Communist Party of the Philippines - Ang Bayan Vol. XLIV No. 24 (December 21, 2013)

8/13/2019 Communist Party of the Philippines - Ang Bayan Vol. XLIV No. 24 (December 21, 2013)

1/12

Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng PilipinasPinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG

English EditionVol. XLIV No. 24

December 21, 2013www.philippinerevolution.net

Editoryal

Let us celebrate the 45th founding anniversary of the Commu-nist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on December 26 to hail thegreat victories achieved in 45 years of all-out revolutionary

struggle and sacrifice and reaffirm our determination to advance thenational-democratic revolution.

Celebrate 45 years of the CPP!

are being formed. They use theParty as their weapon in chang-ing their lives and giving shapeto their history. The power ofthe people has sprung forth withtheir solidarity, their taking uparms and their struggle.

Above all, it is the Party'sunity with the masses that hasserved as the decisive factor inthe CPP's growing strength andexpansion. It established thepeople's army as the people's

main instrument in defeatingthe enemy's brutal power. A newand genuine people's democrat-ic government has emergedfrom the ranks of the mass or-ganizations.

Following the Party's callsince 2009, guerrilla warfare isbeing intensified nationwide toadvance people's war from the

strategic defensive to thestrategic stalemate. The enemyhas utterly failed in its goal ofreducing the armed struggle to

insignificance in 2013.The revolutionary move-

ment is rapidly gainingstrength all over the

Let us remember, pay hom-age to, and give thanks, to thethousands of martyrs who un-selfishly devoted their talents,their strength, their abilitiesand their lives to attain the na-tional aspirations and the social

liberation of the entire people.The annual commemoration

of the Party's founding is a joy-ous occasion for all of the Fil-ipino people and their revolu-tionary forces. Year after year,it is an opportunity to call tomind the victories of the previ-ous year and prepare to addressthe challenges of advancing the

revolution in the coming year.The Party's forthcoming an-

niversary is especially signifi-cant. We will be marking it at atime when major advances arebeing achieved in guerrilla war-fare, building the people's dem-ocratic power and building the

people's broad unity.Wherever it takes root, the

Party and the entire revolution-ary movement embody and ad-vance the people's immediateand long-term interests. TheParty's consummate concern

for, and wholehearted serviceto, the people are matched onlyby the people's unbounded lovefor it and by their fierce loathingfor the exploiters and oppres-sors.

Nationwide,Party branchesamong thew o r k e r s ,

p e a s a n t sand otheroppressedm a s s e s


2/12

2 ANG BAYAN December 21, 2013

country.On the other hand, there are

major challenges that the entireParty must confront. Everyonemust expertly wield the weaponof Marxism-Leninism-Maoism inorder to address issues and re-solve problems and make theleap from the current stage tothe succeeding one. Everyonemust work together to carry for-ward the entire revolutionarymovement to a new chapter ofadvance.

In the course of severalyears, the crisis of the rulingsemicolonial and semifeudal

system and the internationalcapitalist system has inexorablyworsened and the exploitation,oppression and suffering of theworking class and the Filipinopeople have further intensified.Attacks by the reactionaryforces on the struggling peoplehave been escalating in brutali-ty. Their poverty and suffering

are now at their most severe.Like past regimes, the cur-

rent ruling Aquino regime im-poses policies that cater to theinterests of foreign big capital-

ists and their co-horts in local bigbusiness andamong the biglandlords to thedetriment ofthe Filipinopeople whohave to en-dure wide-s p r e a du n e m -p l o y -

Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee

of the Communist Party of the Philippines

Ang Bayan is published in Pilipino,

Bisaya, Iloko, Hiligaynon, Waray and

English editions.

It is available for downloading at

the Philippine Revolution Web Central

located at:

www.philippinerevolution.org.

Ang Bayan welcomes contributions

in the form of articles and news.

Readers are likewise enjoined to send

in their comments and suggestions forthe betterment of our publication. You

can reach us by email at:

[email protected]

Vol. XLIV No. 24 December 21, 2013

Contents

Editoryal: Celebrate the 45thanniversary of the CPP 1CPP declares ceasefire 2AFP attacks in Samar 3NPA seizes 22 firearms in Bukidnon 418 soldiers killed in Panay TOs 4AFP suffers 34 casualties in ComVal 5Emergence of peoples government 6NPA medics attend advanced health training 8RMS: Fighter-doctors 9NPA conducts peoples clinic 9PDG indicts 17th IB 10Reactionary court convicts NDFP consultant 10Soldiers kill Lumad leader 11Media killings 11Progressives mark Internatl Rights Day 12Meralco rate hike 12

ANG

ment, slave wages and spirallingprices of commodities.

