coun- development of its natural resources ended landlord monopoly or confis- tries in the whole world. In their in metal, coal, oil, peat, forests, hy- cated their land without compensa- own generation and of their immedi- dro-energy and raw materials for the tion, and passed ownership into the ate successors, the revolutionaries chemical industry. state's hands. All lands owned by enjoyed the fruits of a peaceful and When the Second World War the tsar's family and monasteries

ANG BAYAN December 7 , 2 01 6 9 were allowed to be freely used by tillers. Foreign trade, all banks, large enterprises in all branches of in- dustry, mineral resources, forest and water resources were nationalized. Debts incurred by the tsar and the Provisional Government were abol- ished. At the national level, the gov- ernment instituted thorough ac- counting of labor, production, con- sumption and distribution systems, and financial circulation, to be able to manage this in a centralized scale. The Party launched a vigorous cam- paign against slovenliness in work, on the absence of labour discipline in industry. Wages were made to cor- After the civil war in 1921, the cluding transportation and agricul- respond to the amount of goods New Economic Policy (NEP) was ad- ture on a socialist basis. The five- turned out or the amount of work opted for the recovery of the eco- year plan's targets were met in four done, superfluous and awkward mo- nomy devastated by the war. The years and three months, and the tions in work were eliminated and surplus-appropriation system was state sector became the primary correct methods of work elaborated. superseded by a system of taxation. factor in the socialist economy. The bourgeoisie waged war in Agriculture was revived, cultivation The second five-year program the early part of 1918 to recover its of grain and industrial crops re- was launched next in 1932. This lost power, aided by British, French, quired for the development of in- aimed to increase economic devel- Japanese and German imperialists. In dustry was extended, circulation of opment eight-fold from the pre-war confronting this civil war, the govern- commodities was reinvigorated, sup- level. Huge funds were allotted for ment instituted War Communism to plies to the towns were improved, mechanization and modernization of be able to use the country's resources and a new economic foundation for agriculture, technical reconstruction in defending the newly established the alliance of workers and peasants of transportation and communica- government. State control was ex- was formed. tion, and further elevating the tended to middle and small indus- When a certain level of econom- worker's and peasant's standard of tries. The surplus-appropriation sys- ic invigoration was reached in 1928, living. The determination of the toil- tem was implemented, wherein all the first five-year plan for socialist ing masses and the centralized grain aside from the peasant's con- construction was started, with the leadership of the state made it pos- sumption needs were sold to the gov- state investing 64.6B rubles sible to achieve the targets earlier ernment to be able to supply food to ($12.3B) for national growth in in- than planned. the cities and the soldiers at the dustry, electricity, transportation front. Compulsory labor service was and agriculture. The plan aimed to also employed on all classes, under build industries for the necessary re- This is the third in a series of articles the principle of "He who does not equipment and reorganization not celebrating the centennial of the October work, neither shall eat." only of the whole industry but in- Revolution this coming year. Red Salute to Comrade Fidel Castro

he Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the entire Filipino re- separated by just a strip of sea Tvolutionary movement gave highest honors to Commandante Fidel from the United States of America. Castro, beloved leader of the Cuban revolution last November 27. Comrade They succeeded in overthrowing US Fidel passed away on November 25 at the age of 90. The Party extends imperialism and its puppet Fulgen- heartfelt sympathies to the Communist Party of Cuba, the Republic of Cuba cio Batista regime on January 1, and the Cuban people over their great loss. 1959 and established one the most Fidel Castro will forever remain armed revolutionary struggle for enduring anti-imperialist and a global icon of anti-imperialist res- national liberation and social justice democratic governments in the istance. In the 1950s, he led the in Cuba. Cuba is a small country world.

10 December 7 , 2 01 6 ANG BAYAN The revolutionary Cuban gov- no one is homeless. Disaster-pre- the Cuban economy. It has de- ernment confiscated all foreign- paredness is the most efficient in ployed spies and plotted acts of owned enterprises, large haciendas the world. subversion. It re-established diplo- and plantations. It carried out Since the 1990s, they have also matic ties with Cuba only last 2014 widespread land reform and col- struggled to develop the Cuban in the hope that this will help facil- lectivization. It established state economy in a more comprehensive itate the propagation of its political farms and collective farms. It pro- way. In an effort to overcome de- and cultural influence into the moted a self-reliant economy while pendence on Soviet imports in the country. engaging in vibrant trade with oth- 1960s-1980s, they have sought to Inspired by Fidel Castro's slo- er countries. develop their own technology for gan "Socialism or Death!" the The resources of the Cuban industrial and agricultural produc- Cuban people have united and res- government have been allocated tion. isted in their millions to defend mainly to raise the people's quality For five decades, US imperial- Cuba against all forms of US inter- of life. As a result, the Cuban ism attempted and failed to over- vention and aggression and carry people enjoy one of the highest throw Fidel Castro and the revolu- out the transformation of Cuba. standards of living across the tionary Cuban government. To the Cuban masses, Comrade world. The Cuban government has Declassified documents from the US Fidel Castro is their star as they developed and provided the people reveal at least 600 plots to assas- relentlessly push their Revolution with free education and public sinate Fidel Castro. It twice carried forward. He will forever remain an medical facilities which are among out direct invasion or military ag- inspiration to the people around the the most advanced in the world. In- gression into Cuba in the early world as they march forward along fant mortality is one of the lowest. 1960s. It has imposed trade em- the path of anti-imperialism, social There is no malnutrition. Virtually bargoes in an attempt to constrict justice and democracy.

ANG BAYAN December 7 , 2 01 6 11