Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas

Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG

EDITORIAL

Vol XLVI I I No.4

February 21, 2017

www.phi l ippinerevolution. info

Defend the people againstthe AFP's all-out war

The Filipino people must firmly and vigorously fight back against therelentless all-out war being carried out by the fascist AFP under theDuterte regime.

After both the GRP and the CPPand NPA terminated their reciproc-al ceasefire declarations in the firstweek of February, AFP attacks andabuses have considerably wor-sened.

There are outstanding cases ofaerial bombings and artilleryshelling. Entire communities aresubjected to violence, are com-pelled or forced to evacuate anddepicted as victims caught in thecrossfire of the AFP and NPA when,in fact, they are the target of AFPsuppression. The AFP targetsbarangays where the villagepeople's resistance against plunder

and landgrabbing are strong.The fascist soldiers hound and

target mass leaders and activists inthe countryside and cities. Thereare cases of mass arrests. A num-ber of activists in the abovegroundmass movement have been arrestedand accused of being leaders or of-ficials of the NPA. Expect that casesof military abuses will grow worseafter the announcement that theAFP will be used in the "war againstdrugs."

When the all-out war waslaunched by the AFP, its officialsdeclared that "we will hit themhard." Indeed, the AFP has dealt. . . to be continued on 3

#PeacetalksItuloy*

HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS, churchworkers, academe, cultural wor-kers and human rights advocatesexpressed their continuing sup-port for the resumption of peacetalks between the NDFP and GRPafter GRP Pres. Rodrigo Dutertearbitrarily terminated the nego-tiations.

Last February 10, hundreds ofstudents held a protest along TaftAvenue to Pedro Gil St., Manila.Students and progressive groupsalso gathered at the University ofthe Philippines-Diliman, in Free-dom Park, Davao City andPeople's Park in Baguio City. Thegroups demanded the continu-ation of the scheduled meeting onFebruary 22 and April 2 and therelease of all political prisoners.

In Congress, the Makabayanbloc filed a resolution to push forthe continuation of the talks.They were able to gather morethan 103 signatures from thelawmakers. In the motion, theydeclared that compared to theprevious administrations, peacenegotiations under the Duterteregime were able to achieve sub-stantive and positive progressthat would be wasted if talks wereterminated.

Last February 17, Kapaya-paan, an organization promotingpeace based on justice, headedthe multi-sectoral protest action,Stand for Peace, in front of Bon-ifacio Shrine in Manila.

In a joint statement releasedby Kapayapaan, the terminationof peace talks will only worsen theconflict as long the root causes of

February 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN2

all-out war against the people. Ifthe AFP's all-out war continues, hewill ultimately be held responsibleby the people for all the abuses, vi-olations of human rights and crimesby the AFP.

The Filipino people must vigor-ously oppose the AFP's all-out warunder the Duterte regime. This is astruggle to defend the rights underthe Comprehensive Agreement onRespect for Human Rights and In-ternational Humanitarian Law(CARHRIHL). This is also in defenseof the victories achieved by themasses in their struggle against

foreign plunder, especiallymining and plantation opera-tions, in defense of their an-cestral land, and in thestruggle for genuine land re-form.

The struggle against theAFP's all-out war seeks todefend the livelihood,

schools, medical and otherservices which the masses have

collectively built through theirorganizations. The AFP desper-

ately seeks to destroy these in thezealous assertion of exclusivedominion.

The anti-fascist struggles inthe cities and countryside must beintensified. In the countryside,Human Rights Committees must beset up closely linked with similarorganizations and institutions inother barangays, in the town cen-ters as well as in the province andregion. People in neighboringbarangays must closely work to-gether to help defend each otheragainst the marauding AFP in theirarea.

Promptly expose "peace anddevelopment", "delivery of service"and other disguises used by theAFP to conceal their fangs of re-pression. Quickly gather and mo-bilize support from church peopleand other organizations and per-sonalities in the town centers. Mo-bilize the youth to take picturesand videos and quickly upload

Editoryal: Defend the people against theAFP's all-out war 1

#PeacetalksItuloy 1

OBR for peace 3

The AFP's anti-peace all-out war 4

AFP bombs communities 5

NPA launches widespread military actions 6

Farmers' enemies punished 7

Capiz farmers' campout attacked 7

Drivers sustain protests 8

US warship dockings resume 8

Anti-mining struggles intensify 9

Trump's anti-immigration policy halted 9

Vol XLVI I I No. 4 | February 21, 2017

ContentsANG

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strong blows; but mainly againstunarmed people. Entire communit-ies suffer. Civilians being killed arepresented as NPA fighters to makeit appear they are winning their de-clared war.

