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ANGPahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas

Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo

In the face of the intensified brutality of Duterte's total war in thecountryside, the peasant masses with their revolutionary forcesmust unleash a widespread land reform movement as an impor-

tant backbone of the people's all-out resistance against the rampagingfascist regime.

Employing absolute powers,Duterte has imposed a reign of ter-ror across the country. Over the pastmonths, he has set loose hordes ofmilitary and police troops to laysiege on entire communities, ransackhomes and commit abominable ter-rorist atrocities. They target villageswhere peasants are actively fightingfor their rights. The attacks havebeen extra vicious in Negros andSamar provinces, as well as in Bukid-non and Misamis Oriental.

More than 20 rural village lead-ers have been hunted down andmurdered in cold blood since De-cember. Residents are arbitrarilyaccused of being members or sup-porters of the New People's Army,rounded up and falsely presented as"surrenderees." Men are conscriptedto join paramilitaries and forced torender labor to set up military de-tachments.

The ruthlessness with which

Unleash wide-scaleland reform and smashDuterte's brutal warin the countryside

EDITORIAL NPA ambushes PNP

in Mt. Province

"NPA...," continued on page 3"Unleash..," continued on page 2

THE NEW PEOPLE'S Army (NPA)-Mt. Province ambushed operatingtroopers of the Philippine Na-tional Police (PNP) who at-tempted to sabotage the cele-bration of the 50th anniversaryof the NPA on March 29.

The Red fighters fired uponthe operatives at around 9 a.m.in Mt. Gonggong-o in the town ofBauko. An operative was slainwhile another was wounded. OnMarch 31, the NPA unit also firedat operating PNP and AFP troop-ers tailing a unit which launchedan offensive in Mt. Makilakilat,Tadian.

In a related news, the NPA-Panay mounted six harassmentoperations. These include theharassment against a CAFGU Ac-tive Auxiliary detachment inBarangay Osorio I, San Remegio,Antique on March 15 and 19;against CAFGU forces on March

Engl ish Edition

Vol L No. 7

Apri l 7, 2019

www.phi l ippinerevolution. info

April 7 , 2019 ANG BAYAN2

Vol . L No. 7 | Apri l 7, 2019

ContentsANG

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Editorial: Unleash extensive land reformand smash Duterte's brutal war in thecountryside 1NPA ambushes PNP in Mt. Province 1NPA50: People's war, until victory 4Cagayan, Capiz farmers gain victories 52 NDFP consultants arrested 5Youth group oppose Mandatory ROTC 5Raise rice, onion, copra farmgate prices! 6Marawi residents rally against TFBM 614 farmers killed under SEMPO 78 more peasants killed 8Repression vs. peasants and IPs 9AFP besieges 12 Bukidnon communities 10PNP arrests union leader 10300 evacuate in Samar 10Water "crisis" 11Attacks on offices and a mission 11Drought funds 12US military presence 13Resist Oplan Samadhan 13

Duterte conducts his war aims toweaken the people's will to resistand make them surrender to histyranny. His attacks are bound tobecome more depraved as he is setto rig the upcoming the elections andaccelerate preparations to establisha naked fascist dictatorial rule.

We must smash Duterte's brutalwar and frustrate his aim of crushingthe people's resistance to his tyran-nical regime and scheme to establisha fascist dictatorship. He and his ac-complices must be made accountableand punished for their innumerablecrimes against the people. We mustexpose the lies and illusions beingpeddled by Duterte and his militaryand police officers and expose alltheir barbarities.

To defeat Duterte's total waragainst the people, it is crucial thatthe people in the countryside rise upin large numbers and wage both eco-nomic and political struggles. Theirantifeudal, as well as anti-imperialisteconomic struggles are inextricablylinked with, are at the base of, and

provide the impetus to their antifas-cist political struggles to defendtheir democratic rights. We mustpay attention to the economic diffi-culties of the peasant masses andaddress their well-being in order tostir their revolutionary fervor to re-sist Duterte's brutal war.

It is important to arouse andmobilize the peasant masses in largenumbers to carry out widespreadmass campaigns to reduce rent andinterest, raise wages, ensure fairprices of farm produce and increaseproduction through basic forms ofcooperation. These are the keycomponents of the Party's minimumprogram for land reform. The maxi-mum program for land distributioncan be carried out in revolutionarybase areas where it can be adminis-tered and defended.

These land reform campaignsdemonstrate in plain terms the dif-ference between the fascist regimeand the revolutionary movement,between those forces which oppressand burden the peasant masses andthose who seek raise their standards

of living and an end to their oppres-sion.

These mass campaigns thor-oughly expose the fakery of Duterte's"land reform" and his policy of wide-spread land-use conversion andlandgrabbing in favor of big landlordsand big mining and plantation com-panies. These also expose the band-aid and deceptive nature of the reac-tionary regime’s welfare measuressuch as the conditional-cash transferprogram (4Ps), the PaMaNa and theKalahi-CIDSS which offer cosmeticprojects that merely conceal thegrave social and economic diseasesafflicting the people.

These campaigns must be car-ried out alongside other campaignsto demand a stop to the liberaliza-tion of agricultural imports thatbears down on rural production andincome, to clamor for state subsidyand debt relief amid drought condi-tions, to demand a return of thecoco levy fund, to resist the entry ofmegadams, airports and other de-structive infrastructure projects, toresist land reclamation in coastalareas, to oppose plantations andmining operations, to demand re-spect for ancestral lands and othercampaigns to uphold the rights andwelfare of the peasant masses andminority peoples.

Over the next few months, wemust carry out these campaignsmore fervently. Party cadres at var-ious levels of leadership must be as-signed to ensure that tasks in wag-ing mass struggles are carried out.We must better our past efforts andaim to bring peasant struggles tolevels higher than before.

To carry out these mass cam-paigns, we must help the peasantmasses organize themselves intorevolutionary peasant associationsor strengthen existing ones. Thesemust be built at the village, intervil-lage, municipal and district levels toraise the capability of the peasantmasses to organize and coordinatetheir actions and gather the great-est possible collective strength. To

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"Unleash.," continued on page 3

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ANG BAYAN April 7 , 2019 3

help raise production, peasant asso-ciations can build mutual-aid teamsor work collectives as well as otherforms of production cooperation.Funds can be collected, raised or al-loted to help boost production.

We must see to it that thesecampaigns are successfully carriedout. This should be measured in pal-pable terms, where the peasantmasses enjoy the benefits of higherincome, greater supply of food andbetter living conditions attainedthrough collective struggle. Theremust be accompanying campaignsfor literacy and numeracy, publichealth, cultural advancement andother campaigns to address peas-ants’ urgent concerns.

