Philippines: Lumads to AFP, NPA: Leave us alone (tags)
MANILA, Philippines — A group claiming to represent 33 lumad (indigenous people) tribes in Mindanao on Friday urged the military and the rebel group New People's Army (NPA) to stop dragging them into their conflict and to respect their human rights and ancestral domain.
NDF-GPH CEASEFIRE ENDS, NDF COMMENDS NPA DISCIPLINE (tags)
The Pesante Buletin based in Los Angeles reported today that the NDFP in Mindanao salutes and congratulates all commands and units of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao and the rest of the country for its display of a high sense of political maturity, responsibility and military discipline during the mutually-declared seven-day ceasefire between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH). Jorge Madlos, NDF-Mindanao spokesperson commended the NPA units in Southern Mindanao, in an act of goodwill and for humanitarian reasons, have released three prisoners-of-war (POWs) on separate occasions during the same period, further creating a more favourable atmosphere and bolster confidence for the peace negotiations and the entire peace process.
NDF-MINDANAO CALLS ON ALL REVOLUTIONARY FORCES TO FRUSTRATE OBL COMPLETELY (tags)
The PESANTE BULETIN gathered today that NDF -Mindanao spokeman Jorge madlos said that "the extension of the Arroyo regime’s brutal nine-year anti-insurgency campaign Oplan Bantay Laya exposes Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s real “peace” plan. Aquino's plan the NDF says is to step up military offensives against the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - daydreaming of inducing revolutionary forces to capitulate and to impose its demands on the peace talks consistent with the US Counter Insurgency (COIN) strategy." The NDF also said that He (Aquino III) appears to be in a hurry to please his US imperialist masters, especially in laying the ground for the entry and the increase in profitability of mining companies and foreign-owned plantations such as Xtrata in South Cotabato and Dole Phils. in Surigao del Sur and Compostela Valley, and a host of other foreign monopoly capitalist investments. The NDF Mindanao also said that AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David Jr., in his declaration of a new counter-insurgency plan by Jan 1, 2011, bragged that the new strategy would focus on the respect for human rights, admitting in effect that nine years of OBL were replete with human rights violations.
Philippine Army chief sees ‘meltdown’ NPA by June (tags)
The EPCC NEWS today learned that the military on Monday said it has been well on track to defeating the communist insurgency within 2010, with the string of successes against the New People's Army across the country, causing the "meltdown" of rebel forces. According to the EPCC, in a speech to the army camp in Davao province in Mindanao, Army Lt. General Delfin Bangit, Philippine Army chief, said the military has been able to deal significant blows against the NPA, trimming down Asia's longest-running Maoist insurgency "into smaller formations." Bangit was in Davao del Norte Monday to personally thank and reward soldiers for "back-to-back victories" against the NPA in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces in a week.
Arroyo's Plan to Consolidate Power (tags)
We condemn the US-Arroyo regime's devious declaration to dismantle "private armies" in the country when in truth this only aims to strengthen loyal private armies which it can benefit from and to dismantle those of the opposition's, thus consolidating its hold on power and giving itself greater leverage in the coming national elections. The most notorious of private armies in Mindanao are those which delivered, through terrorism, the much needed votes in the last two national elections, which won Arroyo a six-year term. The biggest of which is that of the Ampatuan warlord.
PRAYER RALLY TO REMEMBER RANO MASSACRE IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)
THE infamous but almost forgotten Rano massacre in Digos City will mark its 20th year on June 25.
BAKBAKAN NG AFP AT MILF, TUMITINDI (tags)
Tumitindi ang bakbakan ng MILF laban sa AFP ganoon din ang iba’t ibang pwersang military tulad ng NPA na lumalaban sa rehimeng US-Arroyo. Ayon sa mga balitaan na nakuha ng PESANTE NEWS, mahigit 15 tropa ng AFP ang napatay at mahigit 38 ang nasugatan sa matinding labanan sa probinsya ng Maguindanao ng maglaban ang mga tropa ng MILF sa ilalim nila Commander Umbra Kato at Bravo laban sa 10th Army division.
Karahasang Militar Lumalala: Lider ng KMP, inaresto; pastor, pinatay ng militar (tags)
Kabilang sa mga karumal-dumal na krimen ng rehimeng Arroyo nitong nakaraang mga linggo ang pagpaslang sa isang pastor ng UCCP sa Leyte at pagpatay sa isang aktibista sa Bohol. Sa kanayunan ng Tagum, nagpapatuloy ang sapilitang paglikas ng mga residente dahil sa matitinding operasyong sa kanilang mga lugar. Sa Maynila, mahigit 80,000 residente ang mawawalan ng tirahan dahil sa proyektong riles. Sa Negros, inaresto ang isang lider ng KMP, at sa Palawan, dalawang pinaghihinalaang myembro ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB) ang dinukot ng militar. Isa ring lider-masa sa Cebu ang dinukotat dalawang araw na itinago ng militar bago siya makatakas.
