News
1 SOLDIER KILLED, 4 WOUNDED IN SURIGAO SUR AMBUSH
A soldier of the 62nd IB was killed and three others were wounded in an ambush staged by Red fighters in Hatuan, Surigao del Sur on November 24. Another soldier, Cpl. Alex Nuvillo, was captured and released on November 27. He was released to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The soldiers were ambushed after they were ordered to pursue the Red
fighters who launched a punitive action against the Paper Industries Corp. of the Philippines (PICOP) that same day. The NPA scorched two dump trucks owned by the company. This was in punishment for the cruelty of PICOP against its workers and farmers residing within its concession. According to the NPA, hundreds of workers were laid off by PICOP. The company also demolished the houses of farmers, uprooted their crops and destroyed their farms.
2 SOLDIERS KILLED IN NPA AMBUSH IN ILOCOS SUR
Two soldiers of the 50th IB were killed and two were wounded in an ambush launched by the NPA on November 19 in Barangay Maratodo, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. The soldiers were conducting foot patrol when ambushed by the Red fighters.
NPA RAIDS PNP STATION IN WESTERN SAMAR
The NPA raided a Philippine National Police (PNP) station in the town hall of San Jose de Buan, Western Samar, at dawn on November 17. The NPA at once disarmed and temporarily arrested the two policemen guarding the station. The guerrillas confiscated three M16 rifl es, one cal.38, six rifle grenades, 15 short M16 magazines and 1,880 rounds of ammunition for M16. The two policemen were immediately released after talks with the Red fighters. Meanwhile, the NPA punished two incorrigible PNP intelligence operatives that same day.
NPA PUNISHES FORMER POLICEMAN IN RIZAL
The NPA-Narciso Antazo Aramil Command punished Leonardo Santos, former element of the Philippine Constabulary, on November 14. At around 10:00 in the morning, Red fighters blocked Santos� car along Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal. After carrying out the punitive action, the guerrillas left a statement, which enumerated Santos� crimes against the movement and the people. He grabbed ancestral lands from minority groups and was involved in many operations wherein leaders of militant groups were executed. He was also a rabid operative of the AFP�s 2nd ID based in Tanay, Rizal.
SUCCESSFUL TACTICAL OFFENSIVES LAUNCHED IN SOUTHERN MINDANAO
Successful military actions were consecutively launched in Southern Mindanao this November. No less than 27 high-powered firearms were confiscated and 19 reactionary forces were killed in separate tactical offensives by the New People�s Army in the region this month.
Ambush in Cateel. Eighteen soldiers were killed on November 10 and 21 high-powered firearms were seized by the NPA when they ambushed the 27th Special Forces Company troops of the AFP in Spar Dos, Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental. Eleven more soldiers were wounded in the ambush. At around 12:30 in the afternoon, the NPA detonated a land mine against the truck carrying the troops. They were on their way to reinforce their fellow soldiers who had earlier encountered Red fighters.
Disarming at Pantukan. On November 3, Red fighters successfully disarmed police and CAFGU elements in a PNP detachment in Panganason, Pantukan, Compostela Valley. The NPA attacked the detachment at dawn. The enemy was made to surrender and the guerrillas confiscated five M16 rifles, one carbine, one hand-held radio, one VHF base radio and three cellular phones. Elements of the Pantukan Police, 1102nd Police Mobile Group and 60th IB of the AFP attempted but failed to reinforce their fellow troopers, because the NPA retreated immediately and safely.
Punitive action against telecommunications companies. Four telecommunications facilities were scorched by the NPA in Compostela Valley on November 12 at around 6:30 in the evening. The Red fighters destroyed the facilities of the Philippine Long Distance and Telephone Co., Philcom, Liberty Telecoms and Dole Philippines. These companies were punished for refusing to pay revolutionary taxes. The facilities were all located in Barangay Tuburan, Mawab. Despite being only a kilometer or two away from the camp of the 701st Army Brigade, the latter�s troops were not able to come to the rescue of the companies.
Punitive action against an undesirable element. Due to his long record of actively conspiring with the government and other bad elements against the revolutionary movement, the NPA punished barangay councilor Mario Capillan of Barangay Panangalan, Davao Oriental. The punishment was carried out in Sitio Languan, Barangay San Roque, New Bataan, Compostela Valley on November 4.
NPA DESTROYS CELL SITES IN CENTRAL LUZON
The NPA destroyed cell sites in four Central Luzon provinces on November 10 and 11. This was carried out as punishment for the stubborn refusal of Globe and Smart to pay taxes to the revolutionary movement. The Red fighters scorched cell sites in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga and Bataan. Damage to facilities was estimated at P100 million.
