AFP chief has not learned lessons about setting deadlines to end people's armed resistance--CPP

AFP chief has not learned lessons about setting deadlines to end people's armed resistance--CPP*

Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
July 3, 2010

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today dismissed "as a big joke" the declaration yesterday by newly installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo David that the military can put an end to the revolutionary armed struggle within three years.

The CPP said "General David's statement is hilarious, coming in the wake of the AFP's failure to meet its previous deadline of reducing the New People's Army (NPA) to insignificance by the end of Arroyo's term last June 30. General David even contradicts the new Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin's statement a day earlier that Aquino's administration "would not make the same mistake committed by its predecessor by imposing impossible deadlines for counter-insurgency efforts versus the ongoing people's war."

"Like the June 2010 deadline set by previous regime, the AFP chief of staff's statement which now sets another three years to defeat the revolutionary armed struggle is another pipedream. From as early as the Marcos fascist dictatorship, defense secretaries, AFP chiefs and other top officials of the fascist military have all kept repeating similar declarations only to have these blow up in their faces," said the CPP.

The CPP said further that General David and Secretary Gazmin and the newly installed Aquino regime must resolve among themselves their approach to the ongoing revolutionary war raging in the country, especially after the Aquino regime has reciprocated the National Democratic Front of the Pilippines (NDFP)'s statements that it is open to the resumption of peace talks. Secretary Gazmin said that "We sit down and talk... the more you kill, the more enemies you create."

"In the last nine and a half years, the AFP carried out an all-out military campaign of suppresssion under the Arroyo regime's Oplan Bantay Laya. Not only has the AFP failed in its declared objective, it has further incited the people to take up arms as the military's fascist onslaught left a long bloody trail of killings, abductions, torture, mass terrorism and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," said the CPP.

The CPP raised concerns that General David's declaration will bring about a further spread and intensification of human rights abuses by the fascist armed forces. "By setting another three-year deadline, the AFP is bound to become more desperate and resort to intensifying brutalities against communities its fascist military regards as supportive of the NPA."

The CPP also chided the Aquino government's plan to increase the number of soldiers and police, as declared in the inaugural speech of Benigno Aquino last June 30. "Without first resolving outstanding cases of human rights abuses and atrocities perpetrated by the AFP, increasing their number can only be interpreted as a pat on the military's back and lead to more widespread violations of human rights." The CPP noted that Aquino made no similar declaration with regard the number of teachers.

"By waging guerrilla warfare with revolutionary devotion and wide-and-deep people's support, the NPA and the revolutionary forces in the countryside continue to reap victory after victory in launching tactical offensives, building the people's organized strength, advancing their agrarian and other struggles, setting up local organs of people's democratic government and expanding to more areas," added the CPP. "In the past nine years, the NPA has recruited thousands and seized thousands of weapons from the AFP, its paramilitary groups and warlord armies."

The CPP, in its current program, has called on the NPA to fully develop guerrilla warfare in order to bring the people's war from its current stage of strategic defensive to the stage of strategic stalemate in the next five years.

Url: http://theprwcblogs.blogspot.com/2010/07/afp-chief-has-not-learned-lessons-about.html

Aquino cabinet raided by Big Business

Aquino cabinet raided by Big Business*

How Is This ‘Daang Matuwid’?

The League of Filipino Students views with great concern the announcement of incoming President Noynoy Aquino of prominent personalities of the big business and landed elite, and old government technocrats that had long pursued the policy of limiting the role of government in the delivery of social services and access to basic infrastructure such as electricity, water and petroleum products.

Incoming NEDA Director-General Cayetano Paderanga had fully supported the full liberalization and deregulation of the economy during the Aquino and Ramos administrations that resulted in the further collapse of Philippine agriculture vis-à-vis our South East Asian counterparts.

Current Meralco president Jose “Ping” de Jesus, Maynilad Water Services CEO Rogelio “Babes” L. Singson, Manila Water Co. president Jose Rene D. Almendras all support the full deregulation of water, electricity and oil industries that had resulted in the skyrocketing of water, oil, and electricity prices since the industries’ deregulation during the Cory administration.