The Communist Party's cele-bration is the Filipino people'scelebration. Thus, it will not be alavish one. It will be an occasion

to express solidarity with themillions who have suf-fered devastation in

Eastern Visayas andthe islands ofPanay, Ne-gros, Cebu

and Bohol dueto typhoon

Yolanda and thestrong earthquake.

Let us gather allthe funds and othermaterial assistance

that we could muster to help thecalamity-stricken areas. Let ushail the major victories achievedby the people in the devastatedareas under the people's demo-cratic government. In these ar-eas, the masses have been col-

lectively rising from the ruinsthrough the leadership of theCPP and the National Democra-tic Front of the Philippines and

marching towards their long-term rehabilitation.

Currently, the CPP's localbranches and sections, the Bar-rio Revolutionary Committeesand local revolutionary mass or-

ganizations of peasants, women,youth, cultural workers, chil-dren and others and the localcommands and units of the NewPeople's Army and people's mili-tia are busy preparing accom-modations for the tens of thou-sands who are expected to joinpeople's assemblies on Decem-ber 26. Among those who will be

coming are visitors from thecities or other towns, the mediaand allies.

These assemblies demon-strate in the concrete howdeeply and solidly the Party hastaken root among the Filipinopeople. ~


3/12

3ANG BAYAN December 21, 2013

During these periods, allcommands of the NPA and peo-ple's militia will cease and desistfrom launching offensive opera-tions against the armed unitsand personnel of the Armed For-

ces of the Philippines (AFP), thePhilippine National Police (PNP)and all other paramilitary forcesattached to the Government ofthe Republic of the Philippines.

But the Central Committeestrongly reminded the units andcommands of the NPA and peo-ple's militia that while on activedefense mode, they must remain

vigilant against any encroach-ments by the reactionary armedforces and its attached armedgroups into the territory of thepeople's democratic govern-ment. In the face of clear andpresent danger, units of the NPAand the people's militia mustmaintain the option of fightingin self-defense and preventing

the enemy from unleashing itsbrutality on the people.

The declaration was issuedin solidarity with the Filipinopeople's traditional observanceof Christmas and the New Year.

In addition, the ceasefirewill give the Filipino people andtheir revolutionary forces theopportunity to join mass cele-

brations to mark the 45th anni-versary of the CPP's reestablish-ment on December 26. NPA Redfighters will be ensuring the se-curity of the large number ofpeople expected to throng to thevarious assembly points withinguerrilla zones to join the cele-

brations.This declaration ex-

tends by another two daysthe ceasefire already de-clared by the regionalNPA commands in East-

ern Visayas, Panay Is-land, Central Vis-ayas and NegrosIsland, wherethe revolutionaryforces have beenmobilized to as-sist the masses inthe areas thathave been devas-

tated by superty-phoon Yolanda.

CPP declares ceasefireon its anniversary

T

he Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philip-pines (CPP) declared a ceasefire from 00:00 hours of December

24 to 23:59 hours of December 26; and from 00:00 hours of De-cember 31 to 23:59 hours of January 2, 2014. The declaration was is-sued to all commands and units of the New People's Army (NPA) andpeople's militia.

The CPP Regional Committeein Eastern Visayas had also ear-lier declared a ceasefire up tomid-January due to the extentof the devastation and the hugeeffort needed by the masses andtheir army to recover.

The Central Committee ex-plained that the AFP's relentlesssuppression campaigns in thedevastated areas have made itimpossible to further extend theceasefire in the Visayas. The

AFP operations have like-wise been hampering thepeople from launchingmass struggles and re-

habilitation campaigns.Thus, the Central

Committee upholds theright of NPA forces inEastern Visayas to cutshort the ceasefire if

needed, due to the contin-uing hurdles caused bythe AFP's offensive oper-ations to the revolution-

ary masses' rehabilitationefforts. ~

AFP attacks in Samar

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been attackingwithout letup the units of the New People's Army (NPA) en-

gaged in relief and rehabilitation work in Samar, Leyte, Negros

and other areas devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda. Accord-ing to the latest reports, an encounter erupted between a localNPA unit and the 87th IB in Barangay Sto. Nio, Motiong, Samaron December 17.

