News
PNP station, army detachment in Agusan Sur raided
Twenty-five Red fighters under the Frank Navarro Command of the New People's Army (NPA) raided on October 8 a PNP station in Doa Maxima, San Luis, Agusan del Sur and a nearby Philippine Army detachment. According to Lingkawas, revolutionary mass paper of the North Eastern Mindanao region, the raid on the PNP station was successfully conducted within 20 minutes by the NPA, without firing single shot. After this, the NPA proceeded to a military detachment which was unmanned at that time.
The Red fighters began the raid on the PNP station by disarming its guards outside while a flag ceremony was being conducted. After this, the NPA quickly encircled the station and disarmed the rest of the PNP troops. Confiscated from the PNP station were nine M16s, two M14s, two .45s, one 9 mm pistol, ammunition, a camera and a communication radio.
The police who had been disarmed were unable to call immediately for reinforcements because the Red fighters had also confiscated the station's communications equipment.
5 soldiers dead, 2 wounded in Bukidnon ambush
Five soldiers were killed and two were wounded when NPA guerrillas ambushed a platoon of the 10th Special Forces Company of the Philippine Army. Among those killed was the company's commander Capt. Apollo Palasula. The soldiers were conducting a patrol when ambushed at Upper Balaas, Barangay Mabuhay, San Fernando, Bukidnon on October 27.
Tarlac PNP chief ambushed by NPA
The NPA successfully ambushed Chief Supt. Arturo Tabustan, head of the Police Mobile Group of Tarlac province, on October 29. Tabustan was on his way to his office when Red fighters ambushed him at La Paz, Tarlac, around 7:00 am that day.
Punitive action launched against multinational plantation
On October 20, the NPA meted punitive action on Stanfilco, a giant plantation of bananas for export, in Barangay Buhay, Makilala, North Cotabato. Stanfilco is owned by Dole Philippines, one of the largest agribusiness multinationals in the world. The NPA burned down a warehouse containing 80 boxes of bananas for export, three weighing scales and one tractor.
AFP major killed in own raid in Nueva Ecija
An AFP official was killed after leading an encirclement operation against an encampment of Red fighters on October 8 in Barangay Conversion, Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija.
�Maj. Roger Elijino, operations and intelligence officer of the 54th IB and member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1984, was seriously wounded and died eventually.
After their commander's death, soldiers of the 54th IB went on a rampage and vented their anger on the village fishermen.
NDFP greets Communist Party of Peru-Patria Roja on 73rd anniversary
The NDFP greeted the Communist Party of Peru (Patria Roja or Red Fatherland) on the latter's 73rd anniversary on October 7. In a statement, the NDFP said that the situations in Peru and the Philippines do not differ. It said that the people of the two countries both aspire for the victory of the national democratic revolution with a socialist perspective, as well as that of the struggle against US imperialism. The NDFP praised Peruvian communists for firmly advancing revolution.
Farmers and fisherfolk launch mass actions against WTO
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) launched "Peasant Month" this October through a series of mass actions nationwide that targetted imperialism as a gigantic scourge afflicting farmers and fisherfolk.
In Metro Manila, bannering the slogan "JUNK WTO", close to 2,000 members of the KMP, Pambansang Samahan ng mga Mamamalakaya (PAMALAKAYA) and other peasant groups from Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog demonstrated on October 18 in front of the Department of Agriculture (DA) office. They protested the country's avid compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) policies, which has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of farmers and fisherfolk, threatens food security in the country, stifles local agricultural production and inflicts other forms of suffering on the peasantry.
The following day, the peasants marched towards Morayta to join a larger multisectoral formation. They proceeded to Malaca�ang, roared in opposition to the WTO and called for the implementation of genuine agrarian reform. Afterwards, the marchers proceeded to the US embassy to protest imperialist plunder and the war of aggression against Afghanistan.
On October 18 and 19, the second Church Peasant Conference was also launched, where bishops, priests and nuns in Metro Manila actively participated for the very first time in discussions regarding issues confronting the country's peasants.
Mass actions were also held by farmers, fisherfolk and other sectors in various regions:
Cagayan Valley. A Two-Week Protest by Farmers from Cagayan Valley Against Landgrabbing, Militarization and Imperialist Plunder in Agriculture was launched.
On October 10, a dialogue was conducted in Barangay Sta. Maria, Cauayan, Isabela by the Anti-Coal Mining Movement of Isabela, DENR and the local government on a new coal-mining scheme in the towns of Cauayan, Benito Soliven and Naguilian, Isabela. Residents of Isabela once more registered their opposition to this destructive project in the dialogue joined by more than 350 farmers, teachers, students and church people from the three affected towns.
On October 16, some 500 church people, farmers and other militants staged a rally against the planting of Bt-corn in Isabela by Monsanto, an imperialist agribusiness company. This was followed by a mobilization on October 23 in front of the DAR and DENR offices attended by 1,000 people.
The First Congress of Danggayan dagiti Mannalon ti Cagayan Valley (Danggayan CV) was also held from October 20-22 in St. Ferdinand College, Ilagan, Isabela. The congress was attended by 45 delegates from Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. Fifteen peasant leaders of Danggayan CV also held a dialogue with national officials of DAR and DENR. They filed 11 prominent cases involving agrarian problems. Among them were cases of widespread landgrabbing at the Sandoval Estate, Hacienda San Antonio-Sta. Isabel, Cagayan Economic Processing Zone Authority, Dimzon-Zulueta Estate and Roque Estate; and the continued denial of the peasants' right to the land in big haciendas in Benito Soliven and Roxas, Isabela and in Sto. Ni�o and Baggao in Cagayan.
