ang bayan october 7, 2011

8/3/2019 Ang Bayan October 7, 2011

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This issues

highlights...

NPA punishes

3 mining companies

in Surigao PAGE 4

US intervention

confirmed by

Wikileaks PAGE 8

PAL workers fired, the

fight goes on PAGE 11

Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng PilipinasPinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG

English EditionVol. XLII No. 19October 7, 2011

www.philippinerevolution.net

Editorial

U

S imperialist intervention is intensifying inthe Philippines under the puppet Aquinoregime. Relentlessly interfering in the

country's internal economic, political, militaryand cultural affairs, US imperialist overlords havebeen brazenly brandishing their military power tofurther consolidate more than a century of neo-colonial domination in the country and pushharder for policies that cater to foreign intereststo the detriment of the people.

Since US imperialism's establishment of thePhilippine neocolonial state in 1946, the Filipino

people have been mired in chronic crisis due tothe plunderous operations of foreigncompanies and their exaction of su-perprofits from the country's re-sources. They conspire with the bigcomprador bourgeoisie and the biglandlords in oppressing and exploit-ing the masses of workers and peas-ants and in extracting and living offthe country's natural resources. Theyhave been using the reactionary state and

fascist military to suppress the people fortaking action to achieve national and demo-cratic change.

For more than threedecades, the Philippines hasbeen bogged in ever deepercrisis due to the relentless im-plementation of liberalization,deregulation, privatization and de-nationalization policies by succes-

sive puppet regimes. These policieshave led to an increasingly crush-ing debt burden, more widespread

Strengthen the broad patriotic frontagainst US imperialist intervention!

unemployment, wage freezes and the destructionof productive forces. They have spurred massivelandgrabbing to the detriment of food produc-tion, the plunder of the country's natural wealthand the degradation of the environment. The Fil-ipino people are now suffering from hunger andpoverty at levels unprecedented in the country'shistory.

Despite these policies' disastrous effects, USimperialism's reactionary puppets have the gall tofurther drive the Philippines into the abyss ofneocolonialism. Their sinister goal is to further

open the country's economy, deceiving the peo-ple with the illusion of a world without borders

in order to banish from their minds the impor-tance of patrimony, of freedom,

sovereignty, national dignityand the right to self-de-

termination.


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Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee

of the Communist Party of the Philippines

Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino,

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English editions.

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Ang Bayan welcomes contributionsin the form of articles and news.

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Vol. XLII No. 19 October 7, 2011

Contents

Editorial: Strengthen the

patriotic front 1US is behind renewed cha-cha drive 3NPA punishes 3 mining firms in Surigao 4Major mining disasters 5Dole punished for landgrabbing 6Ambush in Paquibato 6Offensives in Bicol 7NPA metes blows on AFP in ICR 7

US intervention confirmed 8Nuclear arms in the Philippines 9Civilian killed in Ifugao 10Poldet 11The figth goes on in PAL 11Protest actions against the regime 12Protest in Wall Street 13

ANG

2 ANG BAYAN October 7, 2011

Reactionary puppets and theAquino regime's men have resur-rected calls to amend the 1987constitution to completely doaway with provisions that sup-port the national patrimony. Tothe Filipino people, this brings

back memories of the 1946 cam-paign to adopt the ParityAmendments granting equalrights to Americans to dobusiness, own land andexploit the country's re-sources.

In the name of at-tracting foreign invest-ments, reactionary puppetshave been pushing for amend-

ments that would allow foreigncapitalists to buy land in thePhilippines and permit 100%foreign-owned companies to op-erate in the country. If thesemeasures push through, theproblem of landlessness and theeviction of peasants from theirfarms will surely worsen. Thiswill also surely spell the demise

of small local businessmen who,for decades, have failed to re-cover from the dumping of im-ported goods and the influx offoreign capital.

For decades, reactionaryeconomists have peddled the liethat attracting foreign invest-ments is the solution to thecountry's economic problems.For several decades, successive

reactionary regimes have notstopped thinking about what in-centives they could offer to for-eign capitalists. They have de-pressed workers' wages, en-forced widespread contractual-ization, suppressed unions, pro-

vided tax holidays and allowed100% profit repatriation, con-

trol overhundreds of thou-sands of hectares of landand mountainous areas and theuse of public funds in their in-vestments.

Direct foreign investments in

the Philippines grew almostthirtyfold from $914 million in1980 to $24.9 billion in 2010.But there has been no develop-ment. Instead, the Philippineeconomy has further deteriorat-ed. Manufacturing's share in theoverall economy is down to itslevel in the 1950s. The countrysuffers from an unemploymentrate that is not only unequalled

in its history but unresolvableeven with the allout campaignto export migrant labor.

The new Parity Amendmentsbeing pushed will usher in anew era in Philippine neocolo-nial historya time of unbri-

dled foreign plunder under apuppet regime. Philippine free-dom will be further devoid of

m e a n i n g .The puppetstate will ber e d u c e deven moreto being amere ad-ministra-

tor of for-eign inter-

ests inthe coun-try, whose

d i r e c -tion and future will lie com-pletely in the hands of foreignmonopoly capitalists.

These moves by the reac-

tionary state pose both athreat and a challenge to theFilipino people, especially theworking class, the peasantmasses, the urban petty bour-geoisie and the national bour-geoisie. They are the ones whobear the brunt of the oppres-sive and exploitative system.The added burdens wrought bythe new Parity Amendments

and the complete surrender ofthe country's economic sover-eignty will weigh most heavilyon their shoulders.

The Filipino people mustthoroughly resist attempts tofurther condemn the Philippinesto semicolonialism. The reac-tionary puppets' insistence oncompletely surrendering Philip-pine economic sovereignty mustbe confronted head-on by alloutstruggle to defend nationalfreedom, democracy and theright to self-determination.