The CPP assailed the AFP for mocking the six-day ceasefiredeclared by the Communist Party of the Philippines on Decem-ber 18. Instead of coming out with its own ceasefire declara-tion, the AFP has had the gall to challenge the NPA to declare aceasefire of indefinite duration. The CPP stressed that thiscould only happen if the US-Aquino regime agrees to resume the

stalled peace negotiations with the National Democratic Frontof the Philippines (NDFP) in order to discuss the basis, scopeand other parameters of such a ceasefire.

The AFP's offensive military operations have gone on una-bated in the calamity-stricken areas despite a unilateral cease-fire declared by the CPP to mobilize the entire NPA force and themasses for rehabilitation work. ~


4/12


DisarmingoperationsothergunbattlesThe NPA seized nine

firearms in a disarming opera-tion on December 1 against abandit group in Sitio San Abel,Barangay Miarayon, Talakag,

Bukidnon. Red fighters underthe NPA Mt. Kitanglad Subre-gional Command carted awaytwo carbines, a Garand rifle,four shotguns, a cal .45 pistoland an improvised machine pis-tol.

The bandit group had longbeen the subject of complaintsbecause it was terrorizing theresidents. Aside from a number

18 soldiers killed in Panay

Eighteen soldiers were killed and at least seven were wound-ed when the New People's Army (NPA) successfully thwart-

ed one after another the military operations of the PhilippineArmy 3rd ID in Panay in October.

The NPA ambushed on October 9 a big force under the 61stIB that was conducting pursuit operations against Red fighters

Raid

onthe KibawePoliceStationNPA Red fighters under the

Mt. Apo Subregional Commandsuccessfully raided the head-quarters of the Philippine Na-tional Police (PNP) in Kibawe

town early morning of December12 and seized 13 firearms ofvarious caliber. The raid took amere 17 minutes.

The confiscated firearmsconsisted of seven M16s, threecal .45 pistols and three 9 mmpistols. The NPA likewise seizedammunition, uniforms and VHFradios.

The Red fighters attacked atexactly 4:50 a.m. The police re-sisted, but after a ten-minutefirefight, two of themwere killed andthree werewounded.

An hour afterthe raid on theKibawe Muncipal Po-lice Headquarters,

the NPA ambushedreinforcements fromthe PNP Provincial Pub-lic Safety Company andthe 8th IB by using command-detonated explosives.

The tactical offensives wereconducted to seize more fire-arms needed to build more NPAcombat platoons and punish the

targeted military and policeunits. The 8th IB, in particular,was meted punishment for itsforcible recruitment of peas-ants into the paramilitaryCAFGU and for building Philip-pine Army detachments in partsof Bukidnon.

of antipeople acts, its elementsare also rabid counterrevolu-tionaries supported by RenatoSulatan, the despotic landgrab-ber and former vice mayor ofTalakag.

In other developments, asoldier from the 58th IB waskilled in an encounter with anNPA platoon under the EasternMisamis Oriental-North EasternBukidnon Subregional Commandin Hindangon, Gingoog City onNovember 26. The Red fightersdid not suffer any casualties.

The NPA also sniped 8th IBelements conducting psywar op-erations under the CommunityOrganizing for Peace and Devel-opment (COPD) on the morningof November 28 in BarangayBuntongon, Impasug-ong, Bu-kidnon. ~

NPA seizes 22 firearmsin Bukidnon

T

he New People's Army (NPA) seized 22 firearms in two sepa-rate tactical offensives launched in the first half of December

against the armed forces of the reactionary government inBukidnon.

18 soldiers..., continued on page 5


5/12


around 8 a.m., Red fightersharassed the 71st IB AlphaCompany camp, woundingthree soldiers. Two hours aft-er, two MG-520 helicoptersbombed farms in BarangaysElizalde, Teresa and NewBarili, all in Maco.

On November 25, the NPAdetonated a bomb on a unitunder the 66th IB in Sitio Ca-muso, Barangay Parasanun,killing four soldiers.

The NPA launched harass-ment operations on Novem-ber 28 against the 71st IB inSitio Biokadan, BarangayTeresa, killing a soldier.

Afterwards, the militaryforcibly evacuated the area'sresidents.

