Media Release

Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP)

August 13, 2010

Los Angeles

AFP Launches the biggest military offensive in the Philippines

Los Angeles- "When they (the reactionaries) speak of peace, they wage war."

The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) based in the United States expressed its utmost concern about the intention of the newly installed US-Aquino Regime as the AFP launched its biggest general offensive in Mindanao.

The AJLPP learned that Jorge Madlos of the NDF-Mindanao said; " All the four divisions under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) based in Mindanao are currently conducting massive and widespread military operations against the revolutionary forces in all the five NPA regions in the whole island, particularly more intense in the Southern Mindanao Region."

This fact came as the Moro National Liberation Front (MILF) served notice to the Aquino Regime that is ready for war. The MILF believes its only a matter of time when the AFP military operations will also be trained on them.

AFP Biggest General offensive

The AFP general offensive began prior and during the inauguration of Noynoy Aquino, and continued before, during and after Noynoy Aquino's SONA, and still escalating almost without let-up and without rest of troops in between operations.

The AJLPP believes this is the biggest AFP military offensive in the recent history of Philippines and in Mindanao and it dwarfed the AFP offensives in Northern Luzon of three AFP/PNP divisions from 1987-1992 and the US-Estrada regime's offensive against the MILF in 2000.

This even bigger than the US offensive in the Philippines during the Second World War against the Japanese forces from 1944-45. The US only used three divisions during the war.

The AJLPP is greatly alarmed by the fact that most recently, almost 30 of the more than 40 AFP battalions together with para-military units in Mindanao are simultaneously scouring suspected NPA guerilla bases and zones, seeking encounters with NPA forces in all the 5 NPA regions in the island..

Peace Talks While Waging War

The US- Aquino regime, on the one hand, offers talks of peace, but on the other, it is unleashing its mercenary AFP against the revolutionary forces without even waiting to see the results of its SONA rhetorical peace overtures.

This proves that that the Aquino regime is not serious in addressing the roots of the armed conflict. He is no better than all of his predecessors including his mother, Cory, who have shown some token interest for peace talks then by releasing political prisoners, and temporarily suspending offensive military operations.

By letting loose the AFP immediately even before formally assuming office, and letting his running dog-General Ricardo David of the AFP to launched an offensive he could yet be the most rabid warmonger GRP president, second only to the dictator Marcos"

The NDF reported that the AFP are employing 105mm Howitzer cannons, reconnaissance and bomber planes. As expected, instead of hitting NPA units, it is the Lumad and peasant communities that are terrorized by these AFP offensives, committing human rights violations and causing dislocation to the population.

True Colors

The AJLPP said that with these military operations raging in Mindanao and probably across the archipelago, the Aquino administration has reared its ugly head; it has unruffled its feathers to show its true fascist character.

The US-Aquino regime proposes for an indefinite ceasefire as a pre-condition for the peace talks, an issue which has long been resolved under previous signed GRP-NDFP peace agreements.

With regard to the MILF peace negotiations, we cannot be led to believe that the GRP under Mr. Aquino is sincere enough in respecting the right to self-determination of the Moro people now that it has allowed to continue US economic interest and military intervention in the country, particularly in Mindanao.

The AJLPP is confident that the Filipino people will not be deceived by this despicable dual character of Mr. Aquino, where he plays the meek and mild hero on one side and the sinister fascist on the other, with the latter gradually becoming more obvious.

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The AJLPP is hopeful that revolutionary forces in Mindanao and the whole country will frustrate the current general offensive as they have frustrated the 9 years brutal OBL of the US-Arroyo regime and the "counter-insurgency" campaigns of all the previous regimes.

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