Editorial:
End the US-Estrada regime!

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

The Party is pleased that a growing number of patriotic and progressive forces are standing up to resist and put an end to the antipeople, pro-imperialist and utterly rotten Estrada government.

The anti-Estrada united front is further broadening and spreading rapidly throughout the country. It has a core composed of militant and revolutionary workers and peasants and consists of politicians, church people, government employees, professionals and others. It is characterized by different levels of formal and informal cooperation and coordination among the forces that comprise it.

It is Estrada himself who inflames the people's widespread unity and resistance. The all-out puppetry, fascism and rottenness of the US-Estrada regime has caused the Filipino people, especially the toiling masses, to suffer unprecedented oppression and exploitation. Thus, in the past two years, the people's unity against Estrada has been rapidly forged. In unity with them, the revolutionary forces firmly stand for the people's national and democratic interests and against all attempts to trample on these.

The regime is extremely desperate to crush the anti-Estrada united front. It employs the foulest means, including anticommunist witch hunting against legitimate mass organizations and threats to charge protest leaders with sedition. Still, these only serve to further expose the rottenness of the ruling regime and create ever-favorable conditions for further strengthening the people's unity and raising their level of militancy to end Estrada's rule.

The issue of what measures to take after Estrada's downfall can be resolved at the appropriate time through a consensus of a council of national unity to be comprised of representatives of the anti-Estrada united front. Militant workers and peasant organizations as well as other basic sectors and patriotic and progressive forces should strive to gain proper representation in this council.

It would be good if, corollary to the unity to end the Estrada regime, there would be unity as well against the worst antipeople and antinational policies and measures of Estrada such as the wage freeze, all-out trade liberalization, Oplan Makabayan, the Visiting Forces Agreement and others. This will open the possibility of attaining substantial reforms beneficial to the people and resuming the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to discuss its substantive agenda.

It is clear to the Party that the overthrow of the US-Estrada regime is not equivalent to revolutionary change. Or to put it another way, the complete realization of revolutionary goals will not occur with Estrada's ouster. Still, this process opens fine opportunities for the revolutionary movement to advance in a big way. Thus, the Party and all revolutionary forces should act judiciously to further unite the people and intensify mass struggles to overthrow the US-Estrada regime.

All revolutionary forces should persuade the biggest number of influential personalities and types of organizations in different places and milieus including schools, offices, communities and churches to participate in meetings, rallies and other activities to express their disgust over the Estrada government.

While the anti-Estrada united front does not need a centralized type of organization, it can agree to launch major mass actions on specific dates in order to muster the strength of millions of people.

As mass struggles intensify, counterrevolutionary groups will surely attempt to steal the limelight in order to put a damper on these struggles or sabotage its advance. We should continue to uphold the Party's policy against any form of unity with counterrevolutionaries. It is now ever important to expose the rottenness and wicked deeds of these counterrevolutionary groups.

The Party trusts that, so long as there is cooperation among the broad forces in the united front, the Estrada government will not last another one or two years. The crisis of the ruling system will further intensify during this period. The US-Estrada regime will continue to be rocked by its own scandals and by factionalism in the civil and military bureaucracy. More and bigger tactical offensives by the New People's Army (NPA) as well as the continuing armed resistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will deal it ever-bigger blows. The regime's resources will be rapidly depleted as it pours funds into its all-out military offensive.

While the anti-Estrada united front is being expanded and strengthened, the revolutionary forces should continue to exercise their initiative and carry out measures to strengthen themselves. They should further strengthen themselves in an all-sided way in order to advance and intensify the revolutionary struggle.

While the anti-Estrada united front is being expanded and strengthened, the revolutionary forces should continue to exercise their initiative and carry out measures to strengthen themselves. They should further strengthen themselves in an all-sided way in order to advance and intensify the revolutionary struggle. More than ever, the Party and revolutionary forces should take advantage of the crisis of the ruling system and vigorously intensify tactical offensives, advance the agrarian revolution, expand the revolutionary mass base and expand and strengthen the Party, NPA and Red political power in the countryside. There is need to persevere in carrying out antiimperialist, antifeudal and antifascist mass struggles in order not to lose sight of the people's more fundamental interests. As the revolutionary movement strengthens itself, it enhances its position in the anti-Estrada united front. This will likewise contribute to the strengthening of the united front and its capability to unite the people and marshal their strength in their millions to end the US-Estrada regime.

March 2000
English Edition

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