In waging these campaigns, thepeasant masses are galvanized toresist the fascist campaign of sup-pression being mounted by the reac-tionary armed forces in connivancewith local despots and warlords.They are stirred to defend theirrights to assert their demand forland reform and better economicconditions. They become more mili-tant in defending their democraticrights and further encouraged towholeheartedly take part in thearmed struggle and provide it withboundless support.

A powerful peasant antifascistmovement must arise across thecountry, as part of the broad unitedfront against Duterte's tyranny. Itmust vigorously defend democraticrights and resist Duterte's all-outwar of suppression in the country-side. There must be concerted effortand coordination, between the peas-ants in one village and another, inone province and another, within aregion and across the country.Without these, Duterte will continueto have the temerity to commit onefascist act after another. Every vil-lage being attacked by the fascistsmust be defended by all. Every fas-cist atrocity must be exposed andcondemned by all. Every fascist actand its perpetrators must be madeto answer for their crimes.

In waging antifeudal and an-tifascist struggles, the peasantmasses are harnessing power fromtheir organized strength. Peasantassociations, together with other ru-ral mass organizations of youth,women, children and cultural ac-tivists serve as foundations forbuilding barrio revolutionary com-mittees which are basic units of thepeople's democratic government.These serve to wage agrarian revo-lution as well as to take part inarmed struggle. From among the

peasant associations arise self-de-fense units which help enforce poli-cies and ordinances enacted by thelocal revolutionary committees.Units of the people's militias arebuilt as local units of the NPA tocarry out mass guerrilla warfare towage widespread armed resistanceagainst the rampaging fascist troopsof the enemy.

While helping the peasantmasses wage mass struggles, theNPA must boldly intensify guerrillawarfare and deliver bigger and morefrequent blows against the enemy. Itmust target the worst of the fascistmurderers to punish them for theircrimes and puncture their over-weening arrogance. The NPA mustcontinually seize tactical initiative.It must apply the tactics of disper-sal, shifting and counter-encir-clement and concentration to frus-trate enemy offensives. It mustcarry-out well-planned tactical of-fensives to wipe out isolated andvulnerable units of the enemy andtake away their weapons.

By waging widespread peasantmass struggles and advancing thearmed revolution, the people andtheir revolutionary forces will surelysurmount and defeat Duterte's bru-tal war and his scheme for a fascistdictatorship.

19; against a CAA detachment in Barangay Igcococ, Si-balom and Barangay Tubudan, San Remegio in the sameprovince on March 24; and against PNP operatives inBarangay Boloc, Tubungan, Iloilo on March 30.

In Eastern Samar, the PNP station in Barangay Pob-lacion, Motiong, Samar was harassed by the NPA onMarch 11. A detachment of 87th IB in Barangay Can-a-ponte, San Jose de Buan was also attacked. A police op-erative was killed while two others were wounded.

Three armed actions were also launched by theNPA-Northern Negros. These include a harassmentagainst the 12th IB-CAFGU in Sitio Pulupangyan,Barangay Bug-ang, Toboso on March 19 and against anAFP unit operating in Sitio Fuentes, Mabini, EscalanteCity on March 21.

The NPA also disarmed elements of the RPA/SCAA inSitio Mayana, Barangay Bago, Don Salvador Benedictoon March 21. Five pistols and ammunition were seized

during the attack.The NPA-North Central Mindanao also launched

seven armed actions from March 2 to April 5. Amongthese is the harassment against the 58th IB in the townsof Salay, Claveria and Lagonglong, Misamis Orientalwherein five soldiers were slain while another waswounded. The NPA also harassed operating troopers ofthe 23rd IB in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte and of 8th IBin Impasug-ong, Bukidnon wherein one soldier was killed.

On March 15, seven 8th IB troopers were woundedduring a demolition operation launched by the NPA inNew Tubigon, Barangay Busdi, Malaybalay City. On thesame day, the NPA ambushed another unit of the 8th IBin Sitio Magawa, Barangay Bulonay, Impagsug-ongwherein one soldier was killed.

The NPA twice paralyzed the operations of DavaoAgriventure Corporation in Bukidnon on March 10 andApril 15. A shotgun and ammunition were confiscatedfrom the company.

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"NPA...," from page 1


NPA50: People's war, until victory

The Central Committee extended its most militant greetings to all Redcommanders and fighters on the 50th founding anniversary of the New

People's Army.

In its statement, the CPP ac-knowledged the victories of the NPAin the past five decades of wagingarmed struggle. The Central Com-mittee paid tribute to all the heroesand martyrs who offered their livesfor the revolutionary cause. It alsoaknowledged the contribution ofveteran Red fighters who servedand continue to support the armedstruggle.

Simultaneously, various regionalNPA units and underground massorganizations also issued state-ments in honor of the celebrationand to put forward the call to fur-ther advance the people's war.

Ka Ariel Montero of NPA-North-eastern Mindanao Region, in hisstatement, highlighted the victoriesachieved by the NPA in the region inthe past year. It launched morethan 200 armed actions wherein 27high-powered firearms were seized.

Meanwhile, the NPA-North Cen-tral Mindanao Region was able toconduct 120 armed actions wherein124 and 93 AFP elements werekilled and wounded, respectively. KaNorcen Mangubat of the Re-gional Party Committee inNCMR said that thepeople's armedstruggle will never bedefeated and will con-tinue to overcome anyfocused sustained opera-tion of the AFP.

The Regional PartyCommittee in Negrosslammed AFP's braggingof the arrest of Fr.Frank Fernandez andCleofe Lagtapon. Ne-grosanons and the Filipino peoplehate the AFP all the more for this, itsaid.

It also pledged to uphold justicefor the victims of the regime's fas-

cists attacks in the island, includingthe massacre victims in Sagay andthose victimized by its OplanSauron/SEMPO.

The Regional Party Committeein Panay reported that the AFP suf-fered no less than 50 casualties lastyear. Red fighters in the region werechallenged to overcome their weak-nesses to further advance the peo-ple's war.

The NPA-Eastern Visayas con-demned the reactionary regime forperpetrating relentless attacks andbrutal killings in the region. No lessthan 15 victims of political killingsand thousands of forced evacuationdue to militarization were recordedin Samar and Leyte.

The Regional Party Committeein Southern Tagalog callled on thepeople to struggle to overthrow theUS-Duterte regime ans defy its fas-cist and tyrannical scheme.

Ka Cleo del Mundo offered aRed salute to all NPA commandersand fighters for launching armed

actions that shookthe Southern

Luzon Com-mand of theAFP and thelocal rulingclass in 2018.The Red

fighters wereable to confiscate high-powered firearms, destroyarmaments of the 85th IBand deal blows against the

enemy last year.The Regional Party

Committee in Cagayan Valleystated that the people's army

continues to enjoy the support ofthe masses as its struggles arefounded on the national and demo-cratic aspirations of the people.