IPAGTANGGOL ANG MGA KARAPATANG PANTAO AT MANINDIGAN PARA SA KAPAYAPAAN (tags)
Matinding kinokondena ng Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) ang mabangis na todo-gyera ng rehimeng US-Arroyo laban sa mga mamayang Pilipino sa halos lahat ng dako ng Pilipinas. Ayon sa mga tala mula sa Pilipinas na sinusubaybayan ng AJLPP, lubos na nakababahala para sa alyansang ito na nakabase sa Estados Unidos at sa mga organisasyong pangkarapatang pantao, simbahan at iba pang grupong internasyunalista sa Amerika, ang lalo pang bumabangis na pagsalakay ng rehimeng US-Arroyo sa masang Pilipino sa pagpasok ng 2007. Muli, nanawagan ang AJLPP sa komunidad Pilipino Amerikano sa Estados Unidos at iba pang nasyunalidad na tumulong sa pakikibaka ng sambayanang Pilipino para sa kapayapaan at pambansang dignidad. Dapat nilang pagibayuhin ang pagkilos para sa kapayapaan at karapatang pantao. Makakaasang mananatiling kaisa ng mamamayang Pilipino ng AJLPP para sa pagkilos tungo sa kapayapaan, pambansang kalayaan at katubusang panlipunan.
BUONG SIGASIG NA LABANAN ANG MGA PAGLABAG SA KARAPATANG PANTAO (tags)
Matinding kinokondena ng Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) ang tumitinding mabangis na todo-gyera ng Rehimeng US-Arroyo laban sa mga mamayang Pilipino sa halos lahat ng dako ng Pilipinas. Muli, nanawagan ang AJLPP sa komunidad Pilipino Amerikano sa Estados Unidos at iba pang nasyunalidad na lalo pang paginayuihin ang kanilang pagtulong sa pakikibaka ng sambayanang Pilipino para sa kapayapaan at pambansang dignidad. Makakaasang mananatiling kaisa ng mamamayang Pilipino ng AJLPP para sa pagkilos tungo sa kapayapaan, pambansang kalayaan at katubusang panlipunan.
AJLPP-USA Denounced Indiscriminate AFP aerial bombing in Davao Del Norte, Mindanao (tags)
The Alliance for A Just and Lasting Peace (AJLPP) vehemently condemened the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for indiscriminately dropping bombs at Barangay Manay in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, damaging homes and banana fields and endangering the lives of residents who had to evacuate to safer grounds.
Esperon, other officials say Davao prison warned of NPA raid (tags)
Officers of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte had been warned of a possible assault by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, Armed forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and other security officials disclosed yesterday. This came after media sources reported that an NPA band led by Mindanao Regional Guerrilla Unit-Pulang Bagani Command commander Leonardo Pitao ransacked the armory of the penal farm and took over 100 guns in a pre-dawn raid on Easter Sunday. The guerrillas carted away 50 M-16 and carbine rifles, 46 shotguns and seven pistols from the prison armory after disarming four guards, police said. They did not attempt to free any of the about 4,000 convicted criminals detained in the prison complex during the 20-minute raid that was staged without a shot being fired, police said, adding there were no injuries.
An Appeal to Philippine President Arroyo (tags)
Stop agrarian violence and killing of farmers! Implement agrarian reform in contentious landholdings!
NPA GUERILLAS STRIKE AGAIN IN MINDANAO (tags)
Undetermined number of heavily armed New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked an Army detachment in Barangay Camanza, Asuncion, Davao del Norte, sketchy reports reaching the area command and operation center of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday.
Anti-Cha-cha protests mark Independence Day (tags)
AJLPP reprinted the news on the mass actions in Manila and the rest of the Philippines against Charter Change and the escalating human rights violations and attacks against personages and members of the people's organizations and party-list leaders and members in the Philippines. Several thousands of protesters joined the protests against Charter change, June 12. In Manila, about 10,000 protesters participated in an Inter-Faith prayer rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio. Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and its allied organizations marched from two assembly points – Welcome Rotunda and Quirino avenue corner Taft avenue --toward the Liwasang Bonifacio, 4 pm. Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., National Artist for Literature Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Senator Jamby Madrigal, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, Manila Vice Mayor Danny Lacuña were among the personalities who attended the rites.
Philippines: Agrarian violence claims more lives under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Regime (tags)
Agrarian violence claimed two more lives this month. A leader of Task Force Mapalad (TFM), Rico Adeva, 39, was gunned down by three men as he and his wife Nenita were walking to their home in Barangay Dos Hermanas, Silay City, Negros Occidental on Black Saturday. He suffered seven bullet wounds – in the head, stomach, chest, and hand. Meanwhile, in Davao, the Secretary General of the National Coordination of Autonomous Local Rural People’s Organizations (UNORKA), Eric Cabanit, was assassinated by two masked men while he was in a public market in Panabo last April 24, 2006. His daughter, who was with him when the shooting happened, was also wounded and is still in critical condition.