On December 4, at around8 a.m., the 6th Pulang BaganiCompany ambushed the 71stIB in Sitio Lim-aw, BarangayTeresa, killing seven troopers

and wounding five others.At past 9 a.m., the mili-

tary rained artillery on SitiosLim-aw and Gakub using 105mm howitzers, disrupting thepeasants' economic activi-ties. ~

10th ID suffers 34 casualties

Soldiers under the 10th ID of the Eastern Mindanao Com-mand (Eastmincom) suffered 20 dead and 14 woundedafter a series of tactical offensives launched by New

People's Army (NPA) units under the Comval-Davao Gulf Subre-gional Command from November 18 to December 6.

To cover up their shame,no less than Eastmincomchief Lt. Gen. Ricardo RainierCruz concocted a story abouthow four Red fighters wereallegedly killed in encountersin Maco town, CompostelaValley.

In fact, the enemy hadlaunched brutal military op-erations that included stra-fings and bombings. They alsokilled a civilian and detainedthree others and disruptedthe livelihoods of hundreds ofresidents in the towns of Ma-co and Maragusan.

On November 21, the 71st

IB clashed with the 6th Pu-lang Bagani Company (Front27 Operations Command) inNorth Davao, New Leyte, Ma-co town. As a result, threesoldiers were killed and threeothers were wounded.

The military retaliated indesperation, victimizing un-armed and innocent civilians.At around 10:30 a.m., themilitary bombarded SitiosNorth Davao and Bunlang inNew Leyte using 105 mmhowitzers. By 4 p.m. thatday, two MG-520 helicoptersrained bombs on North Davaoand the cluster of barangaysin Masara Lines, Maco.

The bombings were con-ducted by the AFP on Novem-ber 18, 21 and 23 and Decem-ber 4 and 6.

The NPA used a command-detonated detonated explo-

sive on the soldiers whilethey were resting at theircamp in Barangay Parasanunat around 11 p.m., killing fivesoldiers and wounding sixothers.

On November 23, at

that had mounted an attack on the military twodays before. Two soldiers were killed in the am-bush at Sitio Malangsa, Barangay Abangay, Ta-paz, Capiz at around 9 a.m.

Meanwhile, in southern Panay, three ele-ments of the 82nd IB were killed and two otherswere wounded in an encounter with an NPA unit

under the Napoleon Tumagtang Command inSitio Tabiac, Barangay Dalije, Miag-ao, Iloilomorning of October 29. When the first shotsrang out, the NPA immediately seized the initia-tive in the fighting and inflicted casualties onthe enemy. The military merely covered thedead soldiers' bodies with tarp and only loaded

them aboard a helicopter the day after.The enemy persisted in its pursuit opera-

tions against the Red fighters and clashed anewwith the NPA on October 31. Seven troopersfrom Charlie Company were killed. The 3rd IDled by its new chief Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladadput a lid on these successive defeats in thehands of the NPA. After a few days, a Huey hel-icopter and two MG-520 helicopter gunships

bombed the mountainous areas along the Iloilo-Antique border.

Prior to this series of gunbattles, six soldiersof the 61st IB were killed and at least threewere wounded in an ambush on the banks of thePan-ay River in Barangay Nayawan, Tapaz onOctober 7. ~

18 soldiers..., from page 5


6/12


Saturnino was severely dev-astated by the fury of typhoonPablo. All houses and structures

in the community were levelled,including the schoolbuilding.The surrounding forest was de-nuded, and the residents' newlyplanted corn and vegetablecrops were ruined. Nobody diedin Saturnino but the residentsknew that many were killed inthe neighboring villages thatform part of a vast mining area.

The reactionary governmentconcealed the real number ofdeaths in these barrios.

Because the water in thestreams surrounding the villagerose, it took a few days beforehelp could reach the area. Butas soon as the river was passa-ble, the localP a r t yb r a n c hin Satur-nino im-m e d i -a t e l ysent areport to the near-est unit of theNew People'sArmy to askfor help. Al-

though the unitwas far away, itimmediately sentRed fighters toascertain the resi-dents' conditions, provide reliefgoods and medicines and help in

constructing temporary shel-ters.

Simultaneously, the resi-

dents of Saturnino acted forth-with to take the reactionarystate to account for its criminalresponsibility in allowing the de-struction of the forests due towidespread commercial loggingand destructive large-scale min-ing. They organized protestswith other typhoon victims todemand the immediate and full

distribution of relief goods thatthe reactionary government hadcollected for them. But asidefrom three tents provided by aprivate relief agency, the resi-dents of Saturnino did not re-ceive any material assistancefrom the reactionary govern-ment.