It further stated that the NPA is

already operating in around 500barrios in 60 towns in 6 provincesacross Cagayan Valley. In the pasttwo years, the Red fighters wereable to conduct 52 tactical offen-sives wherein high-powered rifles,pistols and other armaments wereseized. Its mass base is also con-tinuously expanding.

According to Ka Filiw ofCordillera People's DemocracticFront, the revolutionary movementplays a significant role in advancingthe national minorities' right toself-determination and the overalldemocratic cause.

The people will forever treasurethe NPA for mounting campaignsanti-social activities in their com-munities, for helping resolve inter-tribal conflicts peacefully, and forpunishing plunderous and destruc-tive mining companies operating inthe region.

In solidarity with the celebra-tion of the golden anniversary, theNDF-Metro Manila held a lightningrally last March 25. The KabataangMakabayan in Ilocos and Panay andthe Liga ng Agham para sa Bayanalso mounted series of discussions,slogan-painting and postering in thewhole month of March.

Meanwhile, the Christians forNational Liberation-Northern Luzon,Kabataang-Makabayan-SouthernTagalog and the Communist Party ofthe French State also issued soli-darity statements to the NPA. Acelebration was also held at the of-fice of the NDFP in Amsterdam, theNetherlands on March 31.


Farmers from Cagayan and Capiz gain victories

FARMERS FROM MAAYON, Capiz gained victories from a dialogue with eightfinanciers (merchant-usurers) last March 26. Around 250 Maayon farmersparticipated in the dialogue which was organized by the Kahublagan sang mgaMangunguma kag Mamumugon sa Uma sa Capiz (Kammaca), a provincialchapter of Pamanggas-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

Among the most notable victo-ries of the farmers is the reductionof monthly loan interest rates from6-8% to 5%. Simultaneously, thefarmers demanded that financiersbuy their products at prices set intown centers. As some financiersdid not sign agreement, the farmersdemanded that another round oftalks be held. Local governmentelection candidates witnessed thedialogue and vowed to help thefarmers as much as they could.

The farmers first held a dia-logue on October 2018 to demand

the reduction of monthly loan in-terest rates to 3% within fourmonths, the cancellation of loan in-terests during calamities, and thesetting of prices of their productsbased on prices in town centers.

Meanwhile, farmers from Ca-gayan were able to demand that loaninterests be written-off duringcalamities, after 800 farmers fromBaggao and nearby towns of Gatta-ran, Amulong, Alcala and Sto. Niñoheld a dialogue with seven financierslast March 15 in San Jose, Baggao.The dialogue was organized by the

Youth group oppose

Mandatory ROTC

PROGRESSIVE YOUTH ORGANIZATIONSmounted successive protests condemningthe brutal killing of Willie Amihoy, a ReserveOfficers Training Corps (ROTC) cadet in theIloilo State College of Fisheries. The pro-testers said that ROTC reinforces bullyingand violence among students.

Various youth groups in UP Cebu andKabataan Partylist-Panay also conductedprotests on March 12 and 13, respec-tively, to condemn the killing. In MetroManila, students from University of theEast, Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila,and Far Eastern University (FEU) staged acandle-lighting ceremony in front of thelatter to oppose the proposal to imple-ment mandatory ROTC. Similar protestactions were also launched in other uni-versities across Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, various student organi-zations in UP Los Baños, Laguna con-demned the Armed Forces of the Philip-pines for conducting a forum whereinlegal and progressive youth organizationswere tagged as communist fronts. A sim-ilar forum was conducted by the AFP inUP Tacloban on March 10, wherein thePulso han Mag-aaram student alliancewas likewise Red-tagged.

Baggao Farmers Association (BFA).The agreement stipulates that

financiers will not collect interestpayments if crops are damaged by50% or more due to a calamity. TheBFA presented a comparative anal-ysis of the farmers' costs of produc-tion and their profits, showing theirlosses even during fair weather.

Despite this, the coverage of theagreement was not agreed upon bythe farmers and financiers. Thefarmers demanded that it shouldcover September 2018 as this waswhen Typhoon Ompong severly hitBaggao. The financiers insisted theagreement would cover only futurecalamities. Msgr. Gerry Perez actedas intermediator in the dialogue whilemembers of the Sangguniang Bayanof Baggao served as observers.

State forces arrest 2 NDF consultants

TWO CONSULTANTS of the Na-tional Democratic Front of thePhilippines (NDFP) and threeothers were successively ar-rrested by the US-Duterteregime last March.

In a joint operation, ele-ments of the 202nd IBde and thePhilippine National Police (PNP)arrested Fr. Frank Fernandez,71, NDF-Negros spokesperson,his wife Cleofe Lagtapon, 66 andGeann Perez, 20 last March 25in Liliw, Laguna.

The three were charged withfabricated cases of illegal posse-sion of firearms and explosives ontop of murder charges againstFernandez and Lagtapon. Fer-nandez is suffering from severeheart and lung ailments whileLagtapon has leukemia, the rea-son for their stay in the area.

Meanwhile, Renante Gama-ra, another NDF consultant, andhis companion, Fr. Arturo JosephBalagat, were arrested in Imus,Cavite last March 20. They werebrought to Camp General Panta-leon Garcia in Imus, Cavite then

transfered to Camp BagondDiwa in Taguig City after severaldays. They were charged withillegal possesion of firearms.Last March 23, the courtdropped the charges againstthem.

The NDFP negotiating panelwas not surprised with RodrigoDuterte's cancellation of ap-pointments of the GRP negotiat-ing panel headed by SilvestreBello III last March 18. Dutertehas since unilaterally ended thepeace negotiations with NDFPwhen it released Proclamation360 last November 23, 2018.

According to Jose Maria Si-son, Duterte showed no interestin the negotiations and insteadoutrightly used the armed con-flict as a pretext to justify mar-tial law in Mindanao, and rail-road the charter change torealize his ambition to become afascist dictator.

Seven NDFP consultantshave already been illegaly ar-rested, six of whom are still indetention.


Raise rice, onion and copra farmgate prices!

FARMGATE PRICES of palay, onion and other local agricultural productscontinued to decline during the first quarter of 2019. This is due to theunimpeded importation of these products under trade liberalization.

Local palay prices were atP14/kilo in March, down from moreor less P20/kilo last year. This is adirect consequence of the newly-enacted law on the liberalization ofrice importation.

This will further impoverishfarmers as local production costs(including seeds and pesticides), aswell as land rent, remain high.Their plight will be further aggra-vated by the drought which is al-ready devastating many rice-pro-ducing provinces.