The entire people must rallyaround the banner of the patri-otic front to effectively thwartplans by the reactionary pup-


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3ANG BAYAN October 7, 2011

pets for the allout betrayal ofthe country and continuouslyadvance the struggle for nation-al freedom. We must propagatethe patriotic spirit, especiallyamong the youth and studentry.We must shatter the illusions of

globalization and develop-ment being peddled by the im-perialists and their puppets bypropagating the patriotic studyof the country's history.

The patriotic front must ad-vance the policies of self-deter-mination and resist foreign in-tervention in the country's in-ternal affairs. It must demandthe abrogation of all unequal

military treaties and an end tothe permanent presence ofAmerican troops in the Philip-pines. The patriotic forces mustfight for an independent foreignpolicy based on mutual respectamong nations and against in-tervention.

The patriotic front must ad-vance nationalist or patriotic

economic policies. It mustfight for the junking of pro-imperialist laws such as the OilDeregulation Law, the ForeignInvestments Incentives Act,the Mining Act of 1995 andother laws that favor foreigncapitalists and are contrary tothe interests of local investors.It must fight for the abroga-tion of unequal economic

treaties like the Japan-Philip-pines Economic PartnershipAgreement, the Treaty of Amitywith Japan and the GeneralAgreement on Tariffs andTrade, among others.

It must advance the princi-ple of self-determination in eco-nomic policies and resist thedictates of the InternationalMonetary Fund and World Bank.It must demand an end to thePhilippines' debt reliance. Itmust push for land reform andnational industrialization.

At the foundation of thecountry's patriotic front are therevolutionary and progressiveforces. They must persevere in

US is behind renewed cha-cha drive

Leaders of the Senate and the Lower House declared during aLegislative Summit on September 29 that they would be

pushing for amendments in the economic provisions of the 1987constitution. This was only a month after US ambassador Harry

Thomas Jr. said in a speech that the Philippine constitutionmust be amended to remove what he considers to be restrictiveprovisions that obstruct the easy entry of foreign investments inthe Philippines.

The current cha-cha efforts are being led by Sen. FranklinDri-lon, who in recent years held several consulta-

tions with US em-bassy officials inthe Philippineson charter change.

Bayan Muna

Rep. Teddy Casiosaid that the newcha-cha meansauctioning offthe country's sov-ereignty to for-eigners. The Ba-gong AlyansangM a k a b a y a n(BAYAN) cited abill filed by Rep.Loreto Campos ofMisamis Occiden-

tal that completely does away with the remaining protectivemeasures provided by the 1987 constitution to the country'seconomy. Among others, the bill calls for the removal of the40% ceiling on foreign ownership in businesses and allows for-eigners to control the management of companies with foreign-owned shares. It also expands the right of foreign investors toexplore natural resources and allows foreigners to own industri-al land, practice their profession, own media as well as colleges

and universities and lease land for more than 50 years. ~

mobilizing the broad massesand in advancing the armedstruggle for national and so-cial liberation. Part of this ef-fort are the antifeudal strug-gles in the countryside whichinclude movements to protectthe environment and thelivelihoods of the peasantmasses and the minority peo-ples against big compradormining and logging.

Also part of this overall ef-fort are urban strugglesagainst heavier tax burdens,

monopoly pricing of petroleumproducts and reductions in so-cial spending as well as massstruggles for higher wages andto defend the right to decentjobs.

In the face of the long-standing and deepening de-pression of the world capital-ist system, US imperialism hasbeen browbeating its semi-colonies like the Philippines inorder to further exploitat theirnatural resources and theircheap labor. ~


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4

VICTORIOUS NPA OFFENSIVES

ANG BAYAN October 7, 2011

guards were killed in the NPAattack, saying that not a singleguard was hurt. In fact, thecompany-size security force didnot resist. Most of the guards

escaped, including the 20-strong quick reaction forcethat was armed with modernweapons.

While the punitive actionwas going on, the NPA gatheredthe firms' 300 workers in variousplaces and explained the reasonfor punishing the three miningcompanies. They released three

high-ranking TMC officials afterfive hours and warned themagainst continuing their compa-ny's evil practices.

Malaya cited the companies'violations of the policies of thepeople's democratic govern-ment.

TMC is responsibe for thewidespread destruction of ma-rine life and mountain areas in

Surigao del Norte in its 30 yearsof operation. It has also violat-ed the rights of the MamanwaLumad to their ancestral landsand wrought havoc on the peas-ants' livelihoods. The companyhas trampled on the rights of itsworkers. It has also bribed cor-rupt bureaucrats into allowingonly `40 millionin tax pay-ments to the

NPA punishes3 Surigao mining firms

Guerrillas under the Pulang Diwata Command of the New Peo-ple's Army (NPA) in Northeastern Mindanao Region (NEMR)punished the three biggest and most destructive mining com-

panies in Surigao del Norte in the morning of October 3.These are the Taganito High-Pressure Acid Leaching Plant (TH-

PAL), the Taganito Mining Cor-poration (TMC) and the Plat-inum Group Metals Corporation(PGMC)all of them based inClaver town and subsidiaries of

Nickel Asia Corp. which is ownedby Sumitomo Metal Corp. Ltd. ofJapan.

This punitive measure, oneof the biggest and most daringNPA operations in the history ofpeople's war in the country, in-dicates a high level of planningand coordination.

It also shows the capability

and determination of the revo-lutionary movement to imple-ment the policies of the peo-ple's democratic government toprotect the environment andnatural resources and defendthe rights of the Lumad, peas-ants and workers. Said NationalDemocratic Front-NEMR spokes-person Ka Maria Malaya, becauseagencies of the US-Aquino re-

gime conspire to allow plunder-ous mining companies to oper-ate in the country, it is onlythe revolutionary movementthat can protect the people.

Initial reports indicate that200 pieces of big machinerywere destroyed by the NPA, in-cluding dump trucks, excava-tors, tractors and seven bargesowned by TMC. The NPA also de-stroyed the company's main of-fice, accounting office and labo-ratory. Explosives were also det-onated at the newly builtTaganito Mining Port owned byTMC-THPAL, the smelting plantand a vertical tank used to storegasoline.

