NEWS AT A GLANCE

Church dares presidential aspirants: Stand Against US War

The anti-war church alliance Cry OUT NOW! Over the weekend urged presidential aspirants who hope to win the Filipino people’s vote to oppose the U.S. war on Iraq and the Philippine involvement in such a “crime against humanity.”

“Otherwise,” Cry OUT NOW! Convenor Bishop Alan Ray Sarte said, “their support for unjust wars and rising militarism of the Philippine and American governments would spell the end of their political careers.”

Sarte asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the National Security Council (NSC) “to declare categorically that the Philippines will not be a supporter of the U.S. war on Iraq in any way.”

The bishop also assailed Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Dionisio Santiago’s for saying that the Philippines will be used for overflights, rest and recreation and other war requirements of American troops.

“Despite the assurance of Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes that ‘nothing controversial’ was discussed upon American Gen. Shinseki’s visit, we strongly suspect that the Philippines is really being dragged into America’s immoral and unjust war on Iraq,” Sarte added.

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No ‘crackdown,’ CPP spokesperson says

The Communist Party of the Philippines last week decried "the orchestrated hype about a so-called bloody NPA crackdown on counterrevolutionary elements." 

In a statement, CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal clarified that "only a few counterrevolutionary proven to have committed heinous crimes and incurred blood debts against the people and revolutionary movement are deserving of capital punishment.”  Rosal said Romulo Kintanar, who was gunned down Jan. 23 by NPA armed partisans, was one of them.

 Rosal said that "in saying that they fear liquidation by the NPA, it is this handful of traitors and renegades that are creating this hype, together with their cohorts in the military and the psywar mill of the government. They desperately wish to portray the CPP/NPA as vengeful, bloodthirsty and indiscriminate killers."

In another statement, the CPP slammed RPA-ABB chief Nilo dela Cruz for evading responsibility for the killing of Filemon "Popoy" Lagman and trying to pass the blame on the CPP-NPA. Rosal said that it was highly hypocritical for dela Cruz to lump Lagman's killing with the NPA's admitted rendering of revolutionary justice on Kintanar, Col. Rodolfo Aguinaldo, Conrado Balweg and other rabid and incorrigible criminals and counter-revolutionaries. 

Rosal said that dela Cruz and his RPA-ABB cohorts killed Lagman because of money disputes. 

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Murder charges vs Joma hit

A committee of Filipinos defending the rights of Jose Maria Sison from official persecution by the U.S. and Philippine governments expressed dismay over the filing of murder charges against the exiled leader of the National Democratic Front.

In a statement, the Philippine Committee to Defend the Democratic Rights of  Jose Maria Sison and other Filipino Progressives in Europe (DEFEND), said the charge was concocted "not really to prosecute Sison in court but to further malign Sison and destroy his reputation and standing in the international community."

"Surely, the case is politically-motivated. The purpose is to have a pending criminal case against Sison in order to bolster the charge that he is a terrorist," DEFEND Convenor Rita Baua said.

Other DEFEND convenors are Supreme Bishop Tomas Millamena of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, UP President Francisco Nemenzo, film director Boni Ilagan, peace advocate Rey Casambre and activist Nelia Sancho.

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On Joma’s 64^th birthday 
Militants demand withdrawal of GMA support for U.S. war; resumption of peace talks

Militant students mark Jose Ma. Sison's 64th birthday with party hats and a giant greeting card. Right, urban poor leader Nanay Mameng Deunida, who celebrates her birthday on the same day, writes her birthday wish for Sison.                                                           Photos by Aubrey Makilan

Members of several people’s organizations staged a picket in front of the Dutch Embassy and the European Union in Makati Feb. 7 to demand the removal of Jose Maria Sison from the list of terrorists.

Apo Alvarez, secretary general of Anakbayan, said that the terrorist tag has imperiled the GRP-NDFP peace talks.  He said that Sison is not a terrorist but a peace advocate. 

Meanwhile, Joel Maglunsod of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) condemned President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s support to U.S. war.  Maglunsod said the U.S. government is the No. 1 terrorist in the world today.  Sison, Maglunsod said on the other hand, has been a “consistent foe of U.S. imperialism.”

That night, members of the League of Filipino Students, College Editors Guild of the Philippines and Kabataang Artista Para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA) held a night of tribute for Sison at the Recto Hall of the Faculty Center in UP Diliman.

First Quarter Storm veterans Raffy Baylosis and Monico Atienza shared their memories of Sison.  Both testified of Sison’s nationalism and revolutionary optimism.

The participants presented their symbolic gifts for Sison while singing Happy birthday.    

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