The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) denounces the US-Marcos regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the deployment of an excessive number of counterinsurgency troops in Samar over the past weeks.

The fascist surge aims to turn the Samar island back into a “howling wilderness,” in the same manner that US colonial forces sought to crush the patriotic resistance of the people of Samar at the turn of the century. This excessive deployment of combat troops will not solve the socioeconomic problems of the people of Samar, but will only aggravate their hardships. The fascist surge will bring nothing but terror to the people of Samar. It, however, is bound to be frustrated by the revolutionary masses and people’s army in Samar and Eastern Visayas.

Since December, more than 1,000 Army soldiers have been deployed to Samar to augment the 21 battalions of enemy troops already operating in the region under the 8th Infantry Division. The purported aim of this massive deployment is to “crush the four remaining guerrilla fronts” of the New People’s Army (NPA), specifically in Northern Samar. These additional armed troops belong to the 74th Infantry Battalion (from Basilan), the 42nd IB (from the Quezon-Bicol area) and the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion. In addition, the AFP deployed more than 550 new combat troops who completed their training in Camp Eugenio Daza in Hinabangan, Samar last February 20.

These units of the AFP are notorious for attacking civilian communities and perpetrating rampant rights violations. The 4th SRC, in particular, faces numerous complaints in Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental. The 42nd IB is also notorious for its role in implementing Memorandum Order 32 which placed Bicol, Samar and Negros under military rule. The 42nd IB is among the perpetrators of the AFP’s rampage of killings in Bicol, murdering one victim every week since 2018.

Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law perpetrated by the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) have been rampant in Samar and the whole of the Eastern Visayas. Under the counterinsurgency campaign of the AFP and PNP, people belonging to all types of mass organizations have been made targets for suppression, since the issuance of Memorandum Order 32.

The AFP has blurred the lines between armed combatants and civilians by considering mass organizations in Samar fighting for land and peasant rights, and defending democratic rights, as being armed rebels. Their members are targeted by the AFP as combatants, subjected to surveillance, harassment and intimidation, arrests and killings, and forced to “surrender” without any legal or judicial process. Entire villages and communities are placed under military hamlet control where their rights are severely restricted. The AFP has also carried out a terrorist wave of aerial bombardment in Samar that target fields, forests and nearby communities. Children have not been spared from violent attacks by the military as shown by the killing of two teenagers by troops of the 20th who indiscriminately fired their weapons in Barangay Roxas, Catubig, Northern Samar last February 8, 2022. Human rights defenders and alternative media practitioners, themselves, have been imprisoned in the hope of silencing the people of Eastern Visayas and preventing them from exposing the truth.

With the deployment of more than a thousand combat troops, the AFP will again turn Samar into a howling wilderness adapting the scorched earth tactics of US colonial forces during the Filipino American war, as well as those applied in the US counterguerrilla war in Vietnam. These tactics, however, are bound to fail as these only further expose the rottenness of the ruling system and inflame the people’s anger against the ruling classes of exploiters and oppressors.

Faced with relentless fascist suppression and worsening socioeconomic oppression and exploitation, the people of Samar and the entire Eastern Visayas region have no other option but to fight back through all forms of resistance. They must strengthen and consolidate their organizations. The canons and bombs of the AFP will ultimately prove futile as the broad masses of the people of Samar courageously act and rise up as one body.

The CPP calls on all commands and units of the NPA in Samar and Eastern Visayas to continue waging extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare on the basis of an ever expanding and deepening mass base. They must exert all efforts to spread the flames of the armed revolution. They must be ready to recruit and train more Red fighters as the broad masses of the people are determined to join the armed resistance to defend themselves against the terrorist state.

The NPA in Samar and in the Eastern Visayas region continue to master the war of quick and clandestine maneuvers and ssiduously carry out the tactics of concentration, dispersal and shifting to keep the enemy deaf and blind. They can carry out strikes where and when the enemy least expects it and employ the tactic of feigning to the east and striking in the west. They are determined to mount basic tactical offensives, combined with widespread armed actions, including special partisan operations, and mobilization of militia units, to take away the enemy’s initiative and disrupt its plans. They continue to strengthen their ties with the peasant masses by helping carry out their antifeudal struggles and addressing their urgent social and economic needs.