Also, Makati Business Club’s Alberto Lim and retained DFA Sec. Alberto Romulo both represent the full opening of the Philippine economy to foreign interests, such as the perfection of planned free trade agreements with the United States.

We posit that the continuation of these economic policies represented by these appointees serve as the clear basis of the continuing poverty of our people in the last nine years of the Arroyo government and might prevent Mr. Aquino from completely delivering on his promises of change in the next six years.

On the other hand, President Aquino chose two heads of private educational institutions to lead the supposed government regulatory on education. Clearly, Bro. Armin Luistro and Dr. Patricia Licuanan would be displaying a serious conflict of interest in the dispensing of their function, especially in view of student demands for the implementation of clear regulatory powers to stay the unrelenting increase of tuition and other fees that had stunted the access of the youth to education.

Except for the appointment of Sec. Leila de Lima in the DOJ, most of the appointments are nothing but disappointments and might detract from the real path to genuine change in lives of our people.

Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/06/30/aquino-cabinet-raided-by-big-business/

Students Hold P-Noy to Inaugural Promise LFS to Noy: Immediately Commit Emergency Funds to Education

Students Hold P-Noy to Inaugural Promise
LFS to Noy: Immediately Commit Emergency Funds to Education*

PRESS RELEASE
July 1, 2010

“Dear Mr. President, our first order of business is the immediate commitment of emergency funds to education.” This was the statement of Terry Ridon, National Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as President Noynoy Aquino’s inaugural address made special mention of the problems of the education system, particularly the lack of facilities, classrooms and the poor quality of education.

In his address, President Aquino said clearly, “Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.” The new president also vowed to provide quality education and employment for the youth.

As to the amount of the funds needed, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers pegged the budget shortage to 91-M pesos insofar as basic education is concerned. According to Ridon, a former Regent of the University of the Philippines, the shortage in state college and universities (SCUs) amounts to much more, as the previous government had allocated zero capital outlay for SCUs in recent years.

Ridon said that among the beneficiaries of the emergency fund should include the Polytechnic University of the Philippines that had refused qualified but poor-and-deserving enrollees due to the scarcity of government funding and the lack of resources.

In the long-term, Ridon also hopes that the new President performs on his election promise to spend 6% of GDP to education, at par with international standards on education spending.

“Such full funding and budget prioritization would surely address many aspects of the education crisis, particularly education access and the mounting dropouts at all levels,” Ridon said.

*Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/06/30/students-hold-p-noy-to-inaugural-promise/

That’s Not ‘Daang Matuwid’ Noy’s reappointment of Romulo in DFA slammed

That’s Not ‘Daang Matuwid’
Noy’s reappointment of Romulo in DFA slammed*

PRESS RELEASE
June 28, 2010

“Sec. Romulo’s reappointment in the DFA will only mean ‘business as usual’ in terms of foreign policy. And by ‘business as usual’, it can only mean a continuing sellout of Philippine sovereignty to foreign powers like the United States.” This was the statement of Terry Ridon, National Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as President-elect Noynoy Aquino confirmed that Sec. Alberto Romulo would keep his post in the DFA.

Ridon said that Sec. Romulo had been instrumental in defending US foreign policy in the country during the Arroyo government, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement. He also said that Romulo never raised a howl during protests against the permanent stationing of US troops as reported by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Such permanent stationing of foreign troops in the country is in violation of the Philippine constitution.
“At no instance did Sec. Romulo rise to defend Philippines sovereignty amid the controversies surrounding the VFA, especially the unequal treatment of Filipino troops vis-à-vis their American counterparts.”

Ridon said that President-elect Aquino would appear reneging on his promise of change or ‘daang matuwid’ if Sec. Romulo is indeed reappointed.

“Clearly, Mr. President, the record of Sec. Romulo during the Arroyo years had been a story of a capitulation of our sovereignty to foreign powers. His appointment should seriously be reconsidered.”

*Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/06/29/that%E2%80%99s-not-%E2%80%98daang-matuwid%E2%80%99-noy%E2%80%99s-reappointment-of-romulo-in-dfa-slammed/

GMA deflecting attention on the charges against her

GMA deflecting attention on the charges against her*

On Cong. Arroyo’s filing of resolution for Charter Change

“GMA’s move is nothing but mere desperation by the former president to deflect public attention from the resolve of the people to charge her with different suits, now that her presidential immunity had been removed,” This was the statement of Terry Ridon, National Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as the former president filed a resolution calling for charter change through a constitutional convention.

All moves by the previous government to push for Charter Change had failed and had always been met with massive protests in Manila and different parts of the country.

However, Ridon said that the people should still be on their toes to frustrate Mrs. Arroyo’s attempt to push charter change anew.

“We should be reminded that the former President remains to be a major political player in the country, with more than a hundred congressmen and local officials loyal to her and her party.”

Ridon said that students and youth would be re-launching their youth alliance, Youth Act NOW! to push for Arroyo’s accountability, especially now that President Noynoy Aquino ordered the establishment of a Truth Commission to investigate the excesses of the previous government.

“Youth Act NOW shall include in its campaign the opposition of Mrs. Arroyo’s new attempts to change the 1987 Constitution and regain political power through a different route.”

Ridon finally said that the new government must truly bring the Mrs. Arroyo to justice.

*Url: http://www.lfs.ph/2010/07/01/gma-deflecting-attention-on-the-charges-against-her/

Korean People's Struggle Backed by British Organizations-KCNA

Korean People's Struggle Backed by British Organizations

Pyongyang, June 30 (KCNA) -- The British Association for the Study of Songun Policy and the British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea issued a joint statement on June 24 on the occasion of the month of international solidarity with the Korean people.

The statement said that the Fatherland Liberation War was a war of justice fought by the Korean people to beat back the Yankee aggressors and protect the freedom, liberation and sovereignty of the country, adding the victory won by them in the war was the victory of the Songun idea.

The statement denounced the cruel and bestial atrocities perpetrated by the U.S. imperialists during the war.

The U.S. imperialists are running wild to ignite another war in Korea by patronizing and prodding the Lee Myung Bak puppet clique, the statement pointed out, expressing support to the Korean people's struggle to force the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces to pull out of south Korea immediately and unconditionally and demanding that the "UN Forces Command" in south Korea be disbanded.

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Greeting WPK Conference-KCNA

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Greeting WPK Conference

Pyongyang, June 30 (KCNA) -- The conference of the Workers' Party of Korea to be convened this significant year, the 65th anniversary of the founding of the WPK, will mark a historic occasion of powerfully demonstrating the Juche-oriented and revolutionary character and tremendous militant might of the WPK founded by President Kim Il Sung and led by General Secretary Kim Jong Il, says Rodong Sinmun Wednesday in an editorial. It calls upon all the people to greet the conference of the WPK with high political enthusiasm and shining labor achievements by accelerating a dynamic advance for effecting a great surge.

The WPK has led the revolution to one victory after another in all annals of the sacred revolution for 65 years, thus building a socialist power, independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defence, on this land and ushering in a new era of prosperity, the editorial notes, and goes on:

Three decades since the 6th Congress of the WPK are a shining course in which a landmark turn took place in developing the WPK and a great victory and achievements were gained in all fields of the revolution and construction under the dynamic leadership of Kim Jong Il.

Thanks to his wise leadership the WPK has demonstrated its might as an invincible revolutionary party based on the single-minded unity whose members are transparent in the idea and incomparably strong in their faith and will and as an iron-willed party working astonishing miracles in all fields of the revolution and construction and winning one victory after another amid the absolute support of the popular masses.

The army and the people of the DPRK keenly realize that the party's determination precisely means practice and victory, experiencing the exciting era of a great surge in which world startling events are taking place one after another this year just as they did last year.

The editorial calls on all fields and units to conduct a dynamic general offensive full of conviction of sure victory and optimism under the uplifted revolutionary slogan "When the Party Is Determined, We Can Do Anything!" and thus hit their high targets for this year set on the occasion of the 65th founding anniversary of the WPK earlier than scheduled.