In Nueva Ecija, the top onion-producing province, farmers’ pro-duce are bought at P12-P15/kiloonly. According to farmers, pro-duction costs reach up to P130,000per hectare. To profit, they need tosell their yield at P30/kilo at least,or double the current price. Morethan 21,000 farmers grow onionson about 11,500 hectares of landin the area.

Meanwhile, in a dialogue withofficials of the Philippine CoconutAuthority (PCA) last March 4,peasants from Southern Tagalogdemanded that copra and coconutprices be raised, as well as wages

of farm workers in coconut plan-tations. According to coconutfarmers, the PCA should set copraprices at P50/kilo at the barriolevel in the CALABARZON area,which is equal to copra prices inthe region’s town centers such asLucena City. They insisted thatprices of whole coconuts be raisedto P12/piece and farm wages toP300/day or for every 1,000 piecesof harvested coconut. They alsodemanded food aid for peasantsmost affected by low copra prices.

This year, copra prices in theregion are at P12/kilo only or 66%lower compared to P38/kilo in 2017.Whole coconuts are bought at P3.60to P4.70 per piece. Farm workers incoconut plantations earn P4-P7/day.There are around 20 million coconutfarmers in the entire country.

In a related news, farmersprotested in front of the Departmentof Agrarian Reform in Quezon Citylast March 21 to denounce expan-sion of plantations in the country.Instead of addressing the farmers’need to increase production, thegovernment is selling agriculturallands to foreign companies.

Marawi residents rally

against TFBM

NEARLY A THOUSAND Marawiresidents marched and staged arally at the Provincial CapitolGymnasium on March 20 to con-demn the two-year delayed imple-mentation of the city rehabilitationprogram by Task Force BangonMarawi (TFBM). The action wasmounted in conjunction with theconduct of a dialogue between theTFBM and the residents.

They lambasted TFBM's inac-tion and challenged its chair, Edu-ardo del Rosario, to resign for fail-ing to address the residents' plight.The residents demanded that theybe consulted and their demand toreturn to city be acted upon.

To hinder residents from re-turning, the TFBM claims thatthere are still unexploded bombs inthe most affected area (MAA).

Hafsah Bint Amer Hassan, aMarawi resident, expressed hisanger against TFBM. He said thattwo years have passed but theTFBM is yet to finish listing andcategorizing residents. The reha-bilitation of Boracay was priori-tized more than that of their com-munity, he added. The residentsalso complained against the illegaldemolition of remaining houses inthe MAA after the siege.

PROTEST VS. CYBER-ATTACKS. Vari-ous alternative media groups, digitalrights activists and their supportersmarked the World Day Against Cyber-Censorship last March 12 with a protestaction in front of the Department ofInformation and CommunicationsTechnology.

The protesters condemned theagency's inaction over the demand ofthe groups to address the attacks ontheir websites, and said that that thispushes them to believe that the offen-sives are sanctioned by the regime. Mil-lions of pesos are spent on funding thesimultaneous attacks to take down orblock the said websites. Alternative me-dia groups already filed a case againstthe company behind the attacks.

PROTEST VS. OIL PRICEHIKES. Valenzuela City resi-dents participated in a protestaction spearheaded by DefendJob Philippines in front of theShell gasoline station in Gen-eral T. De Leon on March 19.The group criticized the suc-cessive oil price increases inthe past seven weeks whichhave resulted in higher pricesof basic commodities and fur-ther impoverish the people.Amid this and the droughtcurrently experienced acrossthe country, the regime wascompelled to admit that priceswill further increase in thecoming months.

PROTESTS VS. ILLEGAL TER-MINATION. In Laguna, membersof the Kaisahan ng mga Mangga-gawang Iligal na Tinanggal saCabuyao staged a picket protestlast March 17 to culminate their2nd congress. Along with theSouthern Tagalog Labor Vote Al-liance, they called on the peopleto vote wisely this coming elec-tion.

Meanwhile, over 100 workersof Holcim Philippines Inc., DavaoPlant protested on March 4 afterthey were laid off by their con-tractor Fort Steel Cargo Integra-tors Inc. despite the issuance of aregularization by the Departmentof Labor and Employment.


Youth group oppose

Mandatory ROTC

PROGRESSIVE YOUTH ORGANIZATIONSmounted successive protests condemningthe brutal killing of Willie Amihoy, a ReserveOfficers Training Corps (ROTC) cadet in theIloilo State College of Fisheries. The pro-testers said that ROTC reinforces bullyingand violence among students.

Various youth groups in UP Cebu andKabataan Partylist-Panay also conductedprotests on March 12 and 13, respec-tively, to condemn the killing. In MetroManila, students from University of theEast, Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila,and Far Eastern University (FEU) staged acandle-lighting ceremony in front of thelatter to oppose the proposal to imple-ment mandatory ROTC. Similar protestactions were also launched in other uni-versities across Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, various student organi-zations in UP Los Baños, Laguna con-demned the Armed Forces of the Philip-pines for conducting a forum whereinlegal and progressive youth organizationswere tagged as communist fronts. A sim-ilar forum was conducted by the AFP inUP Tacloban on March 10, wherein thePulso han Mag-aaram student alliancewas likewise Red-tagged.

The scourge of SEMPO in Negros

State forces kill 14 farmers within a daykill.

Although the PNP is at theforefront of SEMPO, it abides bythe command of the Armed Forcesof the Philippines Central Com-mand (AFP Centcom). The Cent-com is currently headed by Lt. Gen.Noel Clement, a notorious rabidfollower of Jovito Palparan.

In preparation for SEMPO, themilitary and police campaigned forfake surrenders in July-August2018. The massacre in Sagay andthe killing of the victims' lawyerwere carried out in October. Fol-lowing this, two enemy battalionspursued the farmers who con-ducted collective farming in Sagay.The repositioning of troops in Ne-gros Oriental was also completedin November 2018.

The AFP used "peace and de-velopment" operations in barriosto map out houses of suspectedsupporters or families of Redfighters, as well as members of le-gal peasant organizations taggedas "communist fronts." The list ofthose to be arrested and killed wasbased on these data.

The first wave ofSEMPO was carriedout in Guihulngan Cityon December 27,2018. Simultaneousoperations were con-ducted in Mabinay andSanta Catalina. Onthat day, five farmerswere killed in Guihul-ngan City and morethan 20 were illegallyarrested in the saidtowns. This numberballooned to sevenkilled and 57 illegallyarrested when opera-tions continued untilthe second week of

Police and military forces successively killed 14 farmers just within a fewhours on March 30 in Negros Oriental. The victims add to the seven

farmers killed from December 2018 to January under the campaign of sup-pression dubbed as SEMPO. Starting from 1 a.m., the latest killings were per-petrated in Canlaon City and the towns of Sta. Catalina ang Manjuyod. Eightwere killed in Canlaon City, four in Manjuyod and two in Sta. Catalina.