The regional and various levels of Party leadership are determined to build the revolutionary mass movement in the cities and countryside of Eastern Visayas. The broad masses of oppressed and exploited classes are being aroused, organized and mobilized to fight for their urgent demands for alleviation from the economic crisis and calamities including wage increases for workers, lowering of land rent and loan interests, fare farmgate prices and other urgent agrarian reforms, and others.

They people of Eastern Visayas are determined to link up with the urgent struggle against rising US military intervention, especially as American troops increase their presence in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and other parts of the region, as part of its war preparations; and denounce US supplying of weapons and military equipment for the AFP used for the suppression of the Filipino people.

The Party calls on the Filipino people, human rights defenders, church people, workers, students, women, artists and all other democratic sectors, to link-up arms and help the people of Samar and Eastern Visayas expose the crimes being perpetrated by the AFP in the course of its futile counterinsurgency drive.

Led by the Party, the people and revolutionary forces in Eastern Visayas are determined to rise, resolutely fight and wage widespread resistance against the US-Marcos regime’s fascist state terrorism and frustrate its aim of transforming Samar into a howling wilderness.

#Phillipines #Philippines #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #Asia

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and all revolutionary forces condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist aerial bombing of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Miag-ao, Iloilo last December 1.

Based on reports of the New People’s Army (NPA)-Panay, the AFP dropped at least four 500-lb bombs using attack aircrafts at around 5 a.m. on a mountainous area just above one kilometer away from the center of Barangay Alimodias in the said town. It ravaged an area 100 meters across with craters up to 15 feet deep. This was followed a few hours later by relentless artillery shelling from AFP howitzers.

At least nine people perished in the horrendous carnage. Witnesses said the cadavers were grossly mutilated that they are beyond recognition. Local NPA forces have yet to complete the process of identification of those killed and are still confirming reports that civilians were among those killed.

The AFP’s claims that they bombed a 70-strong NPA force is absolutely false. Only a small mass work unit of the NPA was in the area. Red fighters of the NPA were deployed in the area to assist the masses in production and help uplift them from hunger and poverty after typhoons and heavy rains damaged their rice fields and vegetable plots.

There is also no truth to the claim that there was an armed encounter between the AFP and the NPA. Neither is there truth to the AFP’s claim that the area was planted with landmines. These claims were used to falsely justify the superfluous bombing.

The Party condemns the terrorist bombing of the AFP in Miag-ao for endangering civilian lives and striking fear among the people. The aerial bombardment was carried out very near civilian communities that residents felt the tremors caused by the massive explosions. The AFP’s fired their howitzers just outside Barangay Pudpud causing terror among the people.

The December 1 aerial bombardment brazenly violated international humanitarian law, as well as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), specifically the basic principle of distinction between combatants and civilians and the protection of civilian lives.

The use of 500-lb bombs is inherently indiscriminate, puts the lives and welfare of civilians at risk and causes widespread damage to the environment. The vicious effect of the AFP’s aerial bombardment goes way beyond ground zero. In Miag-ao, the AFP’s bombs shattered the peace, caused widespread fear, panic and trauma to residents of nearby communities, and scorched the mountains of Alimodias which also serve as source of food and livelihood. Civilian communities were, furthermore, placed under military control, where people are subjected to intimidation and threats and restrictions, causing them further sufferings.

We maintain that the use of 500-lb bombs also constitutes outright violation of the principles of proportionality and honor under international humanitarian law and rules of war. The use of these weapons to kill goes against the rules of war and constitutes nothing but plain and cowardly murder.

The Miag-ao bombing constitutes a war crime, as so are the recent cases of aerial bombing in Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Northern Samar, Cagayan Valley, Mindoro, Quezon and other provinces. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who himself ordered these bombings, together with his generals, must be held accountable and be charged with war crimes for the deliberate endangerment of civilians before the people’s courts and other international courts.