Up to 152 pieces of ma-chinery were destroyed at thePGMC comprising bulldozers,pay loaders, cranes, com-pactors, graders, dump trucks,

ten barges and six tugboats.PGMC is a sister company ofTMC.

This is one of the biggestlosses ever incurred by plunder-ous foreign companies in thecountry in the hands of the rev-olutionary movement.

The NPA confiscated a num-ber of computers and items of

military value such as combatboots, base radios and 25 VHFhandheld radios. The Red fight-ers also seized 13 shotguns, tenshort firearms, a number of M16rifles and rounds of ammuni-tion.

NDF-Mindanao spokespersonJorge Ka Oris Madlos beliednews reports that three security


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local government instead of`400 million.

PGMC has plundered millionsof tons of nickel ore and soldthis to imperialist countries like

the US, Japan and Australia. Itsoperations have caused thecomplete denudation of theforests and mountains coveredby the PGMC concession and thedestruction of rivers and seas.Most of its workers are contrac-tuals receiving lower than thestandard wage.

The giant THPAL uses mas-sive amounts of sulfuric acid

which is highly toxic to humansand the environment. It is alsoa coal-fired plant and thusspews tons upon tons of toxicfumes. And it only processeslow-grade nickel ore from vari-ous mines in the Caraga Re-

gion's four provinces. It exportsall the high-grade nickel ore itextracts, benefiting other coun-tries.

Meanwhile, the Communist

Party of the Philippines assailedthe Aquino government forshamelessly favoring the inter-ests of foreign investors and or-dering the beefing up of securi-ty forces to guard mining com-panies. NDF Negotiating Panelchair Ka Luis Jalandoni mean-while said Aquino does not un-derstand the basic issues behindthe struggle of minorities, peas-

ants and fisherfolk against thedestructive operations of bigmining companies. First, the ex-traction of mineral ore for ex-port at extremely low prices killswhatever plans the country mayhave to industrialize. Second,

Major mining disastersApril 6 and July 11, 2007. Toronto Ventures

Inc. Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. Heavy rainswashed away the soil and destroyed the concretewalls of a dam used in mining copper and zinc.This contaminated the Canatuan and SioconRivers which were filled with silt three metershigh.

October 11 and 31, 2005. Lafayette MiningLtd. Rapu-rapu, Albay. Cyanideoverflowed from the tailingspond after heavy rains, result-ing in massive fishkills at theIngay and HollowstoneCreeks. Binosawan Riverwas contaminated withtoxic levels of cyanide.

August 27 and

September 11, 2002.

Dizon Copper SilverMines Inc. San Mar-

celino, Zambales. Strongrains destroyed the tail-ings dam, floodinglowlying areas. Minetailings flowed towards Mapanuepe Lake and Sto.Tomas River. Affected residents were forced toevacuate.

December 2001. Maricalum Mining. Sipalay,

Negros Occidental. The cessation of mining oper-ations caused the tailings pond to dry up, withwinds blowing dust as far as five kilometers away.The number of people with lung ailments hassince grown.

August 9, 1999. Atlas Consolidated Miningand Development Corp. Toledo City, Cebu. Themine released 5.7 million cubic meters of acid,contaminating and silting the Sapangdaku Riverand causing fishkills.

April 26, 1999. Manila Mining Corp. Placer,Surigao del Norte. A concrete pipe connect-ed to the tailings pond gave in, burying 40

houses in mud. The mudslide af-fected 40 hectares, includ-

ing 20 hectaresof agricultural

land.November 6, 1997.

Philex Mining Corp.

Sibutad, Zamboangadel Norte. Mud and

huge rocksflowed towards

the tailings dam after heavy rains, causing flashfloods that destroyed nearby houses and ricefields.

March 24, 1996. Marcopper Mining Corp.

the national minorities are be-ing deprived of their land andlivelihoods and their culturemassively destroyed. Third, themines continue to pollute the

environment and destroy agri-culture and the people's othersources of livelihood.

Jalandoni pointed out thatthe rivers and streams in Claverhave been completely polluted,aside from its coastal areas. Thisprompted the Tribal Coalition ofMindanao and its supporters tofile a case with the SupremeCourt on May 30 against the

three mining companies pun-ished by the NPA as well as Ori-ental Synergy Mining Corp.,Shenzou Mining Group Corp. andMarcventures Mining Develop-ment Corp., all of them based inClaver. ~


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6



Ambush in Paquibato

Eight soldiers of the 69th IB were killed and an undeter-mined number of troops wounded when a team from the1st Pulang Bagani Company of the New People's Army

(NPA) ambushed them in Sitio Banban, Barangay Lumiad,Paquibato District, Davao City on September 19. The NPA usedseven command-detonated explosives against the soldiers be-

fore opening fire.To cover up their embarrassment at their huge losses in

the field, the 10th Infantry Division (AFP Eastern MindanaoCommand) resorted to boasting before the media that themilitary had confiscated several explosives from a big NPAcamp that had been overrun. The military showed a numberof undetonated explosives taken from the scene of battlealong with other explosives that had been seized long before.

The 10th ID, however, was unable to conceal their casual-ties from the masses. Residents saw with their own eyes howthe fallen soldiers were taken aboard two Huey helicopters

that could seat ten people. One of the helicopters landedtwice. After hauling away their casualties, the military con-ducted aerial bombing six times on the farmers' fields in SitioBanban. That evening, the road leading to the 69th IB's head-quarters in Barangay Dalisay, Panabo City was closed to traf-fic as the helicopters landed with the casualties. A funeralhearse came twice to pick up the soldiers' bodies. ~

NPA punishes Dolefor landgrabbing

Guerrillas from Front 19of the NortheasternMindanao Region meted

punishment on multinationalDole Philippines in the nightof September 25.