Leonora, wife of victim IsmaelAvelino, recounted that they wereroused from their sleep at around2:30 a.m. when at least six armedmen with faces covered barged intotheir house. Leonora and her twoyoung children were dragged out-side, while Ismael was left insidewith both hands raised. Afterwards,gunshots from inside the house wereheard, as well as from their neigh-bor where Ismael's elder brotherEdgardo was simultaneously killed.

Ismael and Edgardo were bothmembers of Hugpong Kusog Mag-uuma sa Canlaon-Kilusang Mag-bubukid ng Pilipinas, which was be-ing headed by the elder Avelino.

In Franklin Lariosa's case, thepolice surrounded his house ataround 5 a.m. and presented asearch warrant for an M16 rifle. Lar-iosa was brought outside his house,where his wife andfamily waited forhim. When Lariosadenied that he washiding a rifle, thepolice shot himthrice. The culpritsalso stopped Lar-iosa's mother whorushed to his aid.

Following thebloody operations,the Philippine Na-tional Police (PNP)bragged about itsSynchronized En-hanced Managementof Police Operations(SEMPO). Thosekilled were pre-

sented as partisan operatives andsupporters of the New People'sArmy (NPA). Aside from them,around 12 other civilians were ar-rested in the said operations andwere charged with trumped-upcases. The PNP presented plantedfirearms and explosives as evidence.

The SEMPO (also called OplanSauron) is the Duterte regime'scurrent fascist scheme in its attackagainst the people of Negros island.Among its salient features are the"shock and awe" tactics and syn-chronized besieging of targetedbarangays; utilizing municipal of-fices to put up checkpoints and filecharges against those arrested;premeditated killings and arrests;continuous issuance of arrest andsearch warrants, including signedblank warrants for whoever the po-lice and military wish to arrest or

"SEMPO..," continued on page 8


7 more peasants killed

In other parts of the country, the US-Duterte regime continues to wageall-out attacks against peasants. In March alone, seven were killed by

state elements.

Soliders of the 48th IB mur-dered Larry Suganob, leader ofPINAGBUKLOD, an affiliate orga-nization of Kilusang Magbubukidng Pilipinas (KMP), last March 18at Barangay San Isidro, San Josedel Monte, Bulacan. Suganob wasactive in the farmers’ local strug-gle against landgrabbing of theAyalas and the Central Bank ofthe Philippines. Members of the48th IB were operating in thearea during the murder.

In Davao del Norte, a Lumadstudent was shot-dead in Sitio Mi-lyon, Barangay Sto. Niño, Talai-ngod last March 15. A drunk ele-ment of the Citizen Armed ForceGeographical Unit(CAFGU) indis-criminately firedshots in thecommunityshooting JeromePangadas on thehead, resulting inhis immediatedeath. Ac-cording toreports,Balentin ran amokafter residents of Sitio Milyon re-fused to join the CAFGU. Pan-gadas, aged 15 years old, was astudent of Salugpongan Ta ‘TanuIgkanogon Community LearningCenter. Another resident waswounded during the incident.

Similarly, a peasant fromBongabong, Oriental Minrodo waskilled by the 203rd IBde and PNP-MIMAROPA. The military made itappear that Roland Sibulan died inan encounter between the AFPand NPA last March 2 even if hewas actually arrested in a check-point and tortured on March 1.

His grandchild was also held atgunpoint. Sibulan has left the NPAfor more than a decade already.

Last March 5, Sibulan'snephew, Onad was also arrestedat the same checkpoint, torturedand threatened to be killed bysoliders. He was released after sixhours of mental and physical tor-ture. His cousin was able to fleeand escape the torture.

Soldiers of the 71st IB shotthree young civilians last March28 in Sitio Mangurayan, BarangayAnitapan, Mabini, CompostelaValley. Franklin Tirol, his cousin,Zaldy Tirol and another were justlooking for frogs and hunting in

the forest, with nothingbut flashlights and

improvised gunswhen they wereattacked.Franklin andZaldy immedi-ately died whiletheir cousin wasseverely wound-

ed and illegaly ar-rested. The 71st IB

claimed that the victimswere members of the NPA,

and armed with military equip-ment and an improvised explosivedevice. They also made it appearthat a soldier was wounded in theincident.

Last March 30, Uming Caliho,a peasant-leader from Sitio Kali-bunlibunan, Barangay Pinagturi-lan, Sta. Cruz, Occidental Mindorowas murdered.

Meanwhile, in Samar, JamesViñas, 75, a former leader of Peo-ple Surge was shot dead in front ofhis home in Borongan City lastMarch 12 at 7 p.m.

January and spread out to the townsof Canlaon, Moises Padilla, Isabelaand La Castellana. (Read more detailsin Ang Bayan, January 7 and February21, 2019.) Up to 3,000 personnelwere employed by the AFP and PNPfor this operation.

In accordance with the "whole-of-nation approach" of Duterte'scampaign of suppression, the AFPCentcom utilize courts in issuingwarrants and filing of charges. UnderSEMPO's first wave, all 119 searchwarrants were signed by Judge So-liver Peras of the Regional TrialCourt 7 in Cebu.

The AFP likewise made use oflocal government facilities in trans-porting soldiers and policemen, de-spite concealing the operation fromlocal government units. Even thegovernor of Negros Oriental deniedthat he was informed of the latestSEMPO operations.

The SEMPO resulted in theforcible evacuation of residents, de-struction of their crops and theft oftheir cash and properties by operat-ing troops of the military and police.Because of this, landlords in the is-land were emboldened to create andbeef up their private armies andgoons.

The AFP and PNP's brutality wasmet with widespread condemnationfrom mass organizations of peas-ants, the religious, media and evenagencies of the reactionary govern-ment. In Iloilo City, a protest againstthe AFP and PNP's bloody operationswas mounted by Bayan andAnakpawis in front of Camp Delgadoon April 1.

COASTAL CLEAN-UP. Environmen-tal groups including Nilad and EarthIsland Institute Philippines, alongwith PAMALAKAYA and BasecoPeople's Alliance, conducted acoastal-clean up drive in Baseco,Manila last March 18. They opposedthe pro-foreign and pro-capitalistManila Bay Reclamation Project.

"SEMPO...," from page 7


Repression against peasants and minorities

Three peasants were illegally arrested in Barangay Mulangan, Igbaras,Iloilo last March 18. The three were identified as Roberto Elamparo, 50,

Ruperto Enar, 51 and Ramon Enar, 49. The AFP claimed that an encounterensued near the area and accused the three as members of the NPA.