The tactics of the all-out warare comparable to the tactics im-plemented during the first andsecond Oplan Bantay Laya (2001-2009) campaign of the Arroyo re-gime. Key security officials then un-der Arroyo are now among theleading officials of Duterte. Theformer AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Her-mogenes Esperon is now NationalSecurity Adviser. The current AFPchief Gen. Eduardo Año is one ofthe officials behindthe abduction ofactivist Jonas Bur-gos in 2006.

The AFP's all-out war is a dirtywar against thepeople. This goesalong the frameof the counter-insurgency doc-

trine of US imperialism. This is vig-orously being pushed by DefenseSec. Delfin Lorenzana, former mil-itary attaché based in WashingtonD.C. and presently one of the mosttrusted agents of US imperialism inthe Duterte government.

Pressed by Lorenzana and theAFP, and by the defenders of neo-liberalism and other US agents,Duterte has taken back or toneddown his past anti-US declarationsand friendly overtures to the re-volutionary movement. UnderDuterte's authority as chief of thereactionary state, the AFP has nowunleashed an

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ANG BAYAN February 21 , 2017 3

OBR for Peace

THOUSANDS OF WOMEN assembled at Liwasang Bonifacio last February 14for the annual One Billion Rising (OBR) to demand the resumption of theNDFP-GRP peace negotiations.

OBR is a broad campaign toend systematic violence againstwomen and children. Yearly, mil-lions of women simultaneouslydance in different parts of theworld. Here in the Philippines, thetheme for this year was "Womenrising for livelihood, land, justiceand peace".

Led by Gabriela and OBR Glob-al Director Monique Wilson, therallyists condemned the ArmedForces of the Philippines' "all-out-war" in the countryside.

According to Joms Salvador,Gabriela secretary general, theall-out war primarily victimizespeople in the rural communities.While development workers andcommunity leaders are assassin-ated and arrested one after theother, aerial bombardment andhamletting of thousands of ruralresidents are carried out in thecountryside.

As part of the program, womenfrom various sectors danced to theOBR theme song. Actress-beautyqueen Maria Isabel Lopez, film dir-ector Bibeth Orteza, comedienneMae Paner and Sr. Mary JohnMananzan attended the event.Students from universities and col-leges also expressed solidarity tothe event. Department of SocialWelfare secretary Judy Taguiwalo

and Usec. Marion Tan, undersec-retary of National Anti-PovertyCommission (NAPC) also particip-ated.

Groups also held OBR events inRizal Park, Davao City, where morethan 1,000 people from institutionsand communities in the provinceattended. Councilor Leah Librado-Yap was also present during theprogram.

"In the midst of a seeminglyhorrifying all-out war and heavymilitary operations, like what wehear in Compostela Valley andDavao Oriental provinces, womenand their children are the mostvulnerable victims," said Librado.

Luzviminda Ilagan, nationalchairperson of Gabriela, addedthat ending poverty, violence,land, job security, right to ances-tral lands, are the compellingreasons to pursue peace negoti-ations.

Students from St. Scholastica'sCollege, Polytechnic University ofthe Philippines, San Jose HighSchool, Misamis Oriental Instituteof Science and Technology, HolyAngel University, UP Visayas andUP Manila also took part in thisyear's event.

OBR dances were also held inCebu, Aklan, Capiz, Pampanga,Hongkong and Macau.

armed struggle remain unresolved.Representatives of ACT Teachers Partylist, Antonio Tinio and France

Castro joined the mobilization. In Davao City, a peace consultation was heldby progressive organizations last February 18 in Ateneo de Davao.