We urge the media and democratic and progressive organizations and the international community to conduct an impartial and thorough investigation into the Miag-ao bombing. The AFP has imposed a news blackout to control the flow of information in an effort to hide the real facts surrounding the bombing and the situation in Miag-ao.

We challenge political parties and candidates vying for the presidency and other positions in next year’s elections to make a clear stand against the use of aerial bombardment.

The AFP’s use of 500-lb bombs grossly violates international humanitarian law and must be banned. This is an obscene waste of people’s money amid widespread hunger and poverty.

#Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines

Without health and economic measures, the resort to another anti-poor and draconian lockdown in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjacent provinces four days ago to stop the rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 cases will only lead to another grand failure.

The Duterte government remains deaf to the demands made a year ago for it to carry out free mass testing and rapid and systematic contact-tracing as key measures to detect and contain the spread of the virus. It has also ignored free Covid-19 treatment and economic aid for the poverty-stricken masses. It has bungled the procurement of vaccines and continue to insist on pursuing its anomalous deals with China.

The rapid spread of the virus was not inevitable. The mutation of the virus and emergence of new variants have been anticipated. Duterte’s officials should have prepared for it by increasing the capacity of the public health system which Duterte failed to do. It has allowed increased social interaction and enterprise activity but did not pour funds to strengthen the machinery and system for mass testing and contact-tracing to contain inevitable outbreaks. The public health infrastructure has, in fact, deteriorated over the past few months, as admitted by some government officials themselves.

The NCR is now being overwhelmed by the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases. Hospitals in the metro are now running beyond capacity forcing them to move Covid-19 patients to facilities elsewhere. Without health containment measures led by the national government, the spread of the virus will ultimately hit the provinces.

The inept military and police-led response to the pandemic is once again in full play. Duterte has deployed around 9,000 police forces to implement the lockdown, but mobilized zero additional health workers to provide relief to the increasingly agonized nurses and doctors in overcrowded hospitals. Health workers are justly protesting low wages, non-payment of hazard pay, lack of transportation and overall neglect of their welfare.

Gross abuses of power are everyday being committed by police officers in their overzealous and high-handed imposition of ill-conceived and ill-planned curfews and checkpoints. Every second, people’s rights are being trampled upon. The poor are under constant threat of being accosted, arrested or fined.

While work in factories and establishments were not suspended, requiring workers to continue reporting to work every day, the government implemented restrictions on transportation resulting in thousands of stranded people. It has taken advantage of the crisis to railroad its antipeople plan to phaseout jeepneys amid the severe lack in transportation.

The locking down of people in their homes in the “NCR-plus” area is practically imprisoning them for the government’s crime of failing to address the pandemic. Yet, the state crime is continuing as Duterte and his minions continue to mismanage the crisis. Massive joblessness, loss of income and rising prices are resulting in gross hardships and poverty. The people are being insulted by the government’s paltry ₱1,000 aid. Every day, millions of people are distressed by the threat of having nothing to eat or feed their children.

Duterte is a remorseless tyrant. He cries crocodile tears and feigns sympathies for the people. The pandemic has exposed him as an incompetent leader. He is more interested in pocketing billions of pesos to feed his minions and his fascist monsters in uniform. He has ignored appeals to raise the capacity of the health system to deal with the pandemic and is more busy silencing everyone as he prepares to scheme his way to power beyond 2022.

Another week of lockdown will only worsen the already intolerable conditions of the Filipino people, especially the workers and peasants. This will only throw fuel to the fire in the people’s bellies. They will not forever be suppressed nor remain silent. They are being roused to get organized and fight to end the incompetence, corruption, abuses and oppression under the US-Duterte regime.

#Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines

Today is the 48th anniversary of the declaration of martial law and the start of the 14-year fascist dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. As in the past years, the Filipino people mark this day with an ardent vow “Never again!” to do their utmost to prevent a return to the dark days of brutal military rule. The vow echoes significantly strong as the Filipino people confront a new and especially cruel tyranny under Rodrigo Duterte.

The Party is in solidarity with the various democratic sectors and classes, organizations and individuals who are set to march today to protest the reign of de facto new martial law under Duterte.