The Red fighters destroyedtwo backhoes, four dumptrucks, a warehouse and nurs-ery and hacked all the bananatrees in Dole's 20-hectare

plantation in Anahaw Daan,Tago, Surigao del Sur.

In a statement, Ka MariaMalaya, the spokesperson ofthe National Democratic Frontin the region explained thatthe objective of the punitiveaction was to drive out Dole

and did not have anything todo with the imposition of rev-olutionary taxes. She saidthat the economy does notderive any benefits from for-eign-owned plantations andthat the latter merely engagein landgrabbing.

Ka Maria also pointed outthat when farming was stillprevalent in the area, almost

all members of farming fami-lies were productive andearning income. Since Doleseized their lands, however,usually only one member ofeach family became employedon a seasonal basis in ex-change for low wages. ~

Marinduque Island. A tunnel con-nected to the tailings pond wasbreached, causing 1.6 million cu-bic meters of mine tailings (equiv-alent to 300,000 dump trucks) to

flow into the Boac and MogpogRivers and reach Calancan Bay.The heavy siltation caused thedeath of these rivers.

Up to 1,200 residents wereforced to evacuate. Five townswere inundated. Since a cleanup ofthe Boac River was begun in 2000,sacks of silt have been piled bythe riverside, filling up to 67,000

square meters. This is so far thebiggest mining disaster in Philip-pine history.

September 2, 1995. ManilaMining Corp. Placer, Surigao delNorte. The tailings pond founda-tion gave way, killing five peopleand contaminating the seacoast.

December 6, 1993. MarcopperMining Corp. Marinduque Island.The tailings pond walling broke,

causing its contents to flow to-wards the Mogpog River. Two chil-dren died from the ensuing floods,which also killed farm animals.Agricultural lands were contami-nated. Mogpog town and othercommunities downstream were in-undated.

October 7, 1986. LepantoConsolidated Mining Corp.

Mankayan, Benguet. The tailingspond broke after being filled be-yond its capacity. This pollutedthe Abra River, affecting ninetowns along its path, includingCervantes, Ilocos Sur. Cervantesresidents are deprived of an esti-mated 7.33 million kilos of riceannually because river pollutionhas resulted in the loss of irriga-tion water.

November 8, 1982. MaricalumMining Corp. Sipalay, Negros Occi-dental. A breach in the tailingspond submerged agricultural landsin 1.5 meter-high floodwaters. TheTao-angan River became heavilysilted. ~


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DRC troops. The soldiers werehit with a command-detonatedexplosive when they reachedBarangay Cadandanan in Bulantown. The explosive killed two

soldiers, wounded six others andwrecked their vehicle.

September 17. An NPA pla-toon used a CDX on attacking49th IB troops in Barangay Bog-tong, Barcelona town, killing a

soldier and wounding an-other trooper.

S e p -

t e m b e r

15. Red fighters

under the Arman-do CatapiaCommand

( N P A -C a -marines

N o r t e )a m -

bushed soldiers from the 92ndDRC in Barangay Malangkaw Ba-

sud, Labo. The soldiers had justcome from a military operationand were on the way back totheir camp when they were am-bushed by the Red fighters. Sixsoldiers were wounded.

September 3. Red fightersof the Nerissa San Juan Com-mand ambushed PNP troops inBarangay Mabini, Caramoran,Catanduanes, wounding P/Insp.

Rene Bea, deputy chief of theCaramoran Municipal PoliceStation, and four other police-men.

Not a single Red fighter waskilled or seriously wounded inthese firefights. Said NDF-Bicolspokesperson Ka Greg Baares,these show the NPA's determi-nation to raise its level of mil-itary preparedness, disciplineand capability, effective coor-dination and support amongguerrilla fronts in the region'svarious provinces and thedepth and breadth of masssupport enjoyed by the peo-ple's army. ~

NPA thwarts AFP offensivesin Bicol

The New People's Army (NPA) in Bicol continues to confrontand thwart the brutal military and civil-military operations ofthe 9th ID and the PNP.

Following are reports of tac-tical offensives in the Bicol re-gion not previously published in

Ang Bayan:September 23. Three police-

men were wounded when asquad of the Celso Minguez

Command (NPA-Sorsogon) raid-ed the PNP station in Barcelonatown before midnight.

September 21. A soldierwas killed and at least threeothers were wounded when theCelso Minguez Command thwart-ed offensive operations of the

93rd Division ReconnaissanceCompany and the 903rd Brigadein Barangay Bacalon, Magal-lanes town. The AFP operationwas conducted on the day themilitary declared a daylongceasefire in conjunction

with the United NationsInternational Day of Peace.

At 8:30 a.m., an-other NPA squad am-bushed a KM 450truck full of soldiersfrom the 49th IB sentto reinforce the 93rd

NPA metes blows on attacking

enemy forces in ICR

Red fighters overcame enemy attacks in two guerrillafronts in the Ilocos-Cordillera Region and inflicted sev-eral casualties on the AFP.

At least 20 soldiers were killed and eight others werewounded in gunbattles in Ilocos Sur and Ifugao in September.

In Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, 15 elements of the 50th IB werekilled in a series of firefights on September 23, 24 and 26.

In the first gunbattle in Barangay Remedios in the morn-ing of September 23, four soldiers were killed and six otherswere wounded. In Sitio Bulaga, Barangay Aluling, ten troop-ers were killed in the evening of September 24. And in SitioMaupong, Barangay Concepcion, an undetermined number ofmilitary forces were wounded. Two Red fighters under the Al-fredo Cesar Command were martyred.