School administrators and professors from University of the Philippines,Ateneo de Manila, De La Salle University, Siliman University, University ofMakati and Philippine Normal University also expressed their support. Gov-ernment officials like Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Chiz Escudero and NationalYouth Commissioner Aiza Seguerra also backed people's clamor for the re-sumption of talks.

*#Resumepeacetalks

these to social media sites.In the cities, a broad and

strong anti-fascist movementthat has widespread support inschools, churches and culturalcircles must be generated. Theurban mass movement mustfirmly support the anti-fasciststruggles in the countryside.Cases of repression in the citiesmust be linked to cases of re-pression in the countryside. Ex-pose fascist repression as aimedprincipally at suppressing thepeople's anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggles. Denounce theuse of state violence both forpolitical repression and for thewar against drugs. Oppose theuse of the war against drugs aspretext for political repression.

The clamor to continue GRP-NDFP peace negotiations must bestrengthened in order to build onthe achievements of the firstthree rounds. The Party is opento discuss a bilateral ceasefireagreement. The NDFP is expectedto pursue the principled stand forthe withdrawal of all AFP unitsoccupying civilian communities,especially those within the guer-rilla zones.

Amid the all-out offensiveoperations of the AFP, the NPAmust carry forward the war todefend the people. They muststrike the armed units of the AFPthat have committed abusesagainst the people, especially inthe barrios. Mobilize the people'smilitias in defending the welfareand rights of the people. Makeuse of all weapons to punish theoccupying troops of the AFP.

The NPA must be continuouslystrengthened. Rapidly recruit, armand train new Red fighters. TheNPA must take hold of initiative inlaunching military campaigns andtactical offensives across the na-tion to derail the enemy's all-outwar, attain victories and advancethe people's war.

"Peacetalks. . . ' " from page 1"Defend. . . " from page 2

February 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN4

The AFP's anti-peace all-out war

After GRP Pres. Rodrigo Duterte declared last February 8 his decision toterminate the NDFP-GRP peace talks, Defense Secretary Delfin Loren-

zana took the lead in announcing the all-out war against the New People'sArmy (NPA). He said that the NPA poses a big threat to the Philippines' na-tional security, and proceeded to incite the people to assist the AFP in its all-out war.

The GRP likewise terminatedthe JASIG which grants security toNDFP consultants. Both the AFPand PNP supported this by declaringthat they will hunt down and re-ar-rest the consultants.

With Lorenzana pushing the all-out war are National Security Ad-viser Hermogenes Esperon and AFPChief General Eduardo Año, bothnotorious fascist zealots and keyimplementers of the past US-Arroyoregime's dirty war against those itlabeled as enemies of the state.

Needless to say, the AFP's all-out war backfired as the NPAwaged active defense and launchedtactical offensives. On the otherhand, the AFP and PNP's attacksagainst activists and civilians in-tensified. In a span of more or lesstwo weeks, no less than 20 activistsand civilians were arrested, 12 wereshot dead while 12 more cases offrustrated killings were recorded,and up to 1,300 families of peasantsand indigenous peoples were dis-placed from their communities.

Among the latest arrested bythe reactionary state's forces wasFerdinand Castillo, Bayan-Metro Manila campaign of-ficer. He was arrested lastFebruary 12 in Sta. Quit-eria, Caloocan City andwas slapped with trumped-up charges of double murderand multiple attemptedmurder. In the past fewdays, police and military op-eratives also arrested reliefworker Rogina Quilop in Ba-colod City (February 7); SarahAbellon-Alikes together withPromencio Cortez and Mar-ciano Sagun in Itogon, Benguet(February 9); Edison Villanueva of

Gabriela-Southern Tagalog in Sta.Cruz, Occidental Mindoro (February4); and Jacinto Faroden in La Trin-idad, Benguet (February 8).

With regards to the NDFP con-sultants, the AFP and PNP openlyannounced their hunt for PedroCodaste, Alfredo Mapano, andConcha Araneta-Bocala. The PNP-CIDG also disregarded the neces-sity for court orders, and statedthat their agents anticipate thatconsultants targeted for re-arrestwill "violently resist."

In Pantukan, Compostela Val-ley, activist farmer Edweno Catogwas killed after being shot at closerange near his home last February16. Catog was an ardent supporterof the organization MARBAI'sstruggle against Lapanday FoodsCorporation's landgrabbing ofpeasants' farmlands.

