Fight Back News Service is circulating the following May 23 statement from BAYAN-USA, Anakbayan-USA and GABRIELA USA

Peace in Mindanao Hinges on Eradicating Poverty, Landlessness, Ending U.S. Counterinsurgency Ops; Not Greater Militarization

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today, March 10, denounced GRP President Rodrigo Duterte for his “total contempt of lives of civilian people’s lives who he callously considers mere ‘collateral damage’ in ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to employ all its assets in an “anything goes” campaign to drop bombs and “flatten the hills” against the New People’s Army (NPA).

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today, Feb. 15, called on the Filipino people to protest the police and military crackdown after at least 19 individuals, mostly activists as well as civilians, who were arrested in Metro Manila and other parts of the country in a span of just one week since the Duterte regime terminated peace talks and declared an “all-out war” against the revolutionary forces last February 7.

Davao City, Philippines – More than 15,000 revolutionary forces and representatives from at least 10 regions in the country, peace advocates, officials from both Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) made up the fiery, artistic and militant celebration of today’s 48th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and National Assembly for Just and Lasting Peace in Paquibato district, Davao City.

New York, NY – Activists gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate General on Fifth Avenue Dec. 9 to demand that Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process, Jess Dureza, uphold peace and justice in the Philippines.

Forty people attended a forum Oct. 29, “Revolution in the Philippines: Daring to Struggle, Daring to Win.” The forum at Mayday Books featured a presentation by Joe Iosbaker, a Chicago-based anti-war movement leader and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) who participated in a recent international solidarity delegation to Western Mindanao in the Philippines.

KMU chair talks about genuine trade unionism

. Elmer “Bong” Labog, Chair of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).

(Photo credit: Peter Murphy)”)

Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines – During the International Conference for People’s Rights in the Philippines, Joe Iosbaker, of Fight Back! had the opportunity to meet and interview Elmer “Bong” Labog, Chair of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), or May First Movement. The KMU is an independent and democratic labor center in the Philippines, promoting genuine, militant and anti-imperialist trade unionism.

International solidarity mission to the Philippines

Guinoman, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines – On July 16, three vans stuffed with passengers traveled the badly eroded, muddy, narrow road from Pagadian City to the village of Guinoman in Western Min-danao, in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay. On the roof of one of them was a dog, standing on all fours, that managed to stay on its feet through one of the torrential downpours that are a daily occur-rence in July.

Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines – The recent election of Rodrigo Duterte as president of The Philip-pines (GRP) is a defeat for the pro-U.S. group of wealthy families that have always run the country. Here in Iligan City, there is an outpouring of the hopes from people about what the election could mean.

Iosbaker is part of a human rights delegation in the Philippines from July 16-25.