The Globe cell site in Abucay, Bataan, was destroyed at around 5:30 in the afternoon; the Smart cell site in Mu�oz, Nueva Ecija was attacked at around 8:55 in the evening. This was followed by the scorching of a Piltel cell site in Lubao, Pampanga. The Smart cell site in Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City, still under construction, was attacked past midnight on November 11. No one was hurt in the attacks.
PUNTIVE ACTIONS LAUNCHED IN NORTH COTABATO
The Magtanggol Roque Command (MRC) of the North Cotabato NPA punished Binao Amolo, Zaldy Loma and Nonoy Ani�on, all of Makilala, in separate actions in October and November.
According to MRC spokesperson Ka Ricardo Benjamin, the three were proven by the people�s court to be guilty of rape, murder and theft. Amolo, a resident of Barangay Malasila, was punished on October 7. Loma, a resident of New Bulatukan, was punished on November 8. Ani�on, also of Barangay Malasila, was punished on November 11.
ZAMBOANGA FARMERS BLOCK MINING OPERATIONS
Farmers from Barangay Dalapan, San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur successfully blocked mining operations of A Dynasty Multipurpose Cooperative on October 3.
The company planned to extract marble and bentonite reserves from more than 2,000 hectares or nine barangays in San Miguel and Guipos towns when more than 100 peasants erected camps on the areas to be mined.
The farmers� continued protests inspired the formation of many sectoral and multisectoral alliances against the mining operations. On October 3, the plan of A Dynasty to begin drilling operations was blocked because the protesters were able to prevent the entry of A Dynasty�s drilling equipment.
REGIONAL PEASANT ALLIANCE LAUNCHED IN CORDILLERA
The founding congress of the Alyansa Dagiti Pesante iti Taeng Kordilyera (APIT Kordilyera), a Cordillera-wide peasant alliance, was held from October 15-17. APIT Kordilyera is now the newest chapter of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.
The congress was attended by 217 delegates representing 116 peasant organizations from all of the six provinces of Cordillera � Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Benguet. Also present were around 49 representatives from five non-government organizations that focus on the advocacy of issues and struggles of peasants, and six observers from the Cordillera People�s Alliance. The event was sponsored by the Itogon-Inter-Barangay Alliance (IIB-A), an alliance of people persistently resisting the construction of the destructive San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam in Itogon, Benguet.
The congress forged a 13-point program to fight the oppression and exploitation of farmers and national minorities of the Cordillera and to promote their fundamental and immediate interests.
TRIBAL FILIPINO WEEK CELEBRATIONS HELD
Tribal Filipino Week was celebrated on two separate occasions in October.
On October 14, Peasant Day and Tribal Filipino Week were simultaneously commemorated by more than 100 farmers, students, church workers and professionals from the uplands and plains of Abra. It was spearheaded by the Kakailyan Salakniban Tay Amin a Nagtaudan (Let Us All Defend Our Nativeland or KASTAN), an alliance of various people�s mass organizations in Abra.
During the occasion, the aggressive implementation of destructive projects in Abra and in the entire regions of Ilocos and Cordillera by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, was opposed. The 503rd Brigade was repudiated as an instrument in the fascist and deceptive design to implement these inimical projects.
On October 5, around 150 Cordillerans and their supporters in Manila gathered to "reaffirm the Cordillera people�s struggle for self-determination and their oneness with the Filipino people in aspiring for freedom, justice and peace." The occasion was highlighted by a celebration of indigenous cultural presentations. The long history of the Cordillera people�s valiant struggles was reviewed. Among these were the Tingguian struggle against the Cellophil Resources Corporation in the 1970s and the Bontoc and Kalinga resistance against the imperialist Chico Dam project, which cost the life of hero Macliing Dulag.
The state of the continuing struggle of the Cordillera people against destructive rojects such as mega dams and large-scale mining and deceptive schemes such as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act and the National Integrated Protected Areas System, was also discussed.
FIRST MIGRANTS' CONFERENCE HELD
The very first conference of migrants was held in Manila on November 5-7. The meeting was entitled "International Migrants Conference on Forced Labor Export and Forced Migration Amidst Globalization".
It was sponsored by Migrante, Gabriela, Contak Philippines and Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrant Filipinos. Present in the conference were representatives from the ranks of migrant workers, migrants, political refugees and other nationalities forced to flee their respective countries. Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia, other than the Philippines, were some of the countries that sent delegates to the conference.