Also, the PNP-CIDG XI andSWAT last February 6 killed GlennRamos, Tokhang-style. Ramos was aformer Bayan Muna coordinatorand was working as a construction

worker at the time of his murder.The PNP declared that Ramos viol-ently resisted his arresters. Ac-cording to his family, operativesentered their house in Brgy. Maaand planted a firearm for evidencebefore killing Ramos.

In Bobon, Northern Samar lastFebruary 14, soldiers belonging tothe 43rd IB killed Bernadette Lutao,a mass leader in the said village.Afterwards, Lutao was reported tothe media as a Red fighter who wassupposedly killed in a firefight. Ac-cording to residents, there was noencounter in the area and Lutaowas in the community when she wasshot.

Meanwhile, last February 4 inBrgy. Mangaod, Cabanglasan,Bukidnon, the Alamara killed DatuLorendo Pocoan. The Alamara is anAFP-supported notorious paramil-itary group. A day earlier, anotherindigenous leader in Bukidnon,Renato Anglao, was killed by stateforces. Anglao is an active memberof the Tribal Indigenous OppressedGroup Association (TINDOGA), anorganization fighting against land-grabbing of their ancestral domain.

Only recently, Willerme Agorde,64 years old, was killed this Febru-ary 19 by gunmen believed to bemembers of the paramilitary BaganiForce. Agorde was a leader ofMailuminado Farmers Association

Incorporated which is fightingto claim the land they havetilled for decades.

After incurring heavycasualties from three co-ordinated tactical of-fensives by the NPA lastFebruary 16 in Paquibato

and Calinan districts inDavao City, soldiers killed twocivilians. Roel Satingasin andAriel Gelbero were ordinarycommuters who were flaggeddown by soldiers at a checkpoint.They were presented to the publicas Red fighters killed in an en-

ANG BAYAN February 21 , 2017 5

AFP bombs communities

counter.In Agusan del Norte last February 11, two small-

scale miners were killed when armed men who were withthe 29th IB and PNP-SAF joint operations opened firedat their group in Sitio Sarog, Brgy. San Isidro, Santiago.Seven other miners were injured in the shooting. Ac-cording to the NPA-NEMR, the 29th IB and its paramilit-ary forces have for long been seizing the miners' tunnelsin order to arrogate high-grade gold deposits.

Meanwhile, in Pres. Roxas City in Capiz, a farmerwas killed while five others were wounded when their

campout was fired upon by personnel of HaciendaMontecarba last February 11. (Read related news in page7.)

Also, up to 100 families of indigenous peoples weredisplaced by the 54th IB's intensified operations in Brgy.Namal, Asipulo, Ifugao and its neighboring areas. Villagefolk also reported that the soldiers forcibly entered theresidence of Patrick Pugong and confiscated his gener-ator set. The soldiers accused Pugong as caretaker ofthe NPA's generator set.

The evacuees are currently staying at the Namal Ele-mentary School and at other facilities in the sitios (sub-villages). A quarter of them are children. They are in direneed of food, water and blankets because of the very coldweather. An elderly man has already died from the cold.

Similar incidents happened in the town of Maddela,Quirino province last February 13. Hundreds of villagersfrom the communities evacuated due to operationslaunched by the 86th IB in Brgy. San Martin. Accordingto the group Danggayan-Cagayan Valley, the soldiershave been instigating fear and terror among residents ofvillages San Martin, Villa Gracia, and Villa Ylanan. Res-idents were threatened that their communities will bebombarded and were forced to evacuate.

GRAVE CRIMES AGAINST whole civilian communities were successivelycommitted after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared itsall-out war against the revolutionary forces.

In Far South Mindanao, morethan 200 Lumad families, mostlyB'laan and Kaolo, were driven fromtheir communities following theAFP's aerial bombing of sitios Tan-gis and Kindag in Barangay DatalAnggas in Alabel, Sarangani. SinceFebruary 11, the AFP has alreadyconducted six bombardments,strafing the areas afterwards. Res-idents were stopped by 73rd IB sol-diers from leaving the place. A foodblockade was imposed by the milit-ary and even relief workers fromthe government were prohibited toenter the area.