The residents of Cervantes intensely hate the 50th IBwhich serves as the protector of Lepanto Consolidated MiningInc. In the first half of 2010, the 50th IB set up its camp inCervantes. But angry townsfolk expelled the battalion aftersoldiers raped and sexually molested some students of the Ilo-

cos Sur Trade School.Meanwhile, in Ifugao, five soldiers were killed and two

others were wounded when a unit under the None del RosarioCommand figured in an encounter with attacking militaryforces in Barangay Binablayan in Tinoc town on September12. A civilian working in his swidden farm was killed when thesoldiers opened fire. ~


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view of the Philippines as beinga key component of its tradestrategy in Asia. In a cable dat-ed August 27, 2007, former USambassador to the PhilippinesKristie Kenny reported that the USwas already highly capable of de-

fending American interests in theSulu and Sulawesi Seas, one ofthe key commercial routes in Asia.She attributed this to the contin-ued influx of US funds to AFPforces deployed to these areas.

Interference in internal af-

fairs. The cables also confirmedthe US' domination of reac-tionary politics in the country.In a telegram dated October 2,

2005, the US ordered the quickpassage of the Anti-Terror Billafter the bombing in Bali, In-donesia. There was strong publicclamor against the bill becauseit was merely going to be usedby the ruling clique to attackthe people's civil rights and sup-press its political enemies.

As expected, the US' puppets

scrambled to obey their master'sorders. Then Department of In-terior and Local Governmentsecretary Angelo Reyes immedi-ately said that there was clearand present danger of a terror-ist attack in the country. On theother hand, then Senate presi-dent Franklin Drilon obsequious-

ly assured thepassage of the

bill. Despitew i d e s p r e a do p p o s i t i o nfrom the people,

the bill wassigned into law

in 2005.

Wikileaks cables confirm USintervention in the Philippines

A

maze of issues has been revealed by close to 1,800 secret re-ports and messages from US embassies worldwide which were

among the confidential documents published by the onlinewhistleblower wikileaks.org. The following are just a few of the sig-nificant issues covered and disclosed in these reports.

Permanent military pres-

ence. Confidential US embassyreports paid particular attentionto ensuring the continued pres-ence of US military forces in thePhilippines. They specificallyemphasized the conduct of mer-

cy missions and livelihood proj-ects as measures to gain thepeople's sympathy and acquies-cence to American military pres-ence.

One of the things that theUS emphasized was the buildingof infrastructure that would pro-vide American troops and mili-tary equipment easy access tothe country. In a US embassy re-

port dated April 4, 2007, the UScalled the Philippines a focalpoint in its war against terror-ism. It invoked threats from theAbu Sayyaf and Jemaah Is-lamiyah bandit groups to justifythe preparation of infrastruc-ture in Jolo and Tawi-tawi for thelarge-scale deployment of Ameri-can troops in the future. Using

personnel from the US Agency forInternational Development andthe Joint Special Operations TaskForce-Philippines, the US pushedfor the improvement of airports,seaports and bridges in variousislands so that these could beused by US military forces, air-craft and seacraft.

The improvements includedthe expansion of the airports

in Jolo and Tawi-tawi. TheUS embassy in the Philip-pines requested $6 million(`270 million based onan exchange rate of`45:$1) for the extension ofthese airports' runways. Thegoal was to improve the capa-

bility of these airports to ac-commodate big aircraft such asthe Boeing 737 and the C-130.Funds would also be provided forthe construction of a bridge link-ing Tawi-tawi and the nearby is-land of Sanga-Sa-nga. The

bridge, which will be needed forthe rapid transport of local andAmerican troops between theseislands, will be worth $3 million.

Aside from infrastructure,funds have also been allottedfor the training of Filipinoguards of seaports and airportsin Zamboanga and Sulu. Specialfunds have also been providedto raise the capability of AFP

forces stationed in Sulu. Tomake their presence in these is-lands palatable, the US pouredin millions of dollars for socio-economic projects such as elec-trification and the constructionof water systems and schoolbuildings. The Joint Special Op-erations Task Force-Philippineswas given a major role in

these projects.The cables madementionof theU S '


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9

FASCIST STATE ON A RAMPAGE


The US has been relentlesslyintervening in the peace talksbetween the Government of thePhilippines and the National De-mocratic Front of the Philip-

pines. In a series of cables ex-changed between the US em-bassies in the Philippines andThe Netherlands, the US insistedthat Jose Maria Sison, the NDFPchief political consultant in thepeace talks must not be strickenoff the list of terrorists. (See theSeptember 7, 2011 issue ofAngBayan). In 2009, the US strong-ly opposed the European Union's

removal of Sison's name fromthe EU terrorist listing. The USeven insinuated that Sison bedeported to the Philippines evenif there was a clear threat to hislife and security. In February2010, the US called the Norwe-gian ambassador to a secretmeeting to ask for a briefing anddemand anew that Sison's name

be included in the terrorist list.Norway serves as the third-partyfacilitator in the peace talks.

US ambassadors to thePhilippines have brazenly beenissuing statements, summoningpuppet local officials, asking forbriefings and giving them direc-tives. Looking at several cablestackling various internal affairs,one is struck by the ambassa-

dors' highly apparent colonialarrogance and their low regardand contempt for their minionsin the reactionary government.

Even more contemptible arethe Philippine officials for kow-towing to US embassy directives.From former president Gloria Ar-royo to the Senate president andHouse speaker to legislators andeven police and military officers,these puppets, wthout excep-tion, scrambled to follow the US'orders. They also consulted theUS on almost every move madeby the reactionary statefromconfronting the revolutionarymovement to plans for imposingmartial law in 2005. ~

Hold the US accountablefor keeping nuclear armsin the Philippines

The US must be held accountable for its long history of ly-ing about stashing nuclear arms in the country.In a confidential document written in 1969, US diplomat

Robert McClintock reported to then US Secretary of State Hen-ry Kissinger that care must be taken to prevent the leakage ofinformation about US nuclear weapons being secretly held inthe Philippines. McClintock said no other official of the pup-pet government knew about this except Ferdinand E. Marcoswho was then running for his second term as the country'spresident. The nuclear weapons had been hidden in theirbases in the Philippines since 1966 as part of their militarystrategy in Southeast Asia.

