The revolutionary movement is not afraid of Duterte’s declaration of Memorandum Order 32. Duterte’s desperate moves, lies and unjust plans aim only to spread terror among the whole populace. This memorandum incites dread and fear among ordinary citizens and the poor due to intense militarization in the countryside and cities.

This is aggravated by the lies and repression of civilians carried out by all units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and paramilitary groups such as the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary (SCAA), Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA), and the Kanlaon Green Brigade (KGB), the reactionary government’s fascist machinery to impose its unjust ways and cover up their all their crimes and corruption in government. State armed forces protect the interests of the big landlords of Negros who cling to their economic and political power.

MO 32 is not new, particularly to the northern side of Negros Island. De facto Martial Law was already in place here even before the memorandum’s declaration. Many civilians, peasants and farmworkers have been victims of extra-judicial killings, massacres, forced evacuation, illegal arrests, forced surrenders, red-tagging, tailing, surveillance, illegal searches and ransacking of homes, especially among members of progressive sectors.

Proof of this are the recent incidents, the lies and crimes of the state regarding the Sagay Massacre of October 20, 2018, and the fake encounters in Brgy. Washington and Brgy. Langub, Escalante City, on Nobyembre 16 and 17, 2018. Duterte declared a “State of Emergency” in four “critical areas” in the country including Negros island, amid his humiliation and frustration because his mad dogs in the military cannot fullfill his declaration to crush the armed might of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the whole country by the first quarter of 2019.

It is obvious that the four battalions of 94th, 15th, 62nd and 79th IBPA under the 303rd Brigade cannot control the whole island. That is why Negros Island is now covered by two brigades, one occupying the territory of Region 6 in Occidental under the 303rd Brigade, while the territories under Region 7 in Oriental are now under the 302nd Brigade. The people are aware that the armed might of the New People’s Army has gained strength and that the fascist military can never neutralize the NPA. They cannot hide the truth from the people, no matter what treachery and black propaganda they unleash against the revolutionary movement.

We call on the people, they should not to be afraid of MO 32 and Duterte’s Martial Law. They must continue with their just struggles, be active in exposing the truth and in struggling against every abuse and lie commited by the fascist military, police and paramilitaries against the peasants, workers, sugar cane workers, fisherfolks, youth, women and other oppressed sectors and ordinary citizens. The whole revolutionary movement will actively defend and strengthen its ranks to frustrate the fascist plans of the rotten Duterte regime. All able-bodied citizens who are ready to defend the people must now enlist in the New People’s Army.

Makibaka, Wag Matakot!