Masscampaignfor productionIn the succeeding months, it

became the priority of the localParty branch to ensure that theresidents would not do things ontheir own when it came to re-building their livelihoods. Thebranch conducted consultationsin order to set the conduct of animmediate production campaignand the long-term rehabilitationof the community. Theylaunched a mass campaign in or-der to address each family's dai-ly needs.

The residents of Saturninofirmed up their resolve to re-

main in the village despite acampaign by the reactionarystate to evict them from the ar-ea in the guise of "relocation."The residents knew that suchrelocation was merely a pretextto allow big mining and loggingcompanies to freely make use ofthe land and forest in their com-munity. They decided to collect-

ively build their houses andeventually, their schoolbuilding.They built a water system toprovide safe and potable waterfor their school and severalclusters of houses. In prepara-tion for another disaster, theyalso built temporary shelters or"bunkers."

Despite its limited resour-

ces, the Re-gional PartyCommittee in

From the typhoon's devastation

The rise of people'sgovernment

On December 4, the residents of Saturnino, a farflung barrio in

Compostela Valley gathered to celebrate their community'srecovery from the devastation wrought by typhoon Pablo.

With the Red fighters, the Ang Bayanstaff and a number of regionalParty cadres, Saturnino's residents hailed the victories achieved bytheir village with the help of the Party and the New People's Armythis past year. The celebration was led by the local Party branch.


7/12


Southern Mindanao helped inthe community's initial rehabili-tation by providing materialsand food subsidies for the resi-dents who worked full-time tobuild houses and public facili-ties.

The Saturnino residentscount among their major victo-ries the vast improvements inthe productivity of both theirindividual and communal farms.They now have bigger harvestscompared to the period beforethe storm hit. Despite the diffi-culty of opening a farm in an ar-ea that was strewn with huge

trees that had been felled by thetyphoon, the residents perse-vered in clearing more than 30hectares of land in order toplant rice and corn.

They have since had twocroppings of corn. Currently,they maintain a 15-hectare ricefarm. The communal farm ismanaged by the barrio revolu-

tionary committee.The local MAKIBAKA chap-

ter also successfully began avegetable plot of more than ahectare. The plot is planted toChinese cabbage, sweet potato,gourd and other vegetablecrops. They have harvestedmore than their families couldconsume. Part of the harvest is

purposely allotted to the NPAunit in the area. The excess pro-duce is sold in neighboring villa-ges. Meanwhile, the communalfarm maintained by the local Ka-bataang Makabayan chapterwas positioned near the newlybuilt schoolbuilding. Their har-vest mainly addresses the needsof the community's elementary

school. The school itself has itsown communal farm, fishpondand vegetable garden. At thesame time, the residents havealso improved their individualfarms from which they sourcemost of their food and cashcrops.

In response to the Party'sgeneral call for reforestation,Saturnino residents, in partner-ship with the NPA, have begunto systematically plant endemictrees in the forests surroundingtheir communities. They have al-so responded to the call to plantfruit trees at the foot of moun-tains and around their commu-nal farms and community. Theyhave already been able to growdurian, marang and magosteenseedlings, among others.

Not the least of the Saturni-no residents' achievements isthe construction of their own

school. A formal elementaryschool providing Grade 1 toGrade 6 education is now opera-tional, with three classroomsand four teachers. The residentsappreciated the program for agenuinely free, pro-people, sci-entific and patriotic educationbeing advanced by the schoolsrun by the revolutionary move-

ment.

Building Red powerIt had long been a resolution

of the local CPP branch to raisethe level of Party consolidationand the organizational level ofthe people in the barrio. Theprocess has been accelerateddue to the residents' urgent

need to unite and co-operate to rebuildtheir communityand livelihoods.The residents re-sponded with un-precedented en-thusiasm, determi-nation and firmnessto the call to build the

organ of political pow-er in their area.Despite being

heavily militarized, itwas easy to consolidatethe Party branches andmembers of fullfledgedmass organizations. The

technical aspects of preparingthe requisites for building thebarrio revolutionary committeesuch as conducting studies,drafting a program and holdingan election were quickly ful-filled. Despite enemy militaryoperations, the conference wasformally launched and the bar-rio revolutionary committeebuilt. The latter has takencharge of the rehabilitation pro-gram initiated by the Party andthe NPA.

The residents of Saturninoare energetically implementingthe collective farming program

in order to address the needs ofevery family. This is a founda-tion for building a socialisteconomy.