McClintock's report was in response to a then ongoing in-

vestigation by a US Senate committee headed by Sen. StuartSymington on secret agreements entered into by the US gov-ernment without the permission or approval of the Senate orCongress. McClintock urged Symington's committee to keepthis information strictly confidential for fear that it would beleaked to the US public, and eventually, to the Philippines. Hewas concerned that Marcos' electoral campaign would be af-fected should it be made public that he knew about the pres-ence of nuclear weapons on Philippine soil. McClintock's pro-posal had Kissinger's approval.

Other documents revealed that the US stationed more than

13,000 nuclear arms in various parts of the globe, including thePhilippines, from 1950 to 1990. One particular memo specifiedClark Air Base as a launching pad for nuclear strikes, shouldthere be a military confrontation between China and the US.

The documents were made public after they lost their sta-tus of confidentiality. The US Freedom of Information Actstates that all confidential documents must be made availableto the public after 20 years. ~

September 29. Col. Lyn-don Paniza, 10th IDspokesperson, claimed thatDatu Lorenzo Pendio, baran-gay captain of Salapawan,Paquibato District, Davao City

Elderly civilian killedin Ifugao

An elderly civilian was killed by rampaging military troopsin Ifugao province. In the countryside of Ilocos Sur andDavao City, six civilians fell victim to illegal arrest. In the

cities of Panay, mass leaders are being subjected to constant ha-rassment. These are some of the more striking violations of hu-man rights gathered byAng Bayan since August.

and Datu Marcelo Gumatao,both leaders of the Ata-Manobotribe were abducted by the NewPeople's Army. The alleged ab-

Elderly...continued on page 10


10/14



duction is now being invoked bythe military and its minions todeclare apangayawor tribal waragainst civilians suspected ofsupporting the revolutionarymovement. Paniza also claimedthat the two tribal leaders wereCAFGU elements. In fact, Pendioand Gumatao are among themost vocal in opposing the set-ting up of military detachmentsin their areas. The two datus aretemporarily staying with rela-tives because they are being ha-

rassed by the military.September 27. Hope Hervil-

la who chairs the BagongAlyansang Makabayan in Panayreported receiving threateningphone calls and text messages.This was after the military andpolice claimed that NPA sparrowunits were in Iloilo City. Hervil-la said the threats are meantto intimidate them and

create conditions formore attacks against le-gal activists. She citedthe death threats re-ceived by Bayan Muna-Aklan chair Fernando Bal-domero before he wasgunned down in July2010.

September 24.

Troops of the 50th IB des-ecrated the remains of Ben-ny Boy Ka Likot Aguillar, a23-year old Red fighter killedin a firefight in Sitio Bulaga,Barangay Aluling, Cervantes,Ilocos Sur. His skull wascrushed, one of his eyes dangledout of its socket and his chestwas bashed in because the sol-diers riddled his body with bul-

lets and repeatedly hit it withtheir rifle butts. The militaryeven displayed his body beforeCervantes residents the follow-ing day in order to terrorizethem. The AFP also preventedrelatives from looking for the re-mains of Delfin Ka Dindo Gul-

layan, another guerrilla killed inthe firefight. It was five daysbefore they were able to retrievehis decomposing body.

September 23-26. Fivecivilians were arbitrarily arrest-ed by operating troops of the50th IB and accused of beingRed fighters. The victims areMatthew Sawey, Francis Teng-ngedan, Edward Galao, KidsolKeeg and Hilario Bantio. Galao,Keeg and Bantio are still in mil-itary custody.

September 21. A coconutwine maker from Sitio Carbon,

Barangay Lumiad, PaquibatoDistrict was illegally arrested.Gilbert Sibala, who is a nephewof a retired sergeant of the 69thIB was forced to sign a docu-ment stating that he was sur-rendering, with two soldiersstanding by as witnesses. Hispicture was also taken after hewas made to wear a camouflage

uniform and carry a rifle. The

soldiers then compelled thep o l i c eto filechargesagainstSibala,c i t ingt h ephoto-g r a p h

as evi-dence.

September 21. Madia-asEcological Movement chair Ma.Geobelyn Lopez received death

threats through a letter signedby an Alvin M. Salvador. Theletter sender accused her ofhaving links with the armed rev-olutionary movement and insin-uated that she could suffer thesame fate as Ma. Luisa Posa-Dominado and Nilo Arado, two

mass leaders who were abductedin April 2007 and have not beensurfaced to date. Lopez is lead-ing a widespread campaignagainst destructive mining op-erations in Panay and Guimarasislands.

September 20. The MMDASidewalk Clearing OperationsGroup demolished the picketline of workers of Philbles, Inc.in Barangay Paso de Blas, Ma-linta, Valenzuela City. Theworkers were only given a 15-minute leeway before twotrucks rammed the picket line.

Most of the workers at the sug-ar sack factory are women.They have been on strike forclose to a year and a half be-fore their picket line was torndown without any orders fromthe DOLE or any other govern-ment agency.

September 20. Forty-eightyear old Crisanto Fat, a politicaldetainee at the Negros Provin-

cial Jail since April 2009 died ofa heart ailment. Fat led theNaghiliusa nga mga Mangungu-ma sa Barangay Quintin Remowhen he was charged with ille-gal possession of firearms andexplosives. This was a year afterhe was diagnosed with a heartdisease. The Aquino regime ig-nored calls for Fat to be released

on humanitarian grounds.September 12. Soldiersconducting a military opera-tion killed Ama BahiwagPuguon, an elderly civilianfrom Ballococ, Liwon, Asipulo,Ifugao. Ama Bahiwag was inhis swidden farm in BarangayBinablayan in the neighboringtown of Tinoc when he wasshot by soldiers who took posi-

tion inside the houses of civil-ians. The troopers also de-stroyed the personal belong-ings of Bagnet residents InaElizabeth and Manong Josesuch as plates, boxes contain-ing clothes, and a guitar. Theyalso stole the couple's ATM

Elderly from page 9


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A cultural presentationby political detainees

Amulti-media production entitled Poldets: Panata saKalayaan ng mga Detenidong Pulitikal was presented

at the Lean Alejandro Hall (Vinzons Rooftop), University ofthe Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City on September 30.The presentation featured artistic works by current and for-mer political detainees like Ericson Acosta (poet, play-wright and composer), Axel Pinpin (poet), Bonifacio Ilagan(script writer and director) and Jess Santiago (singer andpoet).