In Iloilo, three Tumandok mi-norities were also illegally arrestedin Alimodias, Miag-ao by elementsof the 61st IB last March 24 andwere accused of being NPA mem-bers. They were identified asRolando Mediana, his son RolandoJr., and Freddie Nabua. They werearrested after an encounter oc-cured between the AFP and NPA inSitio Baruk at 4 a.m. on the sameday. Ramonito Sabug, the barangaycaptain, was able to take custody ofthe three after asserting that theyare residents of the said barangay.

In Aurora, the AFP has not yetsurfaced Diodicto Miñoza, a peas-ant-leader and coconut farmerfrom Barangay Ditumabo, San Luis.Miñoza protested against theplanned construction of hy-dropower dams in the communitiesof San Luis and Gabaldon in NuevaEcija. He was last contacted by hiswife on March 22. Residents wentto his hut the next day only to findit ransacked. They also saw printsof combat shoes in the vicinity.Soldiers of the 91st IB are cur-rently operating in the barangay.

In Agusan del Norte, elementsof the PNP and 23rd IB surroundedand then raided the residence ofDeliza Camanian in Crazer, Aklan,Nasipit last March 8. Deliza'sdaughter, Glenn Ann, was woundeddue to the violent entry of the sol-diers and police.

On the same day, the 23rd IBput up a tarpaulin in Afga, Bue-navista, Agusan del Norte whereinfaces of those accused as NPAmembers were posted. The follow-ing day, Fredo Dabidi, LoretoMapoy, Arnel Toledo and othercivilian residents of Barangay

Lower Olave, Buenavista weresummoned and interogated by thesoliders. The victims were detainedin the military camp.

The 23rd IB claimed that anencounter between the AFP andNPA took place in Afga that sameafternoon. Soldiers indiscriminatelyfired at ten houses in the commu-nity.

In Palawan, agents of the Pro-vincial Mining Regulatory Boardevicted peasants from their farm-lands at Sitio Sta. Cruz, BarangayDecalachao, Coron last March 30.This is to pave way for the expan-sion of the Busuanga Airport lo-cated at the 40,000-hectare YuloKing Ranch.

Red-tagging by elements of the17th IB, PNP and the local govern-ment of Cagayan against Anakpawisand peasant organizations continueunabated. Last March 13, three in-dividuals, claiming to be represen-tatives of Anakpawis, were paradedas "surrenderees" in a dialoguewith the military, policeand local government.Early on, Anakpawisexpelled the three af-ter using the organi-zation to ex-tort moneyfrom thepeasants.

Elementsof the 80th IBaboard three6x6 militarytrucks weredeployed inBarangayMagsaysay, Infanta,Quezon. Minority leadersand members of Dumagat

Sierra Madre-TK were threatenedand harassed by the soldiers. Dueto extreme nervousness, PonceAdornado, a Dumagat minorty,died. The Dumagats are opposingthe construction of the Kaliwa-Kanan Laiban Dam that will cer-tainly destroy their communities.

For the first time, the reac-tionary state used the Human Se-curity Act to convict Lumad leaderDatu Jomorito Goaynon as a "ter-rorist," in a hearing last March 11in Misamis Oriental. Goaynon, aleader of Lumad organizationKalumbay, was illegally arrested,along with peasant leader IreneoUdarbe, at a checkpoint mountedby the 65th IB last January 28.

Last March 20, Gabriela mem-ber Mae Tugot was illegally ar-rested and detained at the detach-ment of 1st Special ForcesBattalion in Mampayag, ManoloFortich, Bukidnon. She was ar-rested by the military in Maca-balan, Cagayan de Oro City.


300 families evacuate in SamarMORE THAN 300 families or 1,409 individuals evacuated from Hagbay, Can-aponte, San Nicolas and San Pedro in San Jose de Buan, Samar on March 17-25due to the three-month long operation of the 87th IB in their communities.Among the evacuees are 424 children, 66 elderly individuals and 11 pregnantwomen.

Last March 25, soldiers and agents of the Department of Interior and LocalGovernment (DILG) coerced the residents to attend a "peace rally" and bepresented as "surrenderees." The residents, however, refused and insteadprotested to demand the immediate pull-out of military troops from their com-munities.

After the protest, elements of the 87th IB looked for Jade Cinco, represen-tative of People's Surge-Western Samar.

Meanwhile, 21 days after the homecoming of 1,607 Lumad evacuees inBarangay Diatagon, Lianga, 28 families from Sitio Decoy and Panukmoan wereagain compelled to evacuate to Km. 9 due to the shelling, aerial bombardmentand strafing by the military in their communities. The bombings were perpe-trated by the 401st IBde last March 31 a day after an encounter between theAFP and NPA ensued in a nearby community.

Diatagon residents evacuated last July 2018 due to intense military opera-tions in the area.

AFP lays siege on 12 Bukidnon communities

FIVE BATTALIONS of the Armed Foces of the Philippines (AFP) are currentlyconducting focused operations in 12 communities situated in the boundaries ofCabanglasan and San Fernando, Bukidnon since January this year. No less than1,400 soldiers from the 60th IB, 56th IB, 57th IB, 58th IB, 88th IB, ScoutRangers and Division Reconnaissance Company are currently operating in thearea. Early on, the said communities have been bombed, shelled and strafedsince the last quarter of 2018.

Among those covered by the fo-cused operations is Sitio Tapayanon,an remote community with morethan 400 residents.

In a desperate attempt to quellthe struggle of Lumads inTapayanon, the AFP paraded resi-dents and minority leaders as com-munist surrenderees last March. The60th IB now utilizes the communityas a showcase of a "successful" E-CLIP implementation.

In 2016, the AFP has closeddown the Lumad school run by theRural Missionaries of the Philip-pines (RMP) in Tapayanon. This isthe biggest Lumad school in Bukid-non which had more than a hun-dred students in literacy and nu-meracy.

Since 2017, residents been op-posing two major road projects in thearea—the Laak-San Fernando andMactan-Miaray roads—as these willencroach on their ancestral commu-nities.

In truth, the community is beinghamletted by the military. Residents'mobility and the entry of food andother supplies are restricted, andthey were prevented from tendingtheir farms. Their leaders are alsosubjected harassment and are barredfrom coordinating their situationoutside the community.

As a result, more than 150 fami-lies from adjacent commmunitieswere compelled to evacuate andcamp out in Malaybalay City sincethe 2nd week of March.

PNP arrests

union leader

POLICE FORCES illegally ar-rested Eugene Garcia,chairperson of the workersunion in Pioneer Flat GlassManufacturing, in Pasig Citylast March 20. He wascharged with a fabricatedcase of illegal possesion offirearms. Upon presenting asearch warrant, the policesearched through and thenplanted a .45 caliber pistolin his residence. Last 2016,44 workers, including unionleaders, were illegally dis-missed by the company whileCBA negotiations were stillongoing.