The conference was launched in order to gather major migrants� formations from various countries. Key speakers like Prof. Jose Maria Sison, general consultant of the nternational League of Peoples Struggles, Atty. Romeo Capulong, head of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines committee on migrant affairs, and Antonio Tujan, executive director of IBON Databank, discussed the problems confronting migrants. Among the topics discussed were wage cuts and other forms of exploitation against migrant workers, importation of cheap labor by means of human smuggling, the US� war of aggression against Central Asia and the Middle East and problems confronting seafarers and political refugees.
YOUTH CONFERENCE IN METRO MANILA CONDUCTED
A Youth Conference in Metro Manila was held on October 20. The conference discussed the situation of the country�s youth and their part in forging a progressive society. It was attended by hundreds of youth from various organizations, colleges, universities, parishes and communities in Metro Manila.
Progressive video and cultural shows were presented during the conference. The most significant part was the signing of the "Statement of Unity and Principles" by all participants. It described the severe poverty in Metro Manila and exposed the regime�s brazen treachery on the issue of a just wage increase for workers and government employees. The regime�s all-out support for the US-led war against Afghanistan was condemned.
Based on this, they declared support for the demand for a P125 across-the-board nationwide wage increase for workers and a P3,000 across-the-board salary increase for teachers and government employees; the demand for the dismantling of regional wage boards; and opposition to the Macapagal-Arroyo regime�s all-out support of the "counter-terrorist war" as well as support for the urban poor�s campaigns against demolition.
INCREASE IN PGH FEES OPPOSED
More than 250 doctors, health workers and students of medicine launched a two-hour picket and noise barrage on November 12 in front of the Philippine General Hospital to oppose the increase in the public hospital�s fees.
The protesters criticized PGH Memorandum No. 01-13 which changes and increases fees charged for more than 40 laboratory procedures and hospital supplies. A doctor explained, "This will only worsen the already miserable health conditions of our patients."
The protesters burned a symbolic moneybag filled with bombs to emphasize the government�s budgetary priority for the military while disregarding the welfare of the impoverished people and passing on to them the burden of exorbitant fees.
ANTI-IMPERIALIST PROTESTS WAGED IN CLARK AND NEW YORK
The arrival on November 14 of six US F-18 bomber jets that refueled at the Clark Special Economic Zone before proceeding to Afghanistan in the name of the "counter-terrorist" war was met with protests. This marked the beginning of a series of militant groups� antiwar protests that are to be held until December 10.
More than 400 rallyists led by the Promotion of Church People�s Response gathered at the Clark entrance. They vehemently opposed the Arroyo regime�s participation in the US-led war. "Joining this war is also engaging in terrorist activity," they said.
Since November 4, up to 23 US military airplanes had refueled in Clark for the US� war of aggression.
Meanwhile, scores of Filipinos and Americans launched a protest action before the Philippine Consulate in New York on November 18. The mass action was held in time with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo�s trip to the US to forge deals with her master concerning terrorist and anti-people policies.
OPPOSE THE WTO! � ILPS
The International League of Peoples Struggles (ILPS) is one with the Filipino people in the cry to "Intensify the fight against imperialist plunder! Junk the World Trade Organization (WTO)!"
The ILPS expressed its support when protest actions were held in the Philippines in opposition to the WTO summit held in Qatar from November 9-13. According to the ILPS, all that the WTO achieved during the last five years was the destruction of the economies of oppressed nations, the demise of local industries, the ruin of agriculture and food security, the dislocation of millions of peasants and farm workers and the worsening poverty of the toiling masses.
The ILPS pledged total support to what it viewed as positive signs of increasing awareness of the peoples of the world � the mounting resistance to imperialist globalization in various parts of the world, such as the reaction shown by various nationalities to the US war of aggression against Afghanistan.
DONATO CONTINENTE'S RELEASE DEMANDED
Human rights advocates and other supporters demanded the immediate release of Donato Continente. He and Juanito Itaas were wrongly accused of, and forced to admit to the killing in 1989 of Col. James Rowe, official of the Joint US-RP Military Advisory Group(JUSMAG).
Continente and Itaas were sentenced to life imprisonment in February 1991 and had served their minimum sentence by October 2001. However, they remain imprisoned in accordance with US imperialist dictates. US Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific, Thomas Hubbard himself, went straight to Macapagal-Arroyo in March 2001 to order the removal of the names of Continente and Itaas from the list of political prisoners set for release.