Through visual art, political issues such as extrajudicial

killings, forced disappearances, demolitions, militarizationand other human rights violations in the country were tack-led. The presentation highlighted the plight of political de-tainees and their ode to freedom. Ericson Acosta narratedthe play from his prison cell in Samar.

Through a monologue, the experiences of former politi-cal prisoners were featured, particularly under martial law.For Judy Taguiwalo and Bonifacio Ilagan, art served as tes-timony of their experiences in prison and why they contin-ue to struggle for the freedom of political prisoners and the

country's liberation. Prison failed to stop their struggle. In-stead, it became a means for them to maintain their in-volvement in the national democratic movement. Their artgushed forth from a prison that many thought would si-lence their revolutionary aspirations.

Poldet which was directed by Donna Dacuno was col-lectively presented by UP Alay Sining, KARATULA, Sinag-bayan (Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan) and People'sChorale. ~

PAL workersfired; the fight

goes on

Amid thePhilippineA i r l i n e s

(PAL) workers'protest actionand despite anappeal filed be-fore the Su-

preme Court,Lucio Tan andthe other big

capitalist owners of PAL wentahead with their plans of termi-nating regular workers at thecheck-in, cargo, catering andramp sections on October 1 andhiring contractual workers fromagencies also owned by Tan.

PAL workers, their families

and supporters have beenlaunching a series of protest ac-tions for a week now. Theylaunched a work stoppage onSeptember 27 where they re-ported for work but did not per-form their functions. The workstoppage caused major distrup-tions in the company's opera-tions.

PAL's retaliation was swiftand brutal. It used policemenand security guards to bodily re-move the workers from their sta-tions and bring them out of theairport. All the workers who joined the protest action wereput on forced leave and even-tually fired. Malacaang alsothreatened to file criminalcharges against the protesting

workers.The PAL workers' struggle

gained broad support. The Kilu-sang Mayo Uno (KMU) immedi-ately expressed support. GarryMartinez of Migrante Interna-tional also called on migrant Fil-ipino workers to support the PALworkers by boycotting PAL

card for 4Ps and ManongJose's air gun and burnedwooden slabs being stored intheir house.

August-October. Forty-five

families lost their homes in aviolent demolition in Sitio Fa-tima, Barangay Don Bosco,Paraaque City on October 5.

Earlier, another violentdemolition took place onReparo Street, Barangay 161 inBaesa, Caloocan City on Sep-tember 20. The residentsfought back by throwing bot-tles and rocks at the demoli-tion team. Two hundred hous-es were destroyed in the6,200-square meter lot beingclaimed by a Simplicio Rivera.The police ignored pleas from

the residents to postpone thedemolition while they waitedfor the result of their petitionfor a temporary restraining or-der.

On September 6, hundredsof houses along Common-wealth Avenue, Quezon Citywere torn down to give way tothe Aquino regime's NationalCenter Eastside DevelopmentProject. Among the houses de-molished was that of the lateunion leader and AnakpawisRep. Crispin Ka Bel Beltran.

Meantime, up to 384 fami-lies lost their homes in San Pe-dro, Laguna on August 5. Thehouses were demolished to giveway to the Philippine NationalRailways Southrail project. ~


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Aquino regime should bracefor more protest actions

T

he US-Aquino regime will be facing more protest actionsbecause it continues to ignore the people's grievances

against the policies dictated by the International Mone-tary Fund and World Bank.

PALEA's yellow leadership

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) slammed the yellow leader-ship of the Philippine Airlines Employees' Association

(PALEA) for making a series of wrong decisions that proveddetrimental to the interests of PAL workers. The KMU said thatPALEA president Gerry Rivera and secretary-general Bong Pa-lad had long been betraying PAL's workers. Rivera and Paladare also officers of the reformist Partidong Manggagawa.

The KMU cited two instances when the PALEA leadershipdeliberately ignored the voices of its members who over-whelmingly favored a strike. In December 2010, up to 86% of

the PALEA membership voted in favor of a strike. By February2011, the strike vote was 95%. Instead of heeding its mem-bers' decision by gearing for a strike and leading them in thisstruggle, Rivera and Palad merely filed a case at the NationalLabor Relations Commission (NLRC) and appealed to Mala-caang.

As expected, Malacaang favored the capitalists and theNLRC dismissed the unfair labor practice case filed by PALEA.

It was also Rivera and Palad who agreed in 1999 to a ten-year moratorium on a Collective Bargaining Agreement withPAL which froze workers' wages and benefits but allowed Lu-

cio Tan to continue raking in huge profits.The KMU called on the workers to repudiate PALEA's lead-

ership and persevere in their struggle. Said KMU, with thesupport of the working class and the general public, it is thePAL workers' collective action that will prove decisive in thestruggle against mass layoffs, the contractualization schemeand union busting. ~

planes.The CPP also assailed the vi-

olent dispersal of the PAL work-ers' protest action on Septem-ber 27 and condemned Aquinofor threatening to punish thePAL workers who joined the

protest.The Church People-Workers'

Solidarity (CPWS) also ex-pressed its support for the PALworkers' struggle. CPWS is anewly formed network of churchpeople and workers' rights ad-vocates.

The KMU called on the pub-lic to support the PAL workers'struggle, saying it was also thestruggle of Filipino workers andthe Filipino people. The KMUadded that big capitalists likeLucio Tan have been using thecurrent crisis to justify the ter-mination of workers. ~

The CPP issued this decla-ration after a series of streetprotests in various parts ofthe country on September 19-23. The Party hailed the tensof thousands of people who joined march-rallies, picketsand other forms of protestagainst the Aquino govern-ment's antipeople and pro-im-perialist policies of liberaliza-tion and privatization.

