Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of all-out war dictated by Colin Powell

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
August 06, 2002

Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of all-out war against the revolutionary movement conforms to US orders dictated to her by US Secretary of State Colin Powell during their talks the other day. This declaration is tied to the objective of ensuring the permanent presence of American troops and paving the way for their direct intervention in the counterrevolutionary war.

This declaration of all-out war is part of an entire US-designed scheme that will end with Macapagal-Arroyo "solicitation" of US assistance in its effort to fight the NPA.

Even before this declaration, the US and Macapagal-Arroyo had already planned the next "exercises" outside the Abu Sayyaf areas, and in the territories of the New People's Army and the organs of political power of the revolutionary movement.

After allegedly breaking the backbone of the Abu Sayyaf bandit group, the US-Macapagal Arroyo regime is now focusing attention on the New People's Army. Based on arrangements that have undergone continuous modifications, there are bigger openings for direct intervention by US troops like what had already been started in Basilan.

"The war on terrorism does not distinguish between ordinary terrorists and those espousing a political ideology," said chief puppet Arroyo, who insisted on turning a blind eye to the difference between the revolutionary people's army on the one hand, and bandits and criminal syndicates on the other. Chief puppet GMA also insinuated that her all-out war would encompass even the legal and democratic mass movement. Said the chief puppet, "We will wage war on criminals, terrorists, drug addicts, kidnappers, smugglers and those who terrorize factories that provide jobs."

We were not at all surprised by Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of all-out war. In fact, the AFP's all out counterrevolutionary war has been raging in the countryside for several months now.

As soon as she took power in January 2001, Macapagal-Arroyo secretly ordered massive assaults by the terrorist AFP and PNP on guerrilla fronts even as she declared that her government would pursue the peace talks with the NDFP. Before long, Macapagal-Arroyo discarded the peace talks.

Since the third quarter of 2001, thousands of AFP troops have been deployed by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime against the revolutionary movement. Along with the AFP's rampage against the people of Basilan, Sulu and Zamboanga, the fascist troops have also been wreaking widespread havoc on hundreds of thousands of people in Southern Tagalog (particularly in Laguna and Oriental Mindoro), Cagayan Valley (especially in Isabela), Central Luzon (especially in Tarlac and Pampanga), Central Visayas (especially in Bohol) and other areas where the revolutionary movement is widespread and strong.

In Southern Tagalog alone, hundreds of ordinary civilians have been victimized by rampant killings, massacres and mass arrests and imprisonment, with the hapless victims always accused of being NPA members or supporters. Most of the slain civilians were activists and leaders of mass organizations actively fighting for the rights and welfare of their respective sectors.

The revolutionary movement is ever ready for the all-out war declaration of any chief stooge of the puppet republic. It has never been fazed by any threat of brutal attack by the puppet republic's mercenary troops and even by the presence of, and threats of aggression from, American troops.

The Party, the people's army and the revolutionary movement will respond by intensifying the armed struggle and launching tactical offensives on the weakest sections of the enemy.

The Party stands ready to lead a patriotic war the moment American troops wage direct intervention, which includes entering the territory of the People's Revolutionary Government.

The succession of out-and-out puppet regimes-Marcos, Aquino, Ramos and Estrada-all tried to destroy, crush and annihilate the revolutionary movement. They all failed miserably. Filipino revolutionaries and communists are certain that the puppet Macapagal-Arroyo regime will likewise fail to subjugate the Filipino people's revolutionary and patriotic struggle.