The people's collectivestrength, their embrace of agra-rian revolution and armedstruggle and their conscious ef-fort to ensure that their villageremains safe from unreliable el-

ements all serve as the firm pil-lars in building the barrio revo-lutionary committee. To makesure that NPA units as well aslocal Party leaders and officersof the barrio revolutionary com-mittee could operate safely inthe area, rules on security arestrictly observed and enemymovements closely monitored.~


8/12


The Advanced Health Train-ing's main content was "ad-vanced trauma management" orthe treatment of severe woundssustained during combat. The

course includes medical proce-dures ranging from "basic lifesupport" to operating on pa-tients with gunshot wounds tothe chest and abdomen, bonefractures and other seriousmedical conditions. A review ofanatomy and other basic medi-cal processes became an inte-gral part of the course practi-cum.

The course on managingtrauma due to gunshot woundsincluded cricothyrotomy, an op-eration conducted on personswith gunshot wounds to thechest whose lungs fill withblood. The course also includeslaparotomy, or making an inci-sion through the abdominal wallto stop internal bleeding and as

first aid for other operationson the abdomen, intestinesand adjacent internal or-gans. The course likewise in-cludes orthopedic opera-tions, amputations, skintraction, bone pinning, bonecementing and/or metalimplantation.

In partnership with a

squad of Red fighters, the par-ticipants played a skit with araid as scenario and with sever-al wounded. They studied thecorrect maneuvers during acombat situation, such as crawl-ing into the "killing zone"

to retrieve the "wounded" andbringing them to the first andsecond medical stations.

At the first station, medicsapply first aid to the "patients."

At the second station, the pa-tients are carefully cleaned andbandaged to stop any bleeding.The wounded are given intrave-nous infusions and loaded onstretchers for immediate trans-fer to the third station, whichserves as the field hospitalwhere the necessary pieces ofequipment are positioned andoperations are conducted.

The training was sponsoredby the NPA Regional Commandand the Party Subregional Com-

mittee. With the help of localforces, the facilities necessaryto conduct the training effect-ively were builta schoolbuild-ing for lectures, a kitchen, la-trines and huts, among others.Security at the camp was en-sured by Red fighters in part-nership with the people's militiain the villages adjacent to thearea.

The entire course pushedthrough without a hitch. Therewas a fruitful exchange of expe-riences among the participantswho included highly experiencedrevolutionary medics. It was not

difficult for them to grasp thelessons and procedures. Anoth-er major factor in the training'ssuccess was the region's assidu-ous preparations, the wide-spread support from the peo-ple's army and the masses andthe untiring efforts of the par-ticipants and their supporters.

After the training, the medi-

cal cadres launched the Minda-nao Medical Conference wherethey reaffirmed the need to con-duct regular medical conferen-ces as a means of raising thelevel of their knowledge andskills in modern medical advan-ces and of cooperation on prac-tical issues and problems.

They resolved to expand

the number of medicalpersonnel by identifying

trainable Red fighters,launchng trainings andsharing experiences.

Said the medicalofficers, the

medics' abili-ties mustkeep apace

as people'swar gainsstrength, especial-

ly now that the entirerevolutionary movement

looks forward to completingthe requisites for achieving the

strategic stalemate. ~

Advanced course on combatmedicine launched

L

eading medical officers of the New People's Army in Mindanaotook the Advanced Health Training last October. The training

was held in the mountainous areas of the Bukidnon-Davao Sub-regional Command. It was attended by 32 cadres from five regions aswell as officers and doctors of the NPA National Operations Com-mand N-5 and the CPP National Health Bureau.


9/12


On November 27, the Regional Medical Staffconducted a people's clinic in partnershipwith the Davao-Bukidnon Subregional

Command medical staff and members of the BarrioMedical Group in a village along the Davao-Bukid-non border. The villagers had long been awaitingthe NPA's people's clinic, especially since theirbarrio is far from the town center and has neverhad access to the reactionary government's medi-

cal services. In fact, some of those who came hadtheir very first medical checkup.

The NPA medics continuously saw patientsfrom 7 a.m. to 12 noon. At one point, there weremore than a hundred people inside and around thetent designated as the clin-ic for the day. To make theflow of consultations andoperations go smoothly, themedics posted "stations"

within the clinic. They as-signed an area for check-ups, tooth extractions andan operating table and onecorner served as a pharma-cy. The medical cadres andpractitioners divided tasks

and schedules among themselves while the train-ees served as assistants.