The soldiers arrested four civil-ians, tortured and coerced them in-to serving as guides in the military'soperations. The group Kahug-pongan sa Lumad sa HalayongHabagatang Mindanao (Kaluhham-

in) identified the civilians asRene Mancal, Meon Salda,Fausto Barro and GarsonBarro.

The following day, the73rd IB again arrestedmen whom the 10th IDpresented to the public asNPA "new recruits." The sixarrested were Simeon Salda, JunModa, Claude Palbe, Garzon Palbe,Rene Ompao and Sabelo Colano.

In Southern Mindanao, around1,000 families (more than 5,000individuals) have become victims offorced evacuation as a result of AFPshelling using 105mm Howitzers onFebruary 11 in barangays Macopa,Kibagyo and Bullucan in Laak,Compostela Valley. In Davao Ori-ental, barangays in Manay werealso shelled on February 1, and the

AFP conducted aerial bombing inLupon, Davao Oriental on February14.

These bombings, which are in-discriminate in their targets, haveresulted in many reports of injuriesamong civilians and damages to thehomes and livelihoods of peasantLumad communities. These haveaggravated the communities' con-stant struggle with poverty and therecent floods and heavy rains.

February 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN6

NPA launches widespread military actions

Units of the New People' Army (NPA) vigorously defended re-volutionary bases and guerrilla zones from attacks by AFP, PNP

and other military groups. This was in accordance to the NPA NationalOperations Command's directive to launch active defense while the unilat-eral ceasefire was in force, and tactical offensives after its termination takeseffect.

From February 1 to 10, at least15 active defense actions werelaunched by NPA units across thecountry. (See Ang Bayan, February7). After the ceasefire termination,at least eight tactical offensiveswere reported in different parts ofthe country, garnering twenty fire-arms. Among these military actionswere:

Southern Mindanao Region. Acompany of Red fighters attacked a72nd IB detachment in SitioBinaton, Barangay Malabog in Pa-quibato District, Davao City, around5:30 a.m. on February 16. This of-fensive was in response to the res-idents' demands to punish the mer-cenary troops who serve as facili-tators and protectors of the illegaldrug trade in the district and en-virons. They gave security to thelate Neptali Alfredo Pondoc, a no-torious drug trade operator whomthe NPA punished on January 23.One 72nd IB soldier was killed inthe firefight and several werewounded. One Red fighter was mar-tyred.

Around 4 p.m., the NPA usedcommand-detonated explosives inBrgy. Lamanan in Calinan District toambush a five-truck convoy of the3rd IB. Three KM450 trucks weredemolished. At least seven soldierswere killed and more than ten werewounded.

Half an hour later, two trucks of3rd IB reinforcing troops wereagain exploded in Brgy. Lacson, Cal-inan District, wherein two AFPtroops were killed and 17wounded.

A platoon of operating troops ofthe 28th IB were surprised by anambush by Red fighters of the Com-Val-Davao Gulf Subregional Opera-

tions Command in Brgy. New Visay-as, Lupon, Davao Oriental around 8a.m. on February 14. Five soldierswere confirmed killed and severalwere wounded. A few hours later, ata checkpoint in Purok Upper Way-wayan, Brgy. Don Mariano Marcosin the same municipality, the NPAarrested two members of para-military forces. Rene Doller,34, and Carl Mark Nucos,24, both members of 1st Pla-toon, 4th CAAC under 72nd IB,were both divested of cal .45 pis-tols, their official issue firearms andare now in the custody of the NPAas prisoners of war.

Around 9 a.m., in Matupe,Kitaotao, Bukidnon, shots by Redfighters surprised the joint operat-ing troops of the 72nd CAFGU andAlamara. Earlier, as part of defenseagainst the enemy during theceasefire period, NPA units conduc-ted active defense operations. OnFebruary 9, four operating troopersof the 60th IB were seriouslywounded when fired upon by a Pu-lang Bagani Company (PBC) team inthe hinterlands of Sitio Patong,Brgy. Langtud, Laak, CompostelaValley.