The Party pays tribute to the tens of thousands of patriots and democrats who chose the difficult and dangerous path of struggle to take back their freedoms and attain democracy and justice. Scores of thousands suffered detention and torture, were abducted, disappeared and “salvaged” (summarily executed). Their sacrifices made in sweat and blood nurtured the people’s resistance in all fields of struggle.

Let us draw inspiration from our heroes and martyrs and their ideals of freedom, democracy and an end to oppression and exploitation. Let us fight with great energy and determination to end Duterte’s reign of murder and gross abuses of human rights, unbridled corruption, cronyism, subservience to foreign powers, burdensome debt, joblessness and economic crisis.

Duterte and his cohorts are like insatiable leeches sucking the people’s blood. They are doing everything to cling to power. State terrorism is their ultimate weapon to perpetuate their power and aggrandize greater wealth. The constitution and its laws are mere embellishments to dress the tyrant but are unreservedly trampled to serve his illegitimate aims.

The demand for the resignation of Duterte or the ouster of his fascist regime has become urgent as the Filipino people suffer more and more amid the pandemic and economic and political crisis. Only by removing Duterte can the Filipino people have a better chance at fighting the disease, overcoming the grave economic crisis and attaining a just and lasting peace.

Let us be ready to make the necessary sacrifices as we seek an end to the reign of thieves and fascists who will do everything to cling to power. All democracy- and freedom-loving people must unite and fight. History has shown that no tyrant, not Marcos, not even Duterte, can withstand a million people marching as one.

#Philippines #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #Duterte

The Party denounces the Philippine National Police, whose spokesperson today, June 5, disparaged the mass actions against the Anti-Terror Bill saying the protesters compromised public health. The PNP’s statement is a thinly veiled threat against the people’s civil and political rights.

The PNP has now set the stage to stop further protest actions in an attempt to stop the mounting protest movement against the ATB. Earlier today, in the name of “public health,” police forces brutally dispersed a peaceful demonstration of students, workers and other sectors in Cebu City. A few days ago, jeepney drivers seeking to be allowed to ply their routes to earn a living, where arrested and continue to be detained.

One can clearly observe that protesters in the mass actions of the past few days were mindful of the Covid-19 pandemic and of their health responsibility to take such measures as physical distancing and wearing masks in order to not spread the virus.

But, equally as important, the protesters were mindful of their social responsibility to take action to defend the people’s civil and political rights against the threat of the enactment of the Anti-Terror Bill, as well as to voice out the people’s demand for free mass testing and other health measure to capacitate the country to effectively control the pandemic.

When people raise their voices or take to the streets during this time of pandemic, they face a risk greater than getting infected with Covid-19. They confront the danger of getting hurt and arrested by the military or police who are obsessed with placing the entire country under their control. Indeed, they are brave souls.

Duterte, the PNP and AFP do not want people getting together, not because they are concerned with the people’s health (just look at how they conducted themselves in their dispersal operations this morning or how Gen. Sinas’ celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago). Rather, they want to stop these demonstrations because they are mortally afraid that the fear they have instilled will be overcome by the people as the masses stand up and question those who claim power and authority.

#Philippines #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalRepression #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #COVID19 #Asia

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the Filipino people in strongly denouncing the stepped-up surveillance by Duterte’s police forces against members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) as well as other democratic mass organizations.

The surveillance was exposed after leaders of ACT revealed that officials of the Department of Education in Metro Manila and other provinces were being asked to inform the police of the roster of ACT’s membership. Its members reported being tracked down by police operatives to their homes.

The police surveillance on ACT clearly aims to harass and intimidate the organization which has staunchly advanced the welfare and interests of teachers and the people’s democratic cause. It also aims to bully the teachers to make them submit to the scheme of the Duterte regime to manipulate the upcoming mid-term elections which employ public school teachers.

The surveillance against the teachers is an affront against their democratic rights. Duterte has mobilized state forces to subject his critics and opposition forces to so-called intelligence operations. Instead of addressing the demand of public school teachers for salary increases, Duterte is using public money to harass and intimidate them.