Last March 30, threesoldiers arrested Zandro Es-teban, a Sumifru worker andmember of NAMSUFA-NAFLU-KMU, in BarangaySan Jose, Compostela andwas brought to a militarycamp in New Bataan, Com-postella Valley.

In a related news, thePNP threatened to dispersethe picketline of Sumifruworkers in Manila City whichthey put up last year.

Police forces harassedthe family of Ricky Chavez, amember of the union in Toy-ota, last March 21. The op-eratives entered their resi-dence upon presenting asearch warrant. According tohis wife, the police attemptedto plant a gun in the house tobe used as evidence to arrestthe unionist.

Meanwhile, two mem-bers of the Kalipunan ngDamayang Mahihirap (Ka-damay) in Pandi, Bulacanwere arrested last March 25based on trumped-up char-ges of illegal possession offirearms.


Attacks on offices and a missionTWENTY SOLDIERS attempted to enter the BAYAN-Northern Mindanao Re-gion office in Camaman-an, Cagayan de oro City last March 20 purportedly toarrest a certain "Albert." When they were refused entry, the soldiers sur-rounded the house and prohibited the staff members to leave the office.

Water privatization is a baneto Metro Manila residents

Half a million residents suffered a limited six- to 18-hour supply of waterper day for almost two weeks last month. Although water supply is

gradually stabilizing, water supply interruptions are expected to continue inthe coming months.

People bear the brunt of ineffi-cient water distribution services un-der greedy private operators. Thisexperience directly contradicts thepromise that privatization will resultin "more efficient and affordable ser-vices." This is a vivid manifestation ofhow neoliberal policies, advocated bythe reactionary state, negatively af-fect the people.

Inefficient servicesWater distribution infrastruc-

tures controlled by large companiesare in poor condition and inadequate.Despite ample water supply in AngatDam, almost 300,000 Metro Manilaresidents are are already without ac-cess to water services. On March, al-most half a million suffered the same.

Water service provision in MetroManila is duopolized by Manila Water

and Maynilad, which operate in theeast and west zone respectively. Theconcession agreement states thatManila Water will get 40% (1,600MLD or million liters/day) of Angat'sraw water and Maynilad the remain-ing 60% (2,400 MLD).

Manila Water is claiming that its1,600 MLD from Angat is insufficientas the demand in its service area al-ready rose to 1,750 MLD. This, how-ever, is a mere subterfuge to concealthe fact that it is wasting about 176MLD due to its defective water dis-tribution and storage facilities. Thisis, in fact, higher than the 150-MLDdeficit that is being blamed as theroot of the so-called water crisis.

If water losses from Maynilad(1,001 MLD) were to be accountedfor, total wastage from both conces-sionaires due to defective infrastruc-

tures is at 1,177 MLD (or 785% ofthe said deficit). Based on targetsset under the privatization conces-sion, the volume of water lossesshould have already been reduced toaround 732 to 976 MLD as early as2001. Instead of the the promisedreduction, wastage has further in-creased as a result of the conces-sionaires' failure to repair theirpipelines and address the leakages.

Even data by the reactionarygovernment belie the much hypedwater supply "shortage." In fact,Angat Dam has been reported tohave as much as 1,200 MLD inunutilized capacity.

Profit-hungryWater concessionaires are not

interested in ensuring public welfarebut in extracting superprofitsthrough their services. There is am-ple water supply but storage anddistribution infrastructures remain

"Water..," continued on page 12

On the same day, the office ofKASTAN, the provincial chapter ofthe Cordillera Peoples Alliance inAbra, located at Barangay LipcanUbbog, Bangued was ransacked.

Meanwhile, members of Karap-atan-Quezon were harrassed andthreatened last March 9 at two mili-tary checkpoints in barangays SanFrancisco and Dao. More than 50 el-ements of the 58th IB and CAFGUsearched the delegates' personal be-longings. The delegates were on theirway to Lopez, Quezon to conduct aninvestigation in a community where afirefight between the AFP and NPAtook place last March 8.

Members of the InternationalDelegation of Lawyers probing at-tacks against their Filipino coun-terparts were themselves brazenlysubjected to surveillance and ha-rassment by state intelligenceagents. An agent took pictures andvideos and snooped on the dele-gates' conversations. Agents eventailed them to their hotel. .

The international delegationwas composed of nine lawyers fromBelgium, Italy, Japan, Korea, TheNetherlands and United States. Theinvestigation, conducted on March14-17, looked into the incidents ofattacks against the sector, includ-

ing the killing of Atty. BenjaminRamos and the Red-tagging ofNUPL-Panay members. According totheir findings, the killings of lawyersand prosecutors are interrelatedand are a consequence of Duterte'sdiatribes against the sector.

A day before the investigation,Atty. Rex Jasper Lopoz was shot-dead in front of a mall in TagumCity, Davao del Norte. According toNational Union of People's Lawyers(NUPL), Lopoz was the 38th lawyerkilled under the US-Duterteregime.

Attacks on lawyers, humanrights defenders and the people willsurely heighten with the withdrawalof the government of the Philippinesfrom the International CriminalCourt, NUPL added. The withdrawaltook effect last March 17.


Group demands release of funds for drought

THIS YEAR, 11 Mindanao provinces will experience drought (Zamboanga delNorte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Misamis Occidental, SouthCotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Maguindanao,Sulu at Tawi-Tawi), alongside 26 provinces in Luzon (Abra, Benguet, Kalinga,Apayao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Bataan,Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque,Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, CamarinesNorte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate at Sorsogon). Thirteen Visayasprovinces will also experience drought (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras,Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar,Leyte, Northern Samar at Samar).

insufficient and defective.Instead of resulting in cheaper

services and infrastructure modern-ization as promised, privatizationhas burdened the people with rock-eting water rates despite poor distri-bution services by the concession-aires. Over the past two decades,water rates and corporate profitshave simultaneously and incessantlyrisen.

Since water privatization inMetro Manila began in 1997, waterrates have have risen by 879% and574% for Manila Water and Mayniladcustomers, respectively.

On the other hand, net incomesof Manila Water and Maynilad in-creased by 137% and 444%, respec-tively, from 2007 to 2017 alone.Manila Water’s net income furtherincreased by 8% (reaching P6.6 bil-lion) this 2018.

Manila Water is owned and oper-

ated by the Ayala Corporation inpartnership with the International Fi-nance Corporation-World Bank (IFC-WB), and other Japanese, Singa-porean and British creditors. Thesame corporation also owns big busi-nesses in other strategic services andindustries including banking, telecom-munications, power distribution andtransportation among others.