The peasant campaign in Cagayan Valley reached its peak with the conduct of a picket-rally and a dialogue at the Region 2 offices of DAR and DENR in Tuguegarao City on October 23. More than 120 peasants from Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya joined the mass action.
Central Luzon. A Sakbayan (motorcade) was launched on October 18 by around 1,300 members of the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon from Angeles City to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) office in Quezon City. They also called on the Macapagal-Arroyo regime to add P15 to the price subsidy for palay.
Southern Tagalog. Around 550 members of the Kalipunan ng Samahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Timog Katagalugan or KASAMA-TK held a picket on October 18 in front of the Department of Defense in Quezon City. They demanded the pullout of Task Force Banahaw from the region. In the evening, they joined the rally near Malaca�ang and in front of the US embassy.
Bicol. Around 500 members of KMP-Bicol held a three-day (October 16-18) encampment outside the DA office in Camarines Sur. By October 19, the number of rallyists reached 5,000.
Visayas. From October 19-21, some 5,000 members of KMP-Cebu launched a Lakbayan/Sakbayan. There was a "Lugaw alang sa kalinaw" (porridge for peace) campaign on October 20. The last day of activities was highlighted by a region-wide dialogue of peasants. A march-rally was held in various parts of Cebu. The rallyists later converged for the final activity-a play that depicted the Filipino people's struggle against colonialists and present-day landgrabbers.
Meanwhile, 1,000 members of the FIFA picketed in front of the DA office in Iloilo City.
Mindanao. On October 19, around 1,500 members of KMP-Cotabato rallied in front of the DENR office at the center of Cotabato City. Around 2,000 members of KASAMA Bukidnon also launched a march-rally in Valencia, Bukidnon. On October 17, around 2,000 members of KMP, Masipag, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other militant groups gathered at the Central Mindanao University in Maramag, Bukidnon to protest the field-testing of Bt-corn there. They formed an alliance against the entry or planting of genetically modified organisms or GMO in their area. Prior to this, 500 members of KASAMA Bukidnon picketed in front of the DA office in Cagayan de Oro.
Workers condemn P30 cost-of-living allowance
Thousands of workers and government employees conducted a huge protest action on October 25 to condemn and repudiate the recently approved P30 additional Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) in pMetro Manila. They said that this was an insult to workers and employees in the face of worsening poverty and joblessness.
The measly wage increase was ordered even as the majority of Congress and Senate and Malaca�ang itself blocked the proposal for a P125 across-the-board wage increase (HB No. 6205). This, despite the endorsement on October 24 by the House Committee on Labor and Employment, of HB No. 2605 which was filed by Bayan Muna representatives.
Workers belonging to the Kilusang Mayo Uno gathered very early in the morning at Liwasang Bonifacio. They marched towards Mabuhay Rotonda in Quezon City where they converged with the urban poor, women, youth and students and other democratic sectors. Demonstrators carried banners, placards and streamers that surrounded a giant effigy showing Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo aboard a military tank.
Measly as it is, the P30 COLA is to be given in two installments-the first half in November and the second in the latter half of February 2002. The next wage increase was also set for February 2003.
And even with its being so far removed from the P125 just wage increase for workers, the Employer's Confederation of the Philippines has nonetheless opposed the P30 increase. It warned of additional workers' layoffs before the month of December.
Indicators of economic crisis:
Layoffs. From January to September this year, 41,785 workers were retrenched and 37,239 were placed on job rotation.
Government debt. The government's total debts ballooned from P2.26 trillion ($43.68 billion) in June to P2.3 trillion ($44.4 billion) in July. Foreign debts account for P1.146 trillion.
Decline of the Philippine Stock Exchange(PSE). The PSE index further fell to 988.04, the lowest since October 11, 1991. Prior to this, market value had already fallen by 30% on October 9. The PSE is now considered as the second most sluggish market in the entire Southeast Asian region.
Growing budget deficit. The country's budget deficit reached P122.152 billion as of September this year. This is 1.6% in excess of the country's budget deficit target for the first nine months of 2001. The country earned P405.982 billion, or 0.9% lower than its target, while total expenditures reached P528.134 billion.
Investigation vs. Miguel Arroyo commences
The Senate investigation of Jose Miguel Arroyo, the president's husband, began on October 10. Arroyo is accused of having received P50 million in bribes in exchange for having his wife veto a law allowing the existence of a franchise monopoly to facilitate the interconnection of telecommunication services.
Arroyo is also being investigated for masterminding the illegal acquisition of P250 million from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to fund the campaign of four candidates under the People Power Coalition in the recently held elections.
Imelda Marcos worms way out of jail again
Imelda Marcos has once again evaded imprisonment. The Sandiganbayan had ordered her arrest on graft charges on October 17, but she went free after posting bail worth P120,000. The case has to do with the establishment of sham foundations in the 1980s to launder around $230 million in ill-gotten wealth deposited in Swiss banks.
In addition, Haydee Yorac, chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), has likewise stated that the PCGG would welcome a settlement with the Marcoses, as the latter had requested. Macapagal-Arroyo herself also admitted as soon as she assumed the presidency, that she is open to making compromises with the plundering Marcos family regarding their ill-gotten wealth.
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