The residents who came to the people's clinicwere a combination of Lumad and settlers (locallycalled "Bisaya"). There were medics who served asinterpreters for Lumad who found it difficult to ex-plain their symptoms in Bisaya. The masses enthu-siastically responded even if the NPA had only re-sumed operating in the area for just a few months.

The Red fighters are still in the process of buildingfullfledged mass organizations in the barrio.

According to Ka Kurt, one of the medics, up to63 patients were provided medical services on themorning the NPA "clinic" was open. Twenty-nine of

them had checkups for various illness-es, 15 were boys who underwent cir-cumcision and 19 had tooth extrac-tions. Most of the ailments were re-spiratory in nature, as well as other ill-

nesses common among the peasantry.Medicines for fever, cough and neural-gia as well as antibiotics were distrib-uted.

The people's clinic also served as ameans to recruit and train new mem-bers of the Barrio Medical Group. ~

RMS: Doctors in the people's army

Ka Lalee has been a medic for more than three decades. She is amember of the Regional Medical Staff (RMS) of the Regional Op-

erations Command (ROC) of the New People's Army in SouthernMindanao. In October, she finished taking the Advanced Health

Training where her skills as a fighter-doctor of the people were fur-ther honed.

"Currently, the RMS has 16medics in Southern Mindanao,"said Ka Lalee. The RMS is a mili-tary formation that addressesthe needs of vertical NPA unitsin the region. The RMS plans toexpand towards being a full-fledged platoon by 2014.

"The medics within the RMSare of various levels," ex-plained Ka Lalee. "There arecadres, practitioners and train-ees." Medical cadres have fin-ished taking the advanced

courses, are able to performcombat surgery, manage bigteams of medics and give train-ings.

Practitioners have finishedtaking the Intermediate HealthTraining and are able to performminor operations. They are

medics who can perform toothextractions, circumcisions andminor surgery such as cyst re-moval. The cadres and practi-tioners have the ability to makediagnoses and write prescrip-

tions. The trainees are at themost basic level, and have justbegun their training both in theformal courses and in practicaltasks. They implement basicregulations on sanitation andnutrition and treat common ail-ments.

"Although the RMS' maintask is to see to the health of thepeople's army, it likewise en-sures the health of the massesby forming Barrio MedicalGroups (BMG) and conductingtrainings in the villages," saidKa Lalee. With the BMG medics,

the RMS conducts people's clin-ics in the barrios within its areaof operations as part of its taskof providing services to theguerrilla bases being estab-lished by the NPA. ~

RMS conducts people's clinic


10/12

Sarmiento, 62, is an NDFPpeace consultant for EasternVisayas. He was in Metro Manilafor a consultation on the peacenegotiations when he was ar-rested by military agents in Ala-bang, Muntinlupa City on Febru-ary 24, 2009.

Sarmiento's conviction is agrave violation of the Joint

Agreement on Safetyand Immunity Guar-antees (JASIG). TheJASIG guaranteesNDFP and GPH per-sonnel involved in thepeace negotiationsimmunity from prose-cution. Both parties arelikewise prohibited from

conducting surveillance, harass-ment, searches, arrests, deten-tion, prosecution and interroga-tion or any similar punitivemeasures against the personnel

of either party.With Sarmiento's conviction,the GPH also violated the Com-

p r e h e n s i v eAgreement onRespect forH u m a nRights andInternationalHumanitar-ian Law

(CARHRIHL)which upholds

the Hernandezdoctrine that pro-hibits the state fromcriminalizing politi-cal offenses.

CPP condemns life sentencefor NDFP consultant

T

he Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemned the

Aquino regime and the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court forconvicting National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)

consultant Eduardo Sarmiento and sentencing him to life imprison-ment. Judge Myra Bayot Quimbo of Muntinlupa RTC Branch 203based her December 11 decision on the planted evidence in thetrumped-up case of illegal possession of firearms and explo-sives.

71st IB indicted for killing of 8-year oldRoque Antivo

ANG BAYAN December 21, 201310

The People's Democratic Government in Com-postela Valley indicted officers and men of the

71st IB for the murder of Roque Antivo and thefrustrated murder of Jefrey Hernan and Earl JhunAntivo on April 3, 2013 in Barangay Anitapan, Ma-bini.

