PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

CPP reiterates call to oust Arroyo, deplores suppression of mass actions
September 6, 2003

The Communist Party of the Philippines today condemned the suppression of mass actions in Makati and Manila the past two days and said that the employment of force to stifle legitimate dissent will only fuel further indignation and even bigger demonstrations to demand the ouster of the Arroyo regime.

"Arroyo is now employing the policy of 'minimum tolerance' against demonstrations in the vain hope that this would prevent the swelling of protests actions calling for the overthrow of her regime," said Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, spokesman of the CPP. "She hasn't learned from history. The more you suppress the people, the more will they be determined to fight."

In his statement, Rosal reiterated the Communist Party's call "to launch massive demonstrations to overthrow the Arroyo regime in the same way that Marcos and Estrada were booted out of Malacanang".

"Arroyo's regime is tottering more than ever on the sheer weight of big-time corruption involving her husband and family," Rosal said. "Her regime is despised by the people because of its blind puppetry to the US, its militarism and corruption."

"In carrying out massive demonstrations, the people can boot out Arroyo from Malacanang and let Vice President Teofisto Guingona take over," Rosal said.

"As president, Guingona will do well to rectify Arroyo's wrongdoings," Rosal said. "He can order an impartial investigation into the cases of corruption, not only of Arroyo, but that of the past regimes as well and determinedly mete out justice."

"Among the foremost things that Guingona can immediately do," Rosal added, "is to resume peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front. To pave the way for peace negotiations, he should rescind Arroyo's policy of regarding as "terrorists" the Communist Party, the New People's Army and NDF senior political consultant Jose Ma. Sison, and push for the implementation of all previous GRP-NDF agreements including the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law"

"In the pursuit of peace, Guingona can order a stop to Arroyo's all-out war of terror in the countryside and the withdrawal of troops from highly militarized areas including the Mindoro island, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Compostela Valley, Ilocos Sur and other areas," Rosal said.

"As President, Guingona can pursue his avowed patriotism and act to repeal the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement, put an end to the Balikatan 'exercises', withdraw the secret immunity agreement with the US against prosecution of US forces in the International Criminal Court, stop the tinkering of the constitution for the US' benefit and terminate the increasing US military intervention in the Philippines," Rosal added.

Rosal, however, said that the crisis of the ruling system will persist even with the overthrow of the Arroyo government. "The entire ruling oppressive and exploitative system needs to be completely overhauled. The revolutionary movement led by the Party aims to eventually replace the rotten puppet republic with a people's revolutionary government that is truly sovereign, democratic, just and progressive."

"In contrast to the Arroyo regime," Rosal said "the revolutionary democratic government being established in guerilla bases of the NPA in the countryside enjoy growing support among the masses because it unwaveringly advances land reform and other basic interest of the people as well as national freedom from US imperialist domination and oppression."#

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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