On February 6, Edwin Hijara,member of the 39th IB's CAFGUwas ambushed while conducting in-telligence operations in Brgy. Balite,Magpet, North Cotabato. This waspart of the 39th IB's combat opera-tions. A team of NPA front guerrillaunits fired at 71st IB operatingtroops in Sitio San Roque, Brgy.New Cortez, New Corella, Davao delNorte, wherein one AFP trooper waskilled and seven were wounded.

On February 9, a PBC team inSitio Daw-an, Brgy. San Jose,Caraga, Davao Oriental, exploded

threeKM450trucks of 67th IBtroops that were sent as reinforce-ments to the previous encounter.

Panay. On February 7, around 6a.m., an NPA platoon under the JosePercival Estocada Jr. Command(JPEC) ambushed a 16-man 61st IBoperating unit in Sitio Tina, Brgy.Acuna, Tapaz, Capiz. Two enemytroopers were confirmed killed andfour were wounded, while the Redfighters were able to withdrawsafely. The NPA seized one M4 riflewith an M203 grenade launcher.

On February 4, around 11 a.m.,a JPEC unit fired at 61st IB troopsencamped in the barangay hall ofBrgy. Cabatangan, Lambunao,Iloilo. The NPA Red fighters werealso able to withdraw safely.

North Central Mindanao. AnNPA unit arrested PO2 Jerome An-thony Natividad at a checkpoint inTikalaan, Talakag, Bukidnon onFebruary 9, around 6 a.m. Confis-cated from him were a Glock pistol,one carbine, and three shotguns.This brings to six the total numberof prisoners of war in NPA custodyin various Mindanao regions.

ANG BAYAN February 21 , 2017 7

Killed in the shooting was OrlandoEslana while Melinda Arroyo Eslanawas put in critical condition. LidaAmo, Ana Bocala, Rita Bocala and Ad-el Vergara were wounded. Suspects inthe shooting were the hacienda ad-ministrator Ferdinand Bacanto, hisbrother Jun, and Leopoldo Lachica. Avictim was able to capture the incid-ent on video and posted it on Face-book. The municipal police force whowitnessed the incident did not lift afinger. The next night, hacienda thugsburned down the camp.

On February 5, some 68 peasantworker families set up camp inHacienda Montecarba which was be-ing claimed by the Tan clan. Thehacienda covers 300 hectares of landin the boundaries of Brgy. Dulangan inPilar town and Culilang in Pres. Roxas.Since 1997, 199 hectares of haciendaland has been awarded under the gov-ernment's Comprehensive AgrarianReform Program (CARP) to 132 bene-ficiaries but these never went to thefarmers' hands.

Since 2010, the hacienda adminis-trator started to eject the beneficiar-ies gradually. Bacanto is the barangay

captain of Culilang. Despite threatsand intimidation, the farmers went onwith their campout.

Anakpawis, Bayan-Panay, BuylogCapiznon, Kamaca and Pamanggas ex-pressed their solidarity. DAR SecretaryKa Paeng Mariano also directed the DARlocal office to exert all efforts to avoid arepeat of the incident and to immedi-ately help the families of the victims.

Meanwhile, the NPA-Panay (Coro-nacion Chiva Command) declared itsstrong condemnation of the violent dis-persal and shooting. In a statement, KaJulian Paisano expressed support forthe farmers' struggle. He said that theNPA is aware of the plight of haciendapeasants because most members of thepeople's army were farmers who be-came victims of social injustice and tookup arms to solve the land problem. "Thestruggle for land...must be stronglyconnected to the people's revolutionaryarmed struggle," he added.

BHB-Panay advised the farmers touse the incident as guide to under-stand their class struggle and the im-portance of strengthening their ranksto fight against the oppressive andexploitative classes.

Anti-mining struggles intensify

STRIDENT OBJECTION GREETED Department of Environment and Natural Re-sources (DENR) Sec. Gina Lopez' decision this month to put a stop to mining oper-ations of up to 40 companies. Among those cancelled were contracts of 23 com-panies, with five companies suspended for six months.

She also cancelled contracts of 75 projects underway because these are foundin watersheds in different parts of the country. Lopez' stand that these operationswould be detrimental to the environment is firm. Her stand stems not only fromher department and other agencies' intensive investigations but also from thedecades-long struggles of entire communities against forest denudation, river andwater pollution and destruction of productive lands due to mining.

