Editorial:
Expos�s of corruption are further weakening the AFP

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

No matter how much the US-Arroyo regime and its leading generals try to cover it up, they cannot stop the spreading stench of large-scale corruption within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), especially among its highest officials. Expos�s of major corruption cases signify that the AFP is rotten to the core.

The rottenness inside the AFP is the direct result of its character as a mercenary and fascist army. The rottenness of the ruling system that it defends is the same rottenness that exists within the AFP's ranks. The AFP, especially its highest echelons, is a kingdom of millionaire generals, all of them bureaucrat capitalists who use their power to enrich themselves.

Large-scale corruption and criminality among AFP generals and attempts at a coverup ignite the widespread anger of an impoverished people. They are angered over corruption within the AFP the same way they raged over the loathsome corruption of officials of the Arroyo regime who live off millions of pesos of ill-gotten wealth even as millions are mired in poverty.

The corruption of the AFP's leading generals also spurs the anger of the military's rank-and-file and its junior officers, especially since it is they who are its main victims. While corpulent generals live it up, the AFP's rank-and-file and junior officers suffer from low salaries that are constantly delayed, extremely small pensions and equipment that is both poor in quality and in short supply, among other hardships.

Expos�s of corruption among leading generals are rocking both the AFP and the US-Arroyo regime. These expos�s further deepen rifts and divisions inside the AFP, spur ordinary soldiers and junior officers to launch protest actions and weaken their resolve to defend the ruling system.

Neither the AFP nor the reactionary system has the capacity to cleanse itself. It is inherent in the present system for corruption to permeate the military and civil bureaucracy.

The AFP is the reactionaries' most consolidated organization and is the current system's leading supporter and defender. Its weakening means the weakening of the reactionary ruling system's ability to defend itself, especially against the threat of the oppressed Filipino people's growing armed and unarmed resistance. Thus the ruling classes' extreme anxiety over the scandals now rocking it.

But the AFP's weakening is a good thing in the eyes of the people. It means the weakening of its capacity to unleash and inflict violence on the people. The AFP's weakening hastens the victory of the revolutionary armed movement.

It is the revolutionary forces' responsibility to take advantage of the present turmoil within the AFP and further deepen the rifts within the ranks of both the military and the police.

In the face of all this, our principal task is to further intensify the armed revolution. In particular, we must launch ever bigger and more frequent tactical offensives. We must do our utmost to look for weak sections of the AFP and PNP and relentlessly deal heavy blows on them. Every victorious tactical offensive further weakens the AFP and PNP's determination and undermines their unity.

In the past, such linkages with the military and police rank-and-file as well as their junior officers have served as a basis for broader linkages and cooperation.

Forces within the military, police and CAFGU, especially the rank-and-file who hail from the oppressed classes, and with whom we have established links, may be encouraged to join the revolutionary movement. They may form underground branches of the Lt. Crispin Tagamolila Movement within their units, conduct study sessions, recruit other personnel and cooperate with the NPA.

Cooperating with the NPA includes having soldiers provide important tactical information regarding their operations. We have had many experiences where entire CAFGU and even PNP units clandestinely recognized the leadership of revolutionary organizations.

We must also encourage campaigns to defect from the rotten AFP, PNP and CAFGU. We know that many among the rank-and-file stay on because they have no other means of livelihood. We must show them the havoc and cruelty wrought on the people by their military operations and encourage them to seek alternative means of livelihood.

In the future, the military and police will further rot away, along with the disintegration of the ruling system. On the other hand, people's war will grow even stronger as millions of people join the New People's Army and other revolutionary organizations.

21 October 2004
English Edition

	Editorial: Expos�s of corruption are further weakening the AFP
	Latest anomalies and corruption cases in the AFP
	Tabara's grave crimes
	The regime's food coupons are crumbs for a starving people
	Victorious NPA offensives: Tactical offensives launched in Southern Tagalog
	News