As early as 2016, when Duterte kicked-off the infamous Philippine Drug War, the Filipino people already had glimpses of and foreshadowed Duterte’s murderous open terrorist dictatorship. Unlike the pseudo-democratic regimes of Aquino the mother, FVR, pare Erap, GMA, and Aquino the son who preferred to camouflage their fascist rule with a thin veil of so-called democracy, Duterte takes pride in and has no qualms of openly declaring and actualizing the true fascist nature of the US puppet GRP and its pillars – the bureaucracy, armed forces, courts, and prisons.

An estimated more than 30,000 drug war victims of EJKs had their lives robbed of them and are missed by their families and loved ones they left behind. While the police are busy perpetrating holocaust, the country has become a paradise for Chinese syndicates and the local big criminal bourgeoisie and bureaucrats.

As for violations of civil and political rights, excluding victims of the war on drugs, since July 2016 up until December 2019, according to Karapatan: there have been cases 722 EJKs; 11 enforced disappearances; 210 victims of torture; 2,516 victims of illegal arrest without detention; 768 cases of illegal arrest with detention; 645 cases of illegal search and seizure; 358 cases of physical assault and injury; 6,492 victims of demolition; 1,043 cases of violation of domicile; 6,615 victims of destruction of property; 454,696 victims of forced evacuation, 97,362 victims of threat/harassment/intimidation; 8,536 victims of indiscriminate firing; 370,186 victims of bombing; and 44,029 victims of use of schools, medical, religious, and other public places for military use.

According to Ang Bayan, there have been 24,638 victims of human rights violations from January 1 to June 30 2020– with 46 EJKs, 425 arrested and detained, and 15,768 victims of forced evacuation.

Being the only president after Marcos to officially declare martial law, Duterte has garnered the fiery rage of the people of Mindanao, having been one of the hardest-hit victims in the raving tyrant’s rampage of brutality.

Duterte is bound to pay his blood-debts and is answerable for all crimes perpetrated by his fascist minions in the name of fighting terrorism, especially during the 3 years of martial law in Mindanao. Having incurred the wrath of the Moros for the massacre of its people, and the destruction and plunder of their land, especially the Muslim capital of the nation, Marawi, turning 6,000 ha of Marawi city’s 8,700ha into a military reservation, Duterte can rest assure he can peacefully sleep at night knowing that the Moro people in their millions long for and desire vengeance against him.

First in Mindanao, now the whole nation through his NTF-ELCAC, a de facto martial law sweeps the nation while a military junta now controls the civil-bureaucracy; and now Duterte is taking advantage of the current COVID-19 pandemic to further strengthen and consolidate his power and implement measures such as total-lockdown that are clearly reminiscent of martial law. The Anti-Terror law of 2020 completes Duterte’s recipe for the total control of the country and to silence all criticism and opposition– dictatorial powers a fascist tyrant so desperately needs and longs for.

Now 4 years into the deranged, bloodthirsty tyrant’s presidential term, he has easily long surpassed his idol Ferdinand Marcos in number of cases of human rights violations; and he has earned the hatred and resentment of all anti-fascist peoples in our country and abroad. Indubitably, Duterte’s name and legacy will forever be etched into the annals of history as the most homicidal fascist tyrant to ever bear the title of President of the Philippines.

While Duterte terrorizes his own people with his vulgar criminal strongman tactics and demeanor, he effeminately, cowardly bows down and fawns to imperialist US and China, especially in the face of their aggressive military presence and economic plunder. The nation’s sovereignty and patrimony clearly means very little for a fascist puppet like Duterte. Relinquishing territorial seas and economic resources in the West Philippine Sea, practically allowing China to build artificial islands and military reservations, ignoring the Chinese warships and sea vessels that patrol Philippine waters, and glossing over the as-broad-as-daylight theft of the country’s natural resources, it can be surmised that this, along with the flourishing of the Chinese syndicates and businesses on Philippine home turf, seems to be part of a foul bargain , an exchange for China’s issuing billions worth in loans to fund infrastructure projects that unmistakably stink of graft and corruption.

As the Philippines’ ultimate puppet master, the US too has positioned its aircraft carriers and warships in Philippine territory in the South China Sea, engendering what appears to be a standoff between the two imperialist navies in the area. Within Duterte’s term, the US has built at least 5 military facilities inside various AFP military camps. The Visiting Forces Agreement, the Military Defense Treaty, and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement all remain unabrogated; and of course, US military personnel in the hundreds continue to operate on Philippine soil as per Operation Pacific Eagle. Just like previous puppet regimes, Duterte is like a helpless infant dependent on the hand of his imperialist masters to feed him.

In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, the COVID-19 has exposed from all angles the puppet fascist state as a pathetic neoliberal disaster. Unemployment is at an all time high, while government gives chump-change as so-called aid. All branches of government, especially those that render so called public service — from food, healthcare, education, housing, etc – have all proved to be utterly inutile.In accordance with pursuing the interests of imperialism and its running-dogs, Duterte has imposed several neoliberal measures and schemes that further suck the blood from this country and the people and fatten the bellies and wallets of foreign monopoly-capitalists, the big comprador-landlords, and criminal bureaucrats.Imposing onerous taxes, most notably the TRAIN law, that clearly are anti-people, anti-poor makes the lives of the masses that much more difficult and intolerable, as basic necessities skyrocket in price. Now, in the midst of a pandemic and unemployment crisis, the people are anxiously in anticipation of the proposed Junk Food Tax, which places additional taxes on products such as dried fish, noodles, and canned goods – these the overwhelming majority of the poor masses depend on for energy and nutrition – making them even more unaffordable as they already are for the poor peasants and workers. Making it even more difficult for them to purchase these basic food items heartlessly and mercilessly robs them away of what little they have as food. Instead of easing the tax burden on the poor and increasing that of the rich, Duterte has done the exact opposite. It is apt to expect even more ludicrous neoliberal measures to follow after Duterte’s 5th SONA.

The objective conditions are ripe and favorable for a radical change in the foundations and structures of Philippine society, especially Negros Island which has long been a social volcano nearing eruption. All patriotic and freedom-loving Filipinos must unite and struggle together as one against the fascist dictatorship. Greater sacrifices must be made, and more hardships have to be endured as the class struggle is bound to intensify. Duterte must be ousted from power, and in line with achieving this goal, collaboration with disgruntled police and armed forces officers is a viable option. The only way to topple down a fascist tyrant, like the previous dictator Marcos, is through the power and might of a mass movement that involves the unity and collective struggle of the whole people. ###

For reference:

Ka Estrella Banagbanag

Spokesperson

New People’s Army – Rachelle Mae Palang Command

Southeast Guerilla Front