It forms part of the massive surveillance against students, journalists, lawyers and other various democratic sectors and their organizations and alliances, as well as progressive party list groups, to set them up for arrests or extrajudicial killings. Duterte has earlier ramped up his Red-tagging of these organizations using the old Marcos tactic of labeling them as “communist fronts” in a futile attempt to justify vicious all-out suppression. He has openly threatened to murder their members whom he called as “potential members” of the NPA.

Duterte desperately aims to preserve his power by cracking down against the legal democratic forces which are at the forefront of the anti-fascist united front of all groups opposing Duterte’s tyranny and de facto martial law rule.

Duterte’s fascist suppression will, however, succeed only in arousing ever wider opposition and fiercer resistance to his rule. Contrary to his aim, more and more are being enjoined to close ranks with a broad united front to call for an end to Duterte’s state-sponsored killings and terrorism, corruption, and servility to foreign powers.

He is also succeeding only in closing legal avenues of dissent and unwittingly encouraging more people to support and join the New People’s Army (NPA) to wage armed struggle.

#Philippines #Labor #OppressedNationalities #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #WorkersAndGlobalization #NewPeoplesArmy #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #TeachersUnions #AllianceOfConcernedTeachersACT

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) unequivocally denies claims of a so-called Red October plot of the CPP and New People’s Army (NPA) to overthrow the Duterte regime by October. The CPP denounces the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for conjuring this fictional plot which clearly aims to set the stage for applying increasingly draconian measures against the Filipino people.

This so-called Red October plot is nothing but an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) invention. Like the rest of the AFP’s fakery, it is a poorly concocted story. They came up with this “intelligence information” as early as July. Duterte, himself, claimed around a week ago of a recorded phone conversation proving such a conspiracy between the CPP and other groups. Neither Duterte nor the AFP could show the public proof of their claims.

Actually, the real question is not whether there is such a conspiracy, but what Duterte and the AFP are plotting for October? Is this a foreshadowing of a declaration of martial law by October? Indeed, “Red October” sounds very similar to 1972 claims of a “Maoist rebellion” which Marcos used as justification for declaring martial law and imposing his fascist dictatorship.

In hyping up this so-called conspiracy, the clear aim of the AFP is to justify the implementation of increasingly severe measures in the name of “defeating the plot” to target legitimate protest actions which express the sentiments of a disgruntled people. The so-called plot is a Duterte straw man for him to beat and make himself look strong and invincible.

The AFP’s proposal to set up a task force to supposedly direct all efforts of government agencies to fight the CPP harks back to the 1950s McCarthyist red-baiting and finger-pointing to justify the suppression against various democratic sectors. In particular, the AFP targets student activists who are among the most active in the anti-Duterte movement. The AFP has gone berserk in linking various organizations and political forces as fronts or in conspiracy with the CPP.

It has become very apparent that Duterte and the AFP are increasingly insecure amid the rising economic and political crisis. By dispatching his defense secretary to Washington, Duterte has gone the lengths of seeking the assurance of US support. All these show Duterte’s kapit-tuko desperation to cling to power amid the increasingly acute crisis and mounting clamor for his ouster.

In fact, Duterte has only himself to blame for his regime’s destabilization. By turning a deaf ear to the Filipino people’s most urgent demands for an end to the burdensome TRAIN taxes, solution to incessant price increases, wage increases, jobs and job security, as well as their clamor for an end to state terrorism, rampant violations of human rights, narco-politics and bureaucrat capitalist corruption, Duterte is inciting more and more people to rise up in protest and resist his rule.

Since late last year, the Party has called on the Filipino people to unite and wage all forms of struggle to put an end to Duterte’s fascist and puppet regime. A broad united front of democratic forces has emerged in both formal and informal alliances bringing together a broad range of progressive and patriotic forces, as well as various strands of politicians, religious and business groups. Disenchanted officials in the military and police patiently wait for the right moment to join in.

The NPA will continue to wage revolutionary armed struggle in the countryside as it advances the people’s war and defend the people against the fascist and terrorist onslaught of the AFP. However supportive of the people’s clamor for Duterte’s ouster, the NPA, at this stage, is not yet strong enough to cause the overthrow of Duterte and the ruling system. Similarly, while the NPA was among the strongest force which helped sustain the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and dealt it with strong blows, it was ultimately the confluence of various forces which brought down Marcos through a popular unarmed uprising in 1986.

