A call on the Macapagal-Arroyo regime to stop the government�s military offensives and declare a joint ceasefire this Christmas season

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
December 08, 2001

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo�s acceptance of the NDFP�s proposal for a joint ceasefire declaration from December 15 to January 15 is a good thing. She must now match her declaration with concrete measures.

Such a SOMO would be beneficial for the release of prisoners of war held by the NPA and the release of political prisoners by the government and would also contribute a lot to improving the climate for the resumption of peace talks.

The SOMO would also thoroughly benefit the people especially in areas that have been battered by intense military operations launched by the government�s armed forces since June 2001.

Nonetheless, should a joint SOMO be declared, the people and the revolutionary armed forces must remain ever vigilant in the face of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime�s chicanery. There is need to continuously prepare and confront the regime�s brutal and ever intensifying attacks.

Historically, despite the declaration of SOMOs, the AFP has relentlessly violated them by launching offensive military operations. In addition, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime has, in the past several months, shown the dominance of militarist policies within the reactionary and puppet government as it confronts the rapidly deteriorating conditions and problems besetting the country.

Militarism is sure to intensify, along with the entry of additional military assistance from the US in the face of the US State Department�s inclusion of the revolutionary movement among its list of �terrorists�.

The militarist clique led by Angelo Reyes now stands dominant, the same clique behind the deposed Estrada regime�s warmongering. This clique has constantly been clamoring for the addition of tens of thousands more to the AFP and CAFGU�s troop strength as well as a bigger military budget despite the gargantuan budget deficit and debt, both foreign and domestic, and the continuing cuts in already deficient social service expenditures.

Since September 11, the government�s militarist policies have all the more become dominant. It is evident that the US� anti-terrorist war is considered by the puppet regime as a golden opportunity to offer the Philippines� territory, troops and services to further such imperialist aggression in exchange for substantial military and financial aid and other favors in business and trade. The reactionary and puppet government falls back on practicing a completely subservient foreign policy and implementing militarist policies in a situation where the country and the entire world are being bludgeoned by a most severe crisis.

The breadth, intensity and brutality of the newly seated Macapagal-Arroyo regime�s rampage in the countryside have definitely surpassed that of the deposed Estrada regime.

Mindoro has borne the brunt of militarization since Maj. Noel Buan was successfully released in the island on April 6. It is not only large-scale, massive and continuous search and destroy operations that are being conducted in Mindoro but rampant abductions, killings and terrorism (in the manner of Operation Phoenix in Vietnam) in villages suspected of supporting the revolutionary movement.

The revolutionary movement needs to prepare for the regime�s brutal continuation and planned escalation of its attacks. In the face of the intense attacks now being conducted by the regime on the NPA�s guerrilla fronts and mass base, a mere unilateral declaration and implementation of a ceasefire by the Party would not be viable.

Back to top