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO CONTINUES TO OBSTRUCT NDFP AND GRP PEACE TALKS
The Macapagal-Arroyo Regime continues to hinder the peace talks between the GRP and the NDFP. This, despite the earlier agreement between the NDFP and the GRP to conduct the next round of talks on December 10-14, hold the first meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee, continue the discussion on social and economic reforms and for both sides to take goodwill and confidence-building measures, such as the GRP�s release of political detainees and the NDFP�s release of its prisoners. These agreements were arrived at through back-channel talks.
Macapagal-Arroyo persistently uses as pretext the NDFP�s refusal to stop what the GRP labels as "political assassinations". According to NDFP panel chair Luis Jalandoni, however, the NDFP implements "arrest orders released by democratic organs of political power for those charged with criminal cases against the people, and who are under the jurisdiction of the people�s government according to the justice and legal processes of the revolutionary movement and according to international humanitarian law." Jalandoni said that the more important reason behind the talks� suspension was Macapagal-Arroyo�s desire and that of the militarists behind her to prioritize and pursue concentrated military operations against the NPA.
US AND RP FORGING NEW MILITARY AGREEMENT
A new military agreement is being arranged under wraps by the US and the Philippines. This November, secret negotiations to finalize the Mutual Logistics Sharing Agreement(MLSA) were held between the military officials of Bush and Macapagal-Arroyo�s government. The MLSA plans to activate an "inter-operability" coordination (a euphemism for joint military operations) between the US and the AFP. The regime also intends to sign it as a bilateral executive order to skirt any opposition from a senate ratification.
According to reports, the MLSA will provide access rights to US troops that would allow unrestricted use of all ports and facilities of the Philippines. Furthermore, US military forces will be allowed transit rights and prolonged stay in the country. Essentially, this devious agreement revives the Military Bases Agreement abrogated in 1991. It would accelerate the international military strategy of the US to position its troops in the Asia-Pacific and other areas for quick deployment.
EXPOS�S OF MACAPAGAL-ARROYO'S CORRUPTION CONTINUE
There are continuing expos�s of Macapagal-Arroyo�s corruption.
The deal between Macapagal-Arroyo and Marcos crony Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco regarding the coco levy funds has reaped criticism from all sides. Among those criticizing her are organizations and groups, which used to be allied with Macapagal-Arroyo during EDSA 2. Macapagal-Arroyo and Cojuangco agreed that the P130-billion coco levy funds (tax collected from the sale of copra) shall remain private and in the hands of Cojuangco and Maria Clara Lobregat (chairperson of the Philippine Coconut Producers� Federation or COCOFED.) Because these funds were collected from taxes paid by coconut farmers from 1973 to 1982, the farmers claim ownership over them. To placate the farmers, P50 billion from these funds shall be allotted as a COCOFED-managed trust fund allegedly for the rehabilitation of the coconut industry. According to the People�s Consultative Assembly, Macapagal-Arroyo is set to gain P20 billion from this deal. Also according to the PCA, Macapagal-Arroyo earned around P3 billion in exchange for the noncontinuance of the case against Lucio Tan. Macapagal-Arroyo also allegedly raked in $16 million from the controversial IMPSA deal wherein Sec. Hernani Perez of the Department of Justice was implicated.
The People�s Consultative Assembly is one of the groups that actively supported Macapagal-Arroyo during EDSA 2. The PCA started castigating the regime when it exposed the alleged corruption of first gentleman Miguel Arroyo.
Meanwhile, businessman Pacifico Marcelo revealed that Macapagal-Arroyo demanded control over the majority interest (51%) of his company, Philippine Communications Clearinghouse, Inc. (PCCI). According to its concept, PCCI would become a center through which all transactions from various communication networks shall pass. It is expected to earn an estimated $1.1 billion annually from only 20% of all call transactions. According to Marcelo, all his contracts were cancelled after Arroyo insisted that her camp, and not PCCI, should establish this type of clearinghouse.
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PLUNDER LAW
A heavy load was taken off the minds of worried democratic forces and the people when the Supreme Court rejected on November 19 the motion filed by Estrada questioning the plunder law. According to Estrada�s lawyers, the law is ambiguous and unconstitutional, and thus violates the right to due process.
With a vote of 10 to deny the motion, four to approve and one abstention, the Supreme Court agreed to the constitutionality of the law. Thus, father and son Joseph and Jinggoy Estrada shall remain detained without bail, and if proven guilty of plundering P50 million or more, they may yet be sentenced to death.
Meanwhile, the trial of the Estradas plods along slowly, is disorderly and full of gimmickry. Various requests, drama, gimmicks and maneuvers are being made left and right by the Estradas in order to further delay and obstruct the trial, in the hope that it would be overtaken by changes in the political situation that would be more favorable to them. The father and son�s various minor ailments are being magnified. They repeatedly demand that Estrada�s knee ailment be treated in the US because allegedly, only US doctors could treat it. Likewise, they are demanding that Estrada�s cataract be operated on in the US. Medical experts in the country, however, assert that they are capable of treating his simple knee ailment, the cataract in his eye and all his other discomforts.
