News
7 soldiers killed, 17 wounded in Surigao del Sur ambush
Seven soldiers were killed and 17 were seriously wounded in an ambush by Red fighters in Surigao del Sur on March 15. According to correspondence reports from Northeast Mindanao, it was around 1 p.m. when the NPA Ka Bob Ruiz Command (BRC-NPA) opened fire on a dumptruck filled with elements of the 62nd IB in Barangay Tagbobonga, Hinatuan. An NPA unit under the BRC was on its way to another area to launch a tactical offensive when it received reports of enemy movements in Tagbobonga. Using the intelligence data thay had gathered, they immediately set an ambush trap. The soldiers were ambushed while they were traversing the PICOP Concession Road from their base in Sta. Maria, Trento, Agusan del Sur on their way to Bislig City in Surigao del Sur.
The 62nd IB is a notorious fascist unit responsible for wreaking havoc on the people of Agusan del Sur and serves as goons of the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines (PICOP).
A Red fighter was killed in the clash.
No tactical offensives during Holy Week - Ka Roger
Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal clarified on March 20 that the NPA would not conduct tactical offensives during the Holy Week except under "special circumstances". He said that this was out of respect for "Catholic tradition". He also explained that contrary to erroneous reports in the media, this was not tantamount to a ceasefire declaration.
In this regard, Ka Roger assailed the Macapagal-Arroyo regime's deceptive declaration of a unilateral ceasefire for the Holy Week. He stressed that this was "mere posturing by the regime to make it appear that it was pro-peace" and that the regime "would not implement its ceasefire anyway". The regime is using its declaration to call on the Valentin Palamine Command in Far South Mindanao to release its prisoners of war despite the absence of a SOMO (suspension of offensive military operations) in the region.
2 policemen killed, 1 wounded in Samar raid
Two policemen were killed and one was wounded when New People�s Army (NPA) guerrillas raided the Philippine National Police (PNP) station in Motiong, Samar on February 28. The station is only several score meters away from the Maharlika Highway, the main thoroughfare linking the entire country from Luzon to Mindanao.
The raid was conducted at 4:30 a.m. and was over in 30 minutes. The successful raid yielded 10 M16s, three M14s, a 12-gauge shotgun, four 9 mm pistols, four grenades, ammunition, magazines and other military equipment.
Several score from the people�s militia participated in the raid. A team of Red fighters and militia set up a temporary roadblock along the Maharlika Highway while the tactical offensive was underway, to prevent civilians from being caught in the crossfire.
Contrary to media reports, the NPA did not sustain any casualty. Before they withdrew, the guerrillas went on formation in front of the municipal hall to make sure that all NPA and militia forces were fine and accounted for.
Utterly shamed by the incident, the PNP command in Eastern Visayas ordered the relief of the entire Motiong police force including its chief, Senior Insp. Isidro Acaylar. Also ordered relieved was Samar PNP provincial director Senior Supt. Felipe Portacio.
Release of NDF leader demanded
NDFP chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni recently demanded the release of Edgardo Sacamay, NDF peace panel consultant for Central Visayas. Sacamay was abducted by AFP elements in Subangdaku, Cebu on March 5. He was blindfolded and mauled and denied the right to see his family and consult with human rights advocates. He was also subjected to intense interrogation and accused of an assortment of crimes.
Electricity rates to rise by 116%
Electricity rates are set to rise by 116% due to a petition filed with the Energy Regulatory Board by the Manila Electric Cooperative (Meralco). The disclosure was made by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) on March 25. The electric rate hike means that consumers will be paying an additional P3.97 per kilowatt hour (KwH). According to BAYAN, Meralco is invoking the Electric Industry Power Reform Act which allows "unbundling" or the segregation of basic electricity charges into its different components. It also calls for a hike of P1.12 per KwH on basic charges and P2.85 on the other components.
Plunder Watch rally violently dispersed
Policemen violently dispersed a rally being held by hundreds of Plunder Watch members in front of the Sandiganbayan on March 13. The rally was launched during a hearing of Joseph Estrada�s perjury case. The rallyists demanded "no compromise, no exile for Estrada". Police broke up the rally despite an earlier agreement allowing the demonstrators to hold a program in the area.
Bombs planted in Metro Manila
To terrorize the people, seven bombs were planted and discovered in several public places in Metro Manila. The "bombs" were designed not to explode but to sow fear. The explosive devices were all found almost at the same time by PNP elements. They were all accompanied by manifestos from an "Indigenous Federal State Army". The bomb scare is believed to have been perpetrated by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime to justify the entry of American troops in the Philippines.
Oil prices hiked anew
Oil companies hiked prices of petroleum products by 30-35 centavos on March 19. As usual, they justified the hike by saying that prices of crude oil have risen in the international market. Progressive organizations and forces, who were quick to protest the move, also condemned the collusion between the Macapagal-Arroyo regime and the oil companies.
P10-B compensation for martial law victims pushed by Congress
The Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives passed on March 10 House Bills 3793 and 3048 obliging the state to grant compensation to victims of martial law and allotted P10 billion for this purpose. The bills were filed by Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran and Liza Maza of Bayan Muna and Oscar Rodriguez of Pampanga.
Government debt swells
For 2001 alone, government borrowings ballooned to P218.207 billion. This is on top of its P2.166 trillion debt for 2000. More than half is in the form of government bonds and debts incurred by various government agencies.
Macapagal-Arroyo-Cojuangco deal assailed
More than a hundred small coconut farmers led by the Bicol Coconut Planters Association, Inc., Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and Pinag-isang Lakas ng Magbubukid sa Quezon rallied in front of the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) office in Pasig City on February 27. They opposed the deal between SMC and Kirin Co., Ltd. and demanded the ouster of Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco from SMC. They said that the deal only strengthened Cojuangco�s control over funds that rightfully belonged to the farmers.
Unemployment worsens
The unemployment rate rose from 9.8% in October 2001 to 10.3% in January. This was the result of the latest Labor Force Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office. Of those who lost their jobs since October 2001, as many as 247,000 were from the agricultural sector, 47,000 from the service sector and 86,000 from the industrial sector.
553 Metro Manila companies ask exemption from CoLA
With all the loopholes that could be availed of in granting cost of living allowances (CoLA), 553 companies in Metro Manila have applied for exemption from paying the P30 daily CoLA to their workers. Among those qualified to seek exemption by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards are establishments that are "going bankrupt"; business about to go bankrupt and banks that are facing problems.
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