On the terrorism of US imperialism and the Macapagal-Arroyo regime

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
September 12, 2002

The Communist Party of the Philippines commemorates the death of thousands of Americans and other nationalities victimized by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York.

It will be remembered that the Communist Party expressed its outrage last year over this incident. At the same time the CPP likewise condemned the more widespread and far greater evil represented by the terorrism perpetrated by US imperialism that daily ravages millions of people worldwide.

A year later today, the CPP affirms even more its stand against terrorism, specially the terrorism of US imperialism that has been wreaking havoc the world over. The US has been coercing all countries, violating their sovereignty and shunting aside international institutions, agreements and standards of civilized relations among independent nations.

The CPP denounces US imperialism's terrorism, aggression and warmongering. The CPP also condemns the Macapagal-Arroyo regime which has done nothing but blindly obey the orders of its master US President Bush.

It is utterly irresponsible, baseless and malicious for the US and the regime to tag the CPP and the NPA as terrorist. It is twisted logic that is behind Macapagal-Arroyo's contention that the CPP and the NPA are "generic terrorists" because they are waging armed struggle to overthrow the reactionary government. If Macapagal-Arroyo had even the slightest familiarity with international law, she would have known that worldwide, there is widespread recognition of the difference between terrorism and revolutionary armed resistance to an oppressive state like the puppet republic of the Philippines.

Branding the CPP and the NPA as terrorist was worked out only to justify the continued presence of American troops in the country. This past year, US imperialism and the Macapagal-Arroyo regime made use of the "war against terrorism" as a pretext for the return of American troops to the country and to secure their permanent presence. The US has used and will continue using joint military exercises to conceal its intervention in the Philippines' internal affairs.

The CPP and the NPA aver that terrorism has no place in, and is contrary to, the advancement of revolutionary armed struggle and that it violates international standards on the conduct of war. This stand was not merely stated by Ka Roger, but is stipulated in the basic principles and rules that NPA fighters adhere to.

In practice, if the CPP and the NPA were employing terrorism, or if they were troubling, oppressing or terrorizing the people, there would not have been an armed revolutionary struggle that is nationwide in scope, enjoys the support and allegiance of millions of Filipinos and is continuously expanding and gaining strength.

Terrorism has no place in the advancement of people's war. It is contrary to basic revolutionary principles. In fact, the revolution would not advance as a broad mass undertaking if it employed terrorism and ran roughshod over the interests and welfare of the masses.

To the US and the reactionary state, the CPP and the NPA are terrorist because their objectives, principles and practice bring fear and inflict damage on them. But they are the only ones affected.

To the masses of workers and peasants, the real terrorists are the AFP, the PNP and other mercenary armed groups of the reactionary regime. The reactionary state systematically uses terrorist acts like bombings, indiscriminate firing, illegal arrests, forced evacuations, saturation drives, torture and the killing of civilians to cow the people and dampen their fighting spirit.

The so-called Anti-terrorism bill in congress would even worsen worsen the situation. If enacted, the mercenary AFP would be more unrestrained and indiscriminate in its brutality, its excesses and abuses against anyone considered an enemy of Macapagal-Arroyo or the reactionary state.

Terrorism is contrary to revolutionary principles and is against the strict rules being followed by NPA fighters. The respect for and protection of property, crops, livelihood and the welfare of the masses are always paramount in the thoughts and deeds of the Party and the NPA. Any violation of this principle is properly criticized and rectified and, in serious cases, violators are meted punishment.

The AFP cannot deny the continued expansion of the NPA and the revolutionary movement. But so as to avoid humiliation and cover up the real reasons behind the expansion of the revolutionary movement, the thick-witted officers of the AFP claim that the NPA's influence has been spreading since the military was compelled to abandon many areas when some of its battalions were deployed in Basilan to pursue the Abu Sayyaf (which has nonetheless remained capable of inflicting damage).

This is definitely distorted logic and is a big lie. The fact is that the AFP and the PNP have never trained their guns and cannons away from the NPA. Even when Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf, 75% of AFP forces or around 200,000 troops remained in guerrilla zones. But even this failed to stall the advance of the NPA. In Mindoro island itself which Macapagal-Arroyo considered the national priority, the NPA continues to advance despite the deployment there of nine AFP and PNP combat battalions and regardless of the relentless killing of civilians and destruction of the masses' livelihood.

The NPA now operates in 128 guerrilla fronts nationwide from the more than 100 just before Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001. Macapagal-Arroyo even claims that such advances of the NPA were brought about by terrorism. If so, we dare her to present even a single case of such terrorism complete with affidavits and evidence, and not mere products of her wild imagination. We can even go with her to investigate and find out what has really transpired and the truth will surely come out.

At the same time, we challenge them to prove that they are not terrorists and to deny the numerous cases of human rights violations specially in Basilan, Mindoro and Laguna. We also dare them to confront the evidence and indemnify their victims.

Why do the puppet regime and its mercenary and reactionary military refuse to implement the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and form the Joint Monitoring Committee provided for by the agreement which has already been signed by both principals of the parties in the peace negotiations?

Why does the puppet Arroyo regime refuse to ratify the Inernational Criminal Court when the GRP was actually among its proponents during the Rome Convention? And why did the cabinet oversight committee on national security unabashedly admit that it is afraid that the ICC might be used as a venue by human rights advocates?

On this day, we reaffirm the CPP's stand against terrorism. However large an arsenal the AFP uses in its terrorist campaign, the Party and the revolutionary masses would never retreat nor be terrorized.

Back to top