On the other hand, Maynilad wasformerly owned by the Lopez familyand is now owned and operated byManny V. Pangilinan in partnershipwith the Salim/Metro Pacific Invest-ment Corporation (MPIC) of Indone-sia and other Japanese and Frenchcreditors. He also owns giant busi-nesses in other services and indus-tries including mining, power distri-bution and telecommunicationsamong others.

Imperialist designThe Metropolitan Waterworks

and Sewerage System (MWSS) wasprivatized by the Ramos regime in1997 in compliance with the policyrecommendations of the IFC (privateinvestment arm of the WB). Thepeople were promised that this willresult in adequate and cheaper wa-ter rates.

However, the concession agree-ment was actually designed by theWB-IFC to ensure that local capi-talists will be able to operate prof-itably in order to pay MWSS' $800-million debt from the WB, Asian De-velopment Bank and Japan Bank forInternational Cooperation, to thedetriment of the people's welfare.

The Duterte regime is shame-lessly using the concocted watersupply shortage to railroad theconstruction of the Kaliwa Dam byChinese investors which will resultin the displacement of more than20,000 indigenous people from their

"Water..," from page 11

The Department of Agriculture(DA) reported at the end of Marchthat P4.35-billion worth of cropshave already been damaged, with aP2.69-billion damage to palay (un-husked rice) and a P1.66-billiondamage to corn crops.

Last March, Zamboanga City,Zamboanga Sibugay, Pagadian City,

North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Rizaland Occidental Mindoro already de-clared a state of calamity. The worthof crop damages in Pagadian, Kida-pawan City, North Cotabato atOccidental Mindoro alone hasreached P600 million. Ricefields arethe most affected areas in theseprovinces. In Bicol, 79,000 hectares

"Water..," continued on pg. 13

of rice and corn fields in six prov-inces are in danger of devastation.This will affect more than 45,000and 29,000 rice and corn farmers,respectively.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ngPilipinas demanded that localcalamity funds be immediately re-leased to mitigate the worsening dryspell. According to the group, theDA’s cloud seeding program is in-sufficient. The group also con-demned the National Irrigation Ad-ministration’s failure to takeimmediate steps to counter thedrought despite being allocated hugefunds for free irrigation. During thedrought, the government has tosupport affected farmers throughgiving food aid and alternativesources of livelihood.


US military presence in the Philippines escalatesAMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE and operations—under the guise of joint mili-tary exercises, port calls, visits and other activities—are escalating in the Philip-pines. Last March, at least 9,000 American troops were simultaneously onPhilippine soil.

This April 2 to 12, the US islaunching the 35th Balikatan in Southand Central Luzon. This is being di-rectly managed by the Operation Pa-cific Eagle-Philippines and is partici-pated by 3,500 American soldiers and4,000 Filipino soldiers. American par-ticipants have been coming to thecountry since March 17. This almostcoincided with the 15th Pacific Part-nership conducted from March 10-24in Eastern Visayas which was partici-pated by 1,600 American soldiers.This was on top of the ExerciseSalaknib conducted in Nueva Ecijafrom March 4 to 14. The said trainingexercises are part of the 280 militaryactivities the US is set to launch inthe country this year.

Alongside these trainings is thedocking of the USS Blue Ridge, the USNavy’s commanding ship, in ManilaBay on March 14. The ship, whichcontains 3,000 American soldiers, is

considered a military base at sea.In addition to this, the US has

opened Philippine territory to otherforeign armies using the previouslybilateral Balikatan. Australian sol-diers have participated in this exer-cise since 2012. The US also includedarmies from Japan, South Korea, EastTimor, Brunei, Thailand, Singapore,and United Kingdom in the guise of“observing.” Balikatan is particularlyimportant to the US since only fivecountries in the Pacific, the US’widest military region, currently allowpresence of American troops. Partic-ular to the AFP, the newly organizedand US-funded 1st Brigade CombatTeam supposedly under the localSpecial Operations Command, par-ticipated in the Balikatan.

As in the past, the US is usingthese trainings to launch various mil-itary operations. It uses humanitarianwork such as school constructions,

Resist Oplan Samadhan—CPI-Maoist

The Communist Party of India (CPI)-Maoist called on the Indianpeople to resist the Operation Samadhan (“solution” in Indian),the reactionary Indian state’s latest suppression campaign.Contrary to its declared objectives, the operation will not bringin “solutions” such as irrigation, education, health and otherservices to Indian communities. Instead, Operation Samadhanwill displace the people from lands targeted by foreign compa-nies for megadams. The operation covers Chhattisgarh, Bihar,Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Be-ngal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand which are all adivasi orminority areas.

The reactionary state is considering the CPI-Maoist as an“internal threat” as a pretext to dump security forces and mili-tarize the said areas. The CPI-Maoist, however, stated that it isnot the communists who are threats to the community but theforeign companies and the state security forces that they use.

In fact, there have been communities which have been dis-placed in the name of “industrialization” and “development.”The state accused residents of being members of the CPI-Maoist and were charged with sedition and other trumped-upcharges. Thus, they have been forced to abandon their commu-nities to escape police and military abuses. This includes mas-sacres, killings, rape, beatings and other abuses.

medical missions, education and lit-eracy and others to justify the entryof foreign troops into farflung barriosin various parts of the country. Thisyear, they supposedly constructedschool buildings in Batangas andLeyte.

This all came to pass afterMichael Pompeo, US Department ofState secretary, visited the Philip-pines last February 28. Pompeodropped by the country to answerthe fuss Duterte and his officialscreated to “review” the Mutual De-fense Treaty, the military treatywhich allows US troops in the coun-try. Duterte supposedly wanted thenew treaty to include Philippine sov-ereign territories in the South ChinaSea.

In truth, Duterte and his officialsonly created the clamor to allow theUS to increase the military aid andmateriél it is dumping in the country.In particular, Duterte is running af-ter the sale of thousands of high-powered rifles which the US Senateblocked due to the regime’s bloodydrug war.

ancestral lands in Sierra Madre.

People's strugglesAmid intensifying attacks against the right to

efficient water services, the people should amplifytheir call to repeal the neoliberal policy of privatiza-tion which was implemented by the reactionary stateto the benefit of both local and foreign capitalists.The Duterte regime has to be directly held account-able for failing to ensure sufficient and affordablewater for the people and penalize the water conces-sionaires for their inefficient service.

In conjunction with the water supply interrup-tion, residents carrying water buckets and pailsprotested in front of the MWSS office on March 12and 15. A similar protest action was mounted byworkers led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno at the Wel-come Rotonda in Quezon City on March 14.

In a related news, national minorities spear-headed by SANDUGO protested in front of the Chi-nese Embassy in Makati City on March 14 to lambastprojects that will destroy the environment and mirethe country in debt including the Chico and KaliwaDams.

"Water..," from page 12

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