Given the increasingly difficult economic conditions of the people and rising internal political conflicts within the Duterte regime, the Party anticipates protests to continue to mount in the coming months.

Duterte is walking the edge of a precipice where a misstep can accelerate his downfall.

#Philippines #AntiwarMovement #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #NewPeoplesArmy #PoliticalRepression #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #Antifascism #RedOctoberPlot

Police personnel started to harass workers as early as 6 a.m. deploying two firetrucks near the picketline. Workers lay prone at the company gates to defend their protest. The police started to attack the picketline early afternoon and arrested at least four workers. Many others were hurt including five workers who were severely injured.

Nutriasia workers are demanding the regularization of more than a thousand contractual workers and the reinstatement of union leaders dismissed by the company.

The Party enjoins the broad masses of workers, students and other sectors to extend support and solidarity with the striking workers of Nutriasia, as well as workers in other companies, in their struggle to defend their right to regular jobs and for wage increases.

#Nutriasia #MarilaoBUL #Philippines #WorkersAndGlobalization #strike #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #PoliceCrimes

Police personnel started to harass workers as early as 6 a.m. deploying two firetrucks near the picketline. Workers lay prone at the company gates to defend their protest. The police started to attack the picketline early afternoon and arrested at least four workers. Many others were hurt including five workers who were severely injured.

Nutriasia workers are demanding the regularization of more than a thousand contractual workers and the reinstatement of union leaders dismissed by the company.

The Party enjoins the broad masses of workers, students and other sectors to extend support and solidarity with the striking workers of Nutriasia, as well as workers in other companies, in their struggle to defend their right to regular jobs and for wage increases.

#Nutriasia #MarilaoBUL #Philippines #WorkersAndGlobalization #strike #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #PoliceCrimes

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) calls on the Filipino people to oppose so-called training programs being conducted by US special forces for local police forces after recent revelations point to the direct role played by the US military in the instigation, planning and conduct of the bloody Mamasapano operation last January 25.

The CPP issued this statement amid another round of training programs being conducted since yesterday by US Marines with the 6th Special Action Battalion of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Last Monday, the former commander of the PNP-SAF revealed that the US military provided trainings to its troops mobilized for the Mamasapano operation. Reports have revealed that the US military conducted the trainings inside the La Vista del Mar resort in Zamboanga City, which has long been exposed as a front for US military facilities.

The US also provided intelligence information and equipment. Officers of the US military were also stationed at the PNP tactical command post providing the commander with live video feed from the surveillance drone being operated by the US military.

“Through these trainings, provision of equipment and intelligence information, the US military is able to strengthen its operational and doctrinal control of the local military and police forces,” said the CPP. “The US and its puppet officials claim that these trainings ‘enhance interoperability’ when in reality, they only reinforce the dependence of the local military and police on US financing and training.”

“The more influence and control the US military exercises over the Philippine police and military, the more Philippine sovereignty is degraded as this weakens the capacity of the puppet state to independently exercise its coercive power and wield political authority,” added the CPP.

More such trainings are set to be conducted by the US military in the coming months under the planned Balikatan exercises and other programs. “The US and Aquino governments are also using so-called ‘security preparations’ for the APEC conferences to justify interference by US military forces.”

“The closing ceremonies yesterday of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) do not mark a slowdown in US military intervention but the heightening of clandestine operations,” said the CPP. The JSOTF-P held its closing ceremonies in its headquarters inside Camp Navarro, the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command base in Zamboanga City.

“Expect more units of the AFP and PNP to be subjected to the US military’s direct operational control as the AFP opens up more AFP camps to US military presence under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which will provide the US with so-called Agreed Locations where they can set up their facilities for their operations and trainings,” added the CPP.

#Philippines #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #Asia

Denounce the US military for using tragedy to justify increased warships deployment

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) denounces the US government for using the grave human tragedy wrought by the recent supertyphoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in order to justify its operations to further increase the presence of its military warships and armed troops in the Philippines.