The first protests werelaunched by the militant

Pinagkaisang Samahan ngmga Tsuper at Operators Na-tionwide (PISTON) whichheld a transport strike thatparalyzed 70% of publictransport nationwide onSeptember 19. This was fol-lowed by a series of protestactions by youth and stu-dents of state universitiesin different parts of thecountry that peaked on Sep-tember 23.

More than 10,000 stu-dents, teachers, employeesand administrators walkedout of their classrooms andoffices and marched in the

streets to condemn the lackof government support foreducation.

In Metro Manila, 5,000students from the Universityof the Philippines in Dili-man, Quezon City and PadreFaura, Manila marched to


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ILPS calls for stopto military baseconstructionon Jeju Island

International League of Peo-ples' Struggle chair Prof. JoseMa. Sison called for an immedi-ate stop to the construction of aUS military base in Gangjeong,Jeju Island in South Korea. Si-son said local residents arestrongly opposed to the basebecause it will put them inharm's way should conflict erupt

between the US and China. JejuIsland lies near North Korea andis a famous tourist area. Many ofits residents voted against theconstruction of the militarybase.

The locals fear the repeat ofa massacre that occurred in Je-ju Island on April 3, 1948 where80,000 civilians were killed be-cause of militarization. The peo-

ple's livelihood will also be de-stroyed because the US'weapons and other militaryequipment will damage the is-land's marine and other re-sources.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno(KMU) also warned against theexploitation of workers who willbe employed by the base. It

supports the struggle of theworkers and people who havepersevered in their struggle tostop the construction of thebase despite the dispersals oftheir protest actions, arrestsand intimidation. Constructionwork has been temporarily halt-ed since June when residentsand supporters blocked trucksbringing construction materials.

Both Sison and the KMUcalled on other countries to ex-press their solidarity and sup-port for the struggle of Jeju Is-land's residents in order tothwart any war of aggressionthe US may launch in the Asia-Pacific. ~

Mendiola Bridge which is on-ly a stone's throw away fromMalacaang. They werejoined by students from otherpublic schools in Manila andBulacan. The protest actionfeatured planking (lying

face down on the streets),cultural presentations andspeeches.

Thousands also launchedmass actions in the cities ofBaguio, Angeles, Davao,Tacloban, Iloilo and Malolos;in Los Baos, Laguna; in Bi-col; and in Bukidnonprovince. They assailed the

Aquino government's budgetfor 2012 which slashes allo-cations for education, healthand other social services.This will force state universi-ties and colleges as well aspublic hospitals to raise the

necessary funds by collectinghigher fees.

With the education sectorto suffer an estimated `24billion budget reduction, Ka-bataan Party Rep. RaymondPalatino has filed a bill call-ing for a `45.8 billion budg-etary allocation for educa-tion. ~

Wall Street protestsspreading

Aprotest camp called Occupy Wall Street has been goingon in New York City for three weeks now. Thousands ofAmericans are camping in parks and other places near Wall

Street where they hold discussions, debates and programs toprotest US government policies that favor big corporations anddisregard the rights and interests of ordinary Americans.

The protest actions have advanced a broad array of social

and economic issues. In partic-ular, they have stressed opposi-tion to government bailouts ofbanks and the housing mort-gage crisis in the US. The pro-testers brought placards sayingTax the rich and We wantmoney for health care, not cor-porate welfare. The rallyistshave been stayingat Zuccotiand Lib-erty Parks,recreationareas nearW a l l Street.

Wall Street is thefinancial center notonly of New York Citybut of the US. Onthis street can befound the New YorkStock Exchange(NYSE), which is the

biggest worldwide and is thehub of the biggest financespeculators in the US whichinclude the big corporationsthat went bankrupt and werebailed out by Barack Obama'sregime. The protesters have

suffered several police disper-sals but keep coming back.


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14 ANG BAYAN October 7 2011

Eighty activists were arrested onSeptember 24. Five activists wereinjured after being hit by pepperspray. Some 700 were arrested inBrooklyn, New York for protestingon related issues on October 1.

The mass actions on Wall

Street have gained support fromother organizations as well asmovie stars and politicians.

Among the groups that have joined the protests are theTransport Workers Union ofAmerica, New York Union, AirLine Pilots Association (ALPA),Bagong Alyansang Makabayanand GABRIELA-USA and the In-

ternational League of PeoplesStruggle. On October 5, the 14biggest unions in the US an-

nounced plans to join theprotest camp.

Similar protest actions werealso held in 52 US cities, amongthem San Francisco, Boston andChicago. There are also plans tooccupy stock markets and banks

in the capital cities of Canada,the United Kingdom, Germany,Finland and Japan. ~

Protests continue in Greece

Protest actions by workers andstudents in Greece have been

going on unabated against anew round of austerity measureson social services planned bythe government. The latest is a20% reduction in the pensionsgiven to those aged 55 yearsand older and a 40% cut forthose aged 55 years andyounger. Thirty thousand gov-ernment employees will also beput on reserve status for 12

months (the equivalent of ter-

mination) and suffer a 40% cutin their salaries for a number ofyears. A property tax will alsobe imposed and collectedthrough payments for electricityand other services.

Transport workers launched adaylong strike on September 22,causing bus, taxi and train op-erations in Athens to screech toa halt. Airport operations werealso paralyzed for a number ofhours when employees launched

a work stoppage. Teachers

walked out of their classroomswhile employees of financial of-fices and hospitals also protest-ed.

Students and pensioners ral-lied at the parliament building inAthens. On September 29, actorsand artists protested by tearingup their emergency tax notices.

On October 5, ship and airtravel schedules were cancelledin a daylong strike that was al-so joined by hospital and gov-

ernment employees. ~

ang bayan october 7, 2011

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