IMELDA CONFIRMS MARCOS-TAN TIE-UP
For the first time, Imelda Marcos has revealed that her dictator husband, Ferdinand Marcos, was the true owner of most of the companies of Lucio Tan, including Foremost Farms, Inc., Asia Brewery, Inc., Fortune Tobacco Corp., Himmel Industries, and Shareholdings Inc., the holding company for all these companies.
Prior to this, Imelda only admitted that Marcos was able to acquire an interest in Tan�s companies. In her new revelation, Imelda said that Marcos and Tan conspired in dividing their wealth.
According to her, the dictator and Tan agreed during the latter part of the 1980s to consolidate their interests in various businesses under one company named Shareholdings, Inc. According to the deal, a 60-40 wealth sharing agreement was made in favor of the Marcoses. Three holding companies (which managed the interests of their owners in various other companies) were formed: two to manage Marcos� interests and one for Tan.
GOVERNMENT OFFERS PNB TO TAN
The government is offering Lucio Tan "first priority rights" to increase his ownership holdings of the Philippine National Bank in the new scheme to privatize the bank fully.
Two years ago, Tan was able to control 46% of PNB�s assets from a fraudulent purchase of a cheap public stocks offering by the bank. Last year, the government poured some P25 billion loans into the bank to solve its financial obligations, such as unpaid loans. By September, this reached 53% or P51.6 billion. The financial problems remain, necessitating drastic measures for rehabilitation to make the bank more saleable.
The initial rehabilitation program recommends wiping out the P25 billion debts through a debt swap by transforming the debt into owners� stocks for the government. Thus, the 16% formerly owned by the government would become 44.95%. This will also result in a readjustment of Tan�s stocks from 46% to 44.95%.
By equalizing the stocks of the government and Tan, the former can bring in more resources and personnel to manage and rehabilitate the bank. To fully operationalize this scheme, the bank needs another P10 billion cash infusion. This will surely come from unloading the stocks of the government according to the privatization program for the bank.
The government will unload all its stocks in PNB as dictated by the IMF. It is finalizing measures for the first priority option offer for Tan to purchase the stocks and therefore wrest super-majority control over the bank. Tan is inclined on total control of PNB because Philippine Airlines and other companies owned by Tan are among the biggest debtors of the bank.
RPA ADMITS TO BEING COJAUNGCO'S PRIVATE ARMY
The Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade(RPA-ABB) admitted that it is a private army of Marcos and Estrada crony Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.
Carapali Lualhati, RPA leader, admitted that they were protecting a controversial "corporative" project of Cojuangco in Pinggot, Ilog, Negros Occidental. Farmers are opposed to it because it encroaches on the lands they till. In the meantime, cases have been piling up regarding the RPA-ABB�s extortion from farmers, gravel and sand concessionaires, small-store owners and even politicians.
TACTICAL OFFENSIVES LAUNCHED ANEW IN NEPAL
The guerrilla fighters of the Communist Party of Nepal (PKN-Maoist) successfully launched three coordinated tactical offensives on November 23. Thirty-two troopers of the reactionary army and police died in the offensives launched in Syangja region in the western part of Nepal.
The attack marked the end of a ceasefire agreement between the government and PKN-Maoist after the government reneged on its promise to end the constitutional monarchy and establish a republican state.
Meanwhile, King Gyanedra imposed a state of emergency on November 27 and declared the closure of all Leftist publications, banned demonstrations and ordered the arrest of all suspected supporters of the revolutionary movement. As a sign of protest, the Nepalese people are poised to declare a general strike on December 7.
The PKN-Maoist is waging a national-democratic revolution in Nepal, a country in South Asia between India and China. It has a population of 24 million.
RECESSION HITS US, GERMANY AND JAPAN
In succession, economists and officials of the three most powerful imperialist powers have admitted that their economies are in recession. This is the first time since 1970 that the US, Japan and Germany simultaneously experienced a downturn in their economies.
The US National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared on November 26 that the economy has been in recession since March 2001. This is the tenth recession experienced by the US since the end of World War II. The economy is expected to continue its decline by another 1.5% in the last quarter of the year. The recession is expected to last up to the middle of 2002.
According to standards set by economists, a country�s economy is in recession if it experiences a slowdown in local production for two consecutive quarters | 
