NDFP-EASTERN VISAYAS CONDEMNS TAN WARLORD DYNASTY AND THE FASCIST AFP (tags)
The EPCC NEWS learned today that the National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today slammed the Tan political dynasty for using Western Samar’s possible recall elections to push militarization and warlordism. The EPCC NEWS quoted NDF -East Visayas leader Fr. Salas :“We condemn the maneuver from the Tan dynasty through the provincial office of the Commission on Elections in asking for the deployment of the military and police to oversee the signature verification for the recall elections.
THE ECONOMIC-POLITICAL SITUATION OF THE CORDILLERAS (tags)
A YEAR after the US-Aquino2 regime took power, the miserable situation in the Ilocos-Cordillera region mirrors the dismal state of the nation. From the impoverished tobacco and palay farmers in the Ilocos provinces to the indigenous people plowing hybrid corn fields, vegetable gardens and rice terraces in the Cordillera, the empty promises of the Aquino regime are reflected in the continuing violations and betrayal of the people?s right to land, livelihood and resources. The real boss of the Aquino administration turns out to be not the Filipino people, but US Imperialism as it furiously expands its economic interests as well as large scale corporate mines and geothermal and hydroelectric power projects in Northern Luzon and rams down the nation?s throat its Oplan Bayanihan (OPB), the so-called internal peace and security plan. It is these that exacerbate and continue to heighten the national oppression that reached ethnocidal proportion being suffered by indigenous people of the Cordillera and the Filipino people in general. Indeed, Aquino?s Daang Matuwid turns out to be no different from the substandard Halsema Highway with its erosions and slides, close-open status and serving mainly foreign interests in extracting super profits from the region?s resources. Oplan Bayanihan: Furthering the National Oppression of the Indigenous People Despite it?s deceptive psy-war features, Oplan Bayanihan (OPB) is fast showing up it?s true vicious character compared to its failed predecessor, Oplan Bantay Laya 1 & 2 of the unheralded and despicable US-Arroyo regime. The 5th IDPA and the NOLCOM of the AFP have overzealously applied its age-old imperialist master?s tactics of ?divide and rule? by exploiting indigenous social, economic and political systems in its counter-insurgency operations. They target not only combatants but more so innocent civilians including minors and the elderly. Coining nice sounding contraption to hide the harshness and vileness of Oplan Bayanihan does not succeed in erasing the notoriety of the AFP as armed units of the ruling class. Changing its notorious ?Reengineered Special Operations Teams? to ?Peace and Development Operations Teams?does not do the desired trick. It succeeds though in sowing intrigues and beclouding clear provisions of peace pact pagta where armed units (AFP/PNP and/or NPA) are not covered. Operating troops continue to quarter in schools, day-care centers, barangay halls and clinics, private homes and other public and sacred places contrary to clear provisions of CARHRIHL and Protocols of the Geneva Conventions. In many cases, families are broken up as a result of soldiers? womanizing. Young female students are also vulnerable to abuses especially where detachments are near schools. In one case, the whole tribesmen of a young lass have to be mobilized to demand accountability of the soldier?s tribes mate when a married soldier impregnated a young first year college student. Also drunken soldiers always spark troubles with youngsters even at the flimsiest of reasons.
NPA TO UNDERTAKE STEPS TO PREVENT CIVILIAN CASULATIES-NDF (tags)
THE PESANTE BULETIN based in the United States today reported that the National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas said today that the New People’s Army is undertaking steps to prevent civilian casualties over concerns of such occurring last Dec. 8 and Dec. 14 in Northern Samar. The PB reported that “In upholding the people’s war as just, correct and principled, it is important for the NPA to ensure the observance of the rights of civilians,” said Fr. Santiago Salas, NDF-EV spokesperson. "This demonstrates the NPA’s firm unity with the people and differentiates it from the enemy, which is carrying out an unjust and unpincipled counterrevolutionary war backed by US imperialism. It is the people, not arms alone, who are decisive in war — contrary to the casual acceptance of so-called “collateral damage” as well as the willful targetting of civilians by the Armed Forces of the Philippines."
By continuing Oplan Bantay Laya, Aquino shows he is no different from Arroyo (tags)
The PESANTE BULETIN based in Los Angeles gathered that the National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today assailed the announcement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on extending its Oplan Bantay Laya campaign until January 2011 as proving that Benigno Aquino III is no different from his predecessor. From the news sources in the Philippines, PESANTE BULETIN also learned that While the world commemorates International Humanitarian Law Month today, the AFP will be continuing its campaign that has led to many killings of social activists and other civilians," said NDF-EV spokesperson Fr. Santiago Salas.
Military supremacy leading to human rights violations in Eastern Visayas (tags)
PESANTE NEWS learned today that the the National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas charged the 8th Infantry Division today of pushing its Oplan Bantay Laya campaign by intimidating the public and dominating the civilian government in the region. "The military is intimidating the public by coming out with an order of battle or liquidation list, and then going into schools and communities to conduct witch hunts and commit other human rights violations," said NDF-EV spokesperson Fr. Santiago Salas.