“The US government is engaged in disaster interventionism, exploiting the supine state of the Philippines after it was struck by super typhoon Yolanda, in order to justify its deployment of armed, nuclear-powered and interventionist military warships and armed troops in the Philippines,” said the CPP.

“The CPP and the Filipino people denounce the Aquino government for shamelessly welcoming the US military troops with open arms.”

Citing news reports, the CPP pointed out that the US has deployed to the Philippines no less than six warships including US flagship aircraft carrier USS George Washington, that has with it at least 80 jet fighters as well as war helicopters and 5,000 naval soldiers. It will be accompanied to the Philippines by the USS Antietam, USS Cowpens, USS Mustin, USS Lasses guided missile cruisers, and the USS Charles Drew supply ship. Meanwhile, the British government is also sending the HMS Daring warship and a Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft.

The CPP further pointed out that aside from the warships that are sailing from Hong Kong and elsewhere, US armed personnel and equipment were already prepositioned in Manila and other parts of the country, indicating the continuing presence of armed US troops in the national capital. There are also news reports indicating that the facilities of the Tacloban airport have been taken over by the US military. The US military has also taken advantage of the disaster in order to gain access to the Mactan airport and seaport which has long been a subject of negotiations for increased US rotational presence in the Philippines.

Over the past three years since declaring its “Asia pivot”, the US government has been increasing its “rotational presence” in various countries in the Asia-Pacific region resulting in the militarization of territorial disputes and diplomatic relations among countries in the region and in outright violation of the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines and other countries.

“The US government is militarizing disaster response in the Philippines, in much the same way that the US militarized disaster response in Haiti in the 2010 earthquake,” said the CPP. The high-handed presence of US armed troops in Haiti has been widely renounced. The US government has since maintained its presence in Haiti.

“The Filipino people seek and welcome international support in the face of the terrible devastation brought about by Yolanda in a wide corridor across the Philippine islands,” said the CPP. “However, though devastated, the Filipino people has preserved their sense of national dignity and will continue to defend their sovereignty against foreign military interventionism.”

“What the disaster victims need urgently are food, water and medical attention, not US warships bringing in emergency rations to justifty their armed presence in Philippine sovereign waters,” pointed out the CPP. “If the US government were really interested in providing assistance to countries who have suffered from calamities, then it should increase its funds to civilian agencies that deal in disaster response and emergency relief, not in fattening its international military forces and taking advantage of the people’s miseries to justify their presence,” added the CPP.

#Philippines #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #CPP #TyphoonYolandaHayen #Asia

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today extended its sympathies to the millions of people affected by super typhoon Yolanda which ravaged provinces in Eastern and Central Visayas, in Panay, Negros, Masbate, Mindoro, Palawan, and other islands, as well as in areas in Eastern and South Eastern Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and provinces in Southern Luzon.

At the same time, the CPP called for mass mobilization across the country and abroad, to generate emergency supply and funds for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. The CPP called on “people in the areas least affected by the storm to extend maximum possible help to the people who are most in need of emergency assistance.”

Yesterday, tropical storm Yolanda (international name Haiyan) barreled across the Philippines, leaving a wide swath of destruction. Yolanda is considered to be among the strongest typhoons ever to hit land, and one of the most powerful of storms over the past 30 years.

The CPP said that among the areas which were devastated by the strong winds are revolutionary base areas which are within the scope of authority of the provisional revolutionary government, and in the areas of operation of the New People’s Army and other revolutionary mass organizations.

The CPP also pointed out that many of the areas ravaged by the typhoon were those recently hit by powerful earthquakes where people were most vulnerable to the strong winds and rains.

“These areas are among the most impoverished in the entire country, where the majority are poor peasants, unemployed farm workers, small fisherfolk and indigenous peoples,” said the CPP. “They have long been abandoned by the reactionary government and will not be among its priorities for assistance.”

The CPP said it is still awaiting detailed reports from its local committees, as well as mass organizations and NPA units in the areas.

#Philippines #TropicalStormHaiyan #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #TyphoonYolanda #Asia