In face of this, the Duterte regime dithers in its support for Lopez and thereare even times when it seems to favor mining companies. It believes that the sus-pensions and cancellations should have gone through a "due process."

The regime even echoes the myths perpetuated by mining companies to excusetheir plunderous and destructive operations. They claim that many Filipinos willlose their jobs and the government will lose revenues. However, statistics fromgovernment agencies will attest that mining does not contribute significantly tothe local economy. From 2012 to 2016, it contributed only 0.65% to the GDP.Likewise, employment in the sector is also minimal (0.6% of the total employment.)

Farmers' enemies

punished

AMID LEFT AND right shoot-ing of peasants by landlords'armed groups, the revolu-tionary forces continue tomete punishment on big cor-porations and landlords op-pressing workers and peas-ants.

On February 6, Red fight-ers of the NPA-Mindoro (Lu-cio De Guzman Command orLdGC) successfully disarmedthe Sidekick Security Agencyof landlord Annaliza Pojas-Lopez who is a landgrabber inOccidental Mindoro.

The disarming was in re-sponse to the violent demoli-tion of a fishing community inBrgy. Salvacion, Rizal, Occi-dental Mindoro, according toMadaay Gasic, spokespersonof LdGC.

Red fighters confiscatedthree shotguns, ammunitionand other military equipmentfrom the guards in the saidraid. Afterwards, a warningletter was read to the guardswho were indicted for mal-treatment and grave threatsto the lives of demolition vic-tims.

Meanwhile, an NPA unitunder the Chadli MolintasCommand razed to theground two dump trucks ofthe environmentally de-structive Philex Mining Cor-poration in Ampucao Central,Itogon, Benguet on February9. A .45 cal pistol was confis-cated from the Philex guard.

Paid thugs attack Capiz farmers' campout

HACIENDA MONTECARBA thugs shot farmers on a campout in Barangay Culilang,Pres. Roxas City, Capiz on the afternoon of February 11. The farmers set up campto assert their right to the land.

February 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN8

US warship dockings

resume

TWO US WARSHIPS havealready docked in the countrythis year, proving that nothinghas changed in US-Philippinesmilitary relations. On January23, warship USS John S. McCaindocked in Subic Bay, Zambales.Last February 15, USS Louisvillealso docked in the bay. Bothships are part of the US 7thFleet assigned to the Asia-Pa-cific region. Both conducted"community activities" innearby towns to justify theirentry to the country.

Meanwhile, US encroach-ment in Philippine waters con-tinued unhampered under theguise of "freedom of naviga-tion." The latest of these is theentry of its Carrier Strike Group1, led by the aircraft carrier USSCarl Vinson, which started itspatrol last February 18.

Prior to this, Department ofNational Defense Sec. DelfinLorenzana announced thatDuterte has agreed to the USconstruction of barracks, ware-houses and airports in threelocations as provided by theEnhanced Defense CooperationAgreement (EDCA). This is incontradiction to the president'sprevious stand against EDCAand presence of US militarytroops in the country.

Earlier, Duterte exposedthat the US is stockpiling armsand matériel, including tanks, inthe country. This was after theUS senate allotted up to $7.5billion to strengthen its forces inAsia. Included in the fundingare allotments for repair andconstruction of bases in Pam-panga, Cagayan de Oro andPalawan, locations which the UShave long occupied and wherethe US stockpiled war matériel.

Drivers sustain protests

THE JEEPNEY OPERATORS' and drivers' struggles continue to grow againstthe plan to phase jeepneys out from the streets. Led by PISTON and No toJeepney Phase-out Coalition, a national strike is slated for this month. This isa continuation of the protests at the start of 2017.

Among actions in the past is theJanuary 16 coordinated protest thatassembled more than 2,200 personsaboard 200 vehicles in a rally-caravan in Metro Manila.

