�MAGDALO� RECANTATION CANNOT ABSOLVE STATE TERRORISM

Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos
Spokesperson
NDF-Mindanao
September 25, 2004

The �Magdalo Group�s� reversal statement is not completely a surprise. These imprisoned officers are under extreme pressures and are isolated from the mass membership of the AFP and the Filipino masses. Their struggle focused against graft and corruption and bureaucratic abuses of the AFP and the Arroyo Government but failed to arouse the people for more basic reforms such as genuine land reform, national industrialization and sovereignty against US imperialism. They failed to integrate their struggle with the national democratic revolution.

The protesting afp officers� recantation cannot cover up nor solve the corruption pervading within the AFP and PNP and within the government itself. Neither can this prevent the disintegration of a mercenary army such as the AFP. These cannot absolve the crimes of state terrorism of the US �Arroyo regime through their lapdogs Angelo Reyes, Victor Corpuz and US intelligence operatives in the series of bombings in Davao City and other parts of Mindanao. The evidence provided by the �Magdalo Group� is but a minor part of the evidences against state terrorism in Mindanao.

There are more reliable information that can prove the US Arroyo regime�s culpability of state terrorism in Mindanao. Until now the AFP and the Arroyo government cannot explain the mystery of Michael Merring�s bombs and his whereabouts. After the two bombings in Davao City, all the evidences were suppressed and the original findings of the foreign bomb experts were withheld. Victor Corpuz was in Davao City the night before the incident happened. Angelo Reyes was the AFP Chief of Staff of Estrada and Defense Secretary of Arroyo when the �all-out war� terrorism was launched in succession in Mindanao by the two regimes. These �all-out war� terrorism included bombings in Davao City and in many parts of Mindanao and howitzer and aerial bombings in the countrysides that dislocated more than 400,000 people.

The �Magdalo Group�s� statement of retraction proves among other things, that any struggle that is divorced from the AFP mass membership and the basic masses can easily be isolated by the reactionary regime. That any struggle that exposes corruption and criminal acts of the AFP and the bureaucratic state but short of addressing the more basic problem of feudalism and US imperialism cannot solve the fundamental problems of our society. That any struggle against the existing semi-feudal and semi-colonial society must be thoroughly revolutionary and must be led by a truly revolutionary party.

The July 27, 2003 �Magdalo Group�s� protest action presents legitimate grievances of the officers and men within the rotten AFP and within the present reactionary regime. The turn-around statement of the �Magdalo Group� officers should not deter the well-meaning and patriotic officers and men within the AFP and PNP to carry on their legitimate struggles and link these with the peoples� struggle for national freedom and democracy. The masses welcome you to the revolutionary fold!

Long live the patriotic soldiers!

(Signed)

Ka Oris

Spokesperson

National Democratic Front - Mindanao

September 25, 2004

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