Walang kinang ang mga medalya ni Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sodusta sa araw ng kanyang pagretiro (tags)
Tuluyan nang gumuho ang hibang na pangarap ni Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sodusta na durugin o kahit pahinain man lamang ang rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa Bikol nang magretiro ito bilang kumander ng 9th Infantry Division - Philippine Army nitong Abril 8, 2009. Tulad ng maraming nagretirong upisyal ng AFP at PNP na masugid na nagpatupad ng malupit na kontra-rebolusyonaryong programa ng National Internal Security Plan (NISP) at Oplan Bantay Laya 1 at 2, ginamit lamang na palamuti sa rekord ni Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sodusta ang umano'y mga tagumpay ng 9th ID-PA laban sa rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa Bikol. Bigong-bigo ang 9th ID-PA sa pamumuno ni Maj. Gen. Sodusta na madurog kahit isang larangan o yunit ng BHB sa rehiyon, mapadapa ang baseng masa ng kilusan, at mawasak ang ligal at progresibong kilusan ng mamamayan sa kalunsuran. Sa pagpapatupad nito ng Oplan Bantay Laya 2 sa pamamagitan ng Joint Task Force Bicol (JTFB), mga inosenteng sibilyan at mga ligal na aktibista ang nabiktima ng malupit at pasistang paraan ng extra-hudisyal na pamamaslang, pagdukot at pagkawala, tortyur at iba pang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mamamayan. Isang indikasyon ng kabiguang pigilan ang patuloy na pagsulong ng armadong pakikibaka sa rehiyon ang pagkakandarapa ng 9th ID-PA na magbuo ng isa pang brigadang pangkombat at ilang kumpanya ng CAFGU at pagsandal sa kinasasabikang ayudang militar ng tropang US upang palakasin ang kontra-rebolusyonaryong digma laban sa CPP-NPA-NDF sa rehiyon.
So-called US humanitarian mission in Samar a guise for military intervention (tags)
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines-Eastern Visayas expressed today that the Pacific Friendship 2008 ending this June – a "humanitarian mission" by the US Navy in Samar – is but a guise for foreign military intervention and tramples on national sovereignty. "Because it is confronted by people's resistance worldwide and thus fighting on so many fronts, the US currently relies on psychological warfare operations and selected deployments of its special operations forces," said Fr. Santiago Salas, NDFP-EV spokesperson. "The principal fighting forces of the US are currently bogged down trying to quell the anti-occupation resistance movements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thus in other countries like the Philippines where it has strategic interests, the US has in recent years resorted to feigned humanitarian missions such as the recent one in Samar, and the Balikatan war exercises where US special operations forces train their counterparts in the puppet Philippine military."
Ibayong lumalawak at lumalakas ang NDF (tags)
Lipos ang kagalakan ng mga rebolusyonaryong magsasaka, manggagawa, kabataan, kababaihan, maralitang komunidad, propesyunal, taong simbahan at mga kadre at kasapi ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan at Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas sa anibersaryo ngayon ng pagkakatatag ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines. Umabot na sa 34 taon ang malawak na nagkakaisang prente ng mamamayang lumalaban sa imperyalismo, pyudalismo at burukrata kapitalismo. Ang pagdiriwang na ito ay sa gitna ng sinungaling na pagmamalaki ng reaksyunaryong rehimeng Arroyo na tagumpay nitong napapahina o nadudurog ang rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa ilalim ng kontra-mamamayang Oplan Bantay Laya. Sa kabila ng sustenidong pagtutugis, panunupil at mala-ararong pag-ooperasyon at pagbabakod ng AFP, higit pang tumatag at humusay ang kalagayan ng buong rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa rehiyon.
OPLAN Mercury Rising in motion (tags)
At the rate the newspapers and TV newscasts are exposing real evidence of electoral fraud since 29 May 2007, Bantay Boto ng Bayan cannot help but feel vindicated for exposing Oplan Mercury Rising. The numerous dagdag-bawas reports accurately quoting, by the hundred thousands of vote leads for Team Unity candidates in the 13th to the 16th slots, give due credence to the Oplan. The provinces where the calumny occurred are the same provinces mentioned in the Oplan. The named Comelec officials are the same persons identified in the Oplan. 1. The delay of the Comelec en banc as the National Board of Canvassers in tallying the provincial COCs and more specifically the canvassing slowdown, particularly in the Oplan Mercury Rising provinces are indicators that this major Oplan strategy is being implemented. It has deferred canvassing in Maguindanao, Sulu, Caloocan City, Taguig-Pateros, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato for varied reasons, including allegations of massive cheating, yet no charges and complaints were filed against any Comelec and public official involve We are sending a very strong message on the eventual and probable loss of Honasan, Trillanes and Pimentel, as clearly being shown by the current events. We know that the rule of law will ultimately reign. Concerned Comelec officials must now choose whether they prefer the law of the jungle instead. Bantay Boto ng Bayan is making this statement after due consultation with the convenors of the uniformed active and retired member organizations and with the explicit support from their allied civil society groups.
Bayan Muna leader Killed in Sorsogon, Bicol Region, Philippines (tags)
Another BAYAN MUNA activist was killed yesterday morning—the third in Sorsogon province in the Bicol Region, Southern Luzon in two weeks—and the manner of his death was particularly brutal. Francisco Bantog, provincial chair of the militant party-list group Bayan Muna in Sorsogon, was shot 20 times by yet unidentified men in Barangay Dancalan in Donsol town, news sources in Bicol reported.
AFP's new "holistic counter-insurgency plan" will victimize more ordinary and in (tags)
The revolutionary forces in the Philippines thorugh their spokesperson issued a statement today that the new oplan- BANTAY LAYA II "will be more vicious in their effort to catch the fish by totally draining the water."