Arroyo Desperate to Cling to Power - Jalandoni

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who recently allocated P1 billion ($19.1 million, based on an exchange rate of P52.35 per US dollar) to fund her counter-insurgency campaign to crush the Communist Party of the Philippine and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) will deliver her State of the Nation Address to Congress on July 24. But questions are being asked: “Will she address the real State of the Nation?”

BY EDWIN C. MERCURIO
Contributed to Bulatlat

Toronto, Canada – Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who recently allocated P1 billion ($19.1 million, based on an exchange rate of P52.35 per US dollar) to fund her counter-insurgency campaign to crush the Communist Party of the Philippine and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) will deliver her State of the Nation Address to Congress on July 24. But questions are being asked: “Will she address the real State of the Nation?”

Already, a worldwide movement is set in motion to expose her government as the most murderous, surpassing the Marcos martial law regime, and to stop the killings of Filipino citizens which have reached almost 700 since she came to power in 2001. Efforts are also being set in place to organize an International Preparatory Committee to convene a second Permanent People’s Tribunal in the Philippines which is planned sometime in 2007 to try Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo for “crimes against humanity, corruption, massive electoral cheating and human rights abuses.”

In a country once refuted to have the “freest press in Asia,” 13 journalists were killed in 2005 alone under the Arroyo administration.

“The Philippines is most dangerous country in the world for journalists, second only to war-torn Iraq,” said Luis Jalandoni, international spokesperson of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Jalandoni, a former Catholic priest, spoke to Toronto community leaders last June 24.

Jalandoni said the unsolved killings of journalists, lawyers, priests, union leaders, Bayan Muna (People First) leaders, environmentalists, indigenous community leaders, anti-mining activists, students, workers and farmers and political opposition leaders “(betray) a desperate attempt of Mrs. Arroyo to cling to power. This despite the fact that her massive fraud in the election has been exposed and brought forward by the Citizens Congress for Truth and Accountability and Senate hearings.”

“Macapagal-Arroyo has allocated one billion pesos for weapons, vehicles and others military-related matters. In addition, as a U.S. puppet she has allowed a strong U.S. involvement in the Philippine internal affairs. The U.S. has continuous military personnel and troops in the Philippines. There is a series of joint war maneuvers in RP and these maneuvers are now being done even in areas where the NPAs and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are active. So it is quite provocative, and they use not only the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and the newly installed Strategic Exchange Board set-up for non-traditional issues or cooperation, i.e. fight against terrorism and fight against drugs. The Philippines is also preparing to have military agreements with other countries such as Australia so they have troops in RP. So, the Arroyo government is really getting all these aid from other countries, actually, to cling to power,” Jalandoni said.

Mining and militarization

On mining and militarization Jalandoni explained that it is very clear that the Supreme Court reversed its decision on mining to follow the policy of the Arroyo government to open up the country to foreign mining companies. “The entry of foreign mining companies is always connected with militarization. We visited the area in Tampakan in South Cotabato and there the Western Mining Company has a concession of 99,600 has. The Bilaans, one of the six native tribes of South Cotabato, have been bombarded and driven out of their homes for refusing to follow the rules and cooperate with the mining company. Actually, the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement which allows the mining company all these rights includes easement rights which means ‘easing out people’ who refuse to comply,” Jalandoni said.

Last week, June 29, the new United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council passed a resolution to protect the rights of native peoples around the world. The Philippines is not a signatory.

“So the massive destruction of the environment, displacement of the local population, mostly indigenous and then militarization in the area pose immediate and long term very grave consequences. Opposition to these has grown. In Bicol, environmentalists and Church people are up in arms against to toxic spill caused by Lafayette of Australia. Toronto Ventures International, TVI and other Canadian Mining companies are very much involved in the mining industry in the Philippines. But the connection between militarization and mining is very close and direct. When the government issues license to mining and that is paid for in so many millions of dollars at different levels of government, it includes the collaboration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to make sure that any organization or group that opposes these military violence are suppressed or silenced, “ Jalandoni added. The proposed Charter change provision will bestow 100-percent ownership to foreign mining firms.

Oplan Bantay Laya - euphemism for murder in freedom’s name

Jalandoni also said that the Arroyo government’s Operation Bantay Laya (Freedom Watch) is a euphemism for murder in the name of freedom. Bantay Laya was meant to destroy the revolutionary movement and also the legal democratic movement.

“Operation Bantay Laya is not really successful in the countryside. But its main target is unarmed civilians. The Philippine government aimed to cover in six months, six hundred barrios (villages) in six regions and try to destroy the revolutionary movement. But they are not able to cover 300 barrios in one region at any given time nor were they able to destroy the revolutionary movement. In fact, the New people Army stepped up its tactical offensives since September of last year. Actually, the NPA is now operating in more than 9,000 out of 42,000 in about 800 municipalities. The NPA operates in 70 out of 79 provinces,” said Jalandoni. “The CPP-NPA-NDFP organizations are carrying out these programs of land reform, health, literacy, building up of committees which are alternative governments in barrios in more than 120 areas or guerilla fronts. This month, the NPA will further increase its tactical operations to protect areas that are under attack, to protect people’s organizations and carry out operations to gain weapons.”

Jalandoni concluded, “Operation Bantay Laya is not effective. Its main target is unarmed civilians. There are reports that they are preparing to go into Metro Manila Area. So far, OBL military operations are in provinces and regions. There are reports that they are planning to hit Bulacan, Laguna and Batangas. But as you can see, the movement remains strong and with the continuing support of the people it is growing and gaining more grounds.” Bulatlat

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