A march-caravan of 37 jeepneysand 100 people in Cauayan City,Isabela and noise barrage at thepassenger terminals in Santiago Cityand Claveria, Cagayan werelaunched at the same time. In La-guna, 50 people aboard 12 jeepneysand two motorcycles rode to the LT-FRB office. The picket-rally in IloiloCity was joined by 80 people despitethe bad weather. In Bacolod City, acaravan was held with 200 vehicles,while drivers and operators in Gen-eral Santos City held a 30-jeepneyrally-caravan to the local LTFRB of-fice. On January 17, 60 operatorsand drivers joined a picket-rally inCebu City. On January 21, more than500 drivers and operators assembledin a rally in MetroBaguio.

Driversand oper-ators in afederationin MetroManilastoppedplying theirroutes onFebruary 6.This wasjoined insolidarity byPISTON and No toJeepney Phase-out Coalition with arally-caravan at the Department ofTransportation's (DOTr) head office,participated in by 200 people. Someareas with PISTON organizationsjoined the transportation stoppage,such as CAMANAVA and some

routes in Quezon City, Marikina,Manila, Pasay and Taguig.

The government had been plan-ning the Jeepney Phase-out sinceNovember 2015 and the DOTr DraftDepartment Order was released onAugust 17, 2016. Proposed bills intwo houses of Congress also intro-duced Route Rationalization, oridentifying roads that will be off-limits to jeepneys and other passen-ger vehicles, whereby jeepney fran-chises on these streets will be can-celled or their routes transferred.The DOTr's Draft Department Orderset requirements that ordinaryjeepney operators cannot afford,such as P7 million capitalization anda 10-unit minimum on every fran-chise.

In opposition to this scheme,PISTON demanded that instead of"modernization," the roadworthi-ness of jeeppneys should be ensuredby rehabilitating old units, which the

government must address byproviding facilities such asautomotive repair shops,

lower costs ofspare parts andothers.

Accordingto PISTON,

putting thetransport systemin public handsand not in thecontrol of privatecorporations isthe measure that

will indisputably address thepeople's needs and resolve thetraffic problem. The governmentmust fund mass transportation sys-tems such as trains and others tooffer affordable, if not free trans-portation to all.

ANG BAYAN February 21 , 2017 9

Trump's anti-immigration policy temporarily halted

A JUDGE ISSUED a temporary order against Pres. Donald Trump's executiveorder banning the travel of citizens from seven countries to the US within 90days and suspending processing refugees for 120 days.

On February 3, a Washingtoncourt declared the January 28 orderunconstitutional and issued a na-tional emergency order against it.Citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya,Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemenare affected by the ban, includinggreen card holders. Processing ofSyrian refugees would be suspendedindefinitely. Prior to the emergencyorder, courts in New York, Boston,Alexandria, Virginia and Seattle—cities with large international air-ports—have invalidated the order.This is to protect the rights of af-fected travellers who have alreadylanded in their areas.

The anti-immigrant order imme-diately garnered widespread andfierce opposition. Spontaneousprotests erupted in airports on theday the order was announced. Onthe following days, on January 29

and 30, hundreds of Americanslaunched protests in almost 30 cit-ies, including New York, Boston,Washington D.C., Detroit and LosAngeles.

Among those who protested inairports and cities where immig-rants were detained are memberorganizations of the InternationalLeague of People's Struggles(ILPS)-US.

The countries included in theban are countries which the US hasbombed, militarized, destroyed orsubjected to various forms of im-perialist aggression to control theiroil reserves and natural resourcesto further US international domina-tion. The global refugee crisis andlarge-scale migration of the unem-ployed from these countries arerooted in imperialist aggression,destabilization and neoliberal eco-

nomic policies perpetuated by pastUS administrations, the ILPS said.

On February 16, hundredslaunched "A Day Without Immig-rants" where businesses closedshop, students walked out andpoured into the streets to showTrump the importance of foreign-born US residents. An estimated12% of the US population is foreign-born, and more than 40 million ofthem are naturalized US citizens.Protests were also held in Dallasand Los Angeles in February 18.

Outside the US, protests againstTrump's order were also wide-spread. On February 12, thousandsprotested in Mexico City to criticizeTrump's portrayal of Mexicans ascriminals and rapists. On February17, hundreds of Mexicans lined upon the border to form a human wallto protest the planned constructionof a border wall between two coun-tries. In London, hundreds pro-tested on January 30 against theban, and again on February 4.