The indictment was issued after a Special In-vestigative Body found sufficient basis to consti-tute a peoples court to try Lt. Col. Jerry T. Borjaof the 71st IB, Col. Angelito de Leon of the 1001stBrigade, Maj. Jake Obligado and GPH ProsecutorGraciano Arafol, Jr. for planning, aiding, abetting

and conspiring in the commission of war crimes,crimes against humanity and serious violations ofhuman rights and International HumanitarianLaw."

Also among the indictees are Pres. BenignoAquino III of the GPH, Sec. Voltaire Gazmin of theDepartment of National Defense, AFP Chief ofStaff Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and EasternMindanao Command chief Gen. Ricardo RanierCruz for designing and carrying out Oplan Bayani-

han which targets civilians like Roque.The investigation documented how soldiers of

the 71st IB opened fire on Roque Antivo, an 8-year old boy and his elder brother Earl Jhun anduncle Jeffry Hernan while they were on the wayhome from their farm. Roque died on the spot,while his uncle was wounded. Roque's brother, onthe other hand, suffered severe psychologicaltrauma.

The investigation's results belied the military'sclaims that Roque was killed and Hernan woundedafter being caught in the crossfire between clash-

ing units of the AFP and NPA. The investigationfurther determined that Front 2 Platoon, the near-est NPA unit then, was in an area that was twohours' walk away. The investigation also cited thecollusion among the police, the fiscal and the AFPto cover up their crime.

The indictment likewise singled out Major Obli-gado for attempting to bribe the Antivo family withmoney and a scholarship to avoid being held culpa-ble for the crime. ~


11/12


vestigation. The digital picturesthey took with their Ipads of theinterior of the San Ramon PenalColony were deleted. The vic-tims were also threatened thatsomething bad would hap-pen to them should they

return to the penal colo-ny.

Those arrested wereSpecial Investigator IIAl-Ghosaibi M. Jupli, Spe-cial Investigator I UmmaOmar Edding, Nasser Ha-lapto (administrativeaide), Madzsalman Cifria(data enumerator) and

Hermie Omar (driver).Abra-Mountain Prov-ince border Troops ofthe 41st and 50th IBtrained their guns on 13civilians and subjectedthem to interrogation onNovember 13. Two of thevictims were minors who

were merely gathering firewoodin the forest when they werechanced upon by military andpolice forces conducting opera-tions in Lesnadan, Bangaan, Sa-gada, Mountain Province. Nine

other civilians, including two mi-nors and a foreigner had alsobeen arrested earlier by thetroopers. The minors were de-tained only because they hadtwo cellphones and an extrabattery each.

On November 16, two resi-dents of Bangaan who were on

the way home were

blocked and detainedby other 50th IBtroops and forced toserve as guides andhuman shields. One ofthem was woundedwhen the soldiers lat-er figured in an en-counter with theNPA.

Armed troops,two howitzers and

other weapons havealso been positioned

in tourist and produc-tion areas in Sagada

like Lake Danumuand Langsayan-PilawRidge. ~

AFP kills ComValLumad leader

T

roops of the 71st IB killed Lumad leader Pedro Tinga in Baran-gay Malamodao, Maco, Compostela Valley. Tinga, 57, was a

member of the Mansaka tribal council in his village. He waskilled in his farm at around 9 a.m. of December 6.

To cover up their crime, theEastern Mindanao Command ofthe Philippine Army claimed inan official statement that Tingawas one of four members of theNew People's Army (NPA) killedin two encounters between the

71st IB and the NPA in Malamo-dao on December 4 and 6.Residents of the village,

however, said that no encounteroccurred in their barrio.Negros Oriental The mili-tary has been harassing and ac-cusing farmer-residents of Ba-rangay Avocado, Sta. Catalinaof being NPA supporters. The

AFP has also been forcing themto produce Jimlan dela Cruz, analleged NPA leader. Soldiers ofthe 79th IB have been conduct-ing combat operations, goingfrom house to house and build-ing detachments in the village'smountainous areas.Zamboanga del Sur TheZamboanga City Police arrestedmembers of the Commission onHuman Rights-Autonomous Re-gion in Muslim Mindanao (CHR-ARMM) and three of their staffon December 13. They were ar-rested after visiting some 200members of the Moro NationalLiberation Front (MNLF) de-tained at the San Ramon PenalColony in Zamboanga del Sur toascertain whether the detain-

ees' rights were being respect-ed. The detainees were arrestedon the suspicion that they wereinvolved in the attack on Zam-boanga City in September.

The CHR members werebrought to the Ayala Police Sta-tion in Zamboanga City for in-

Successive media killings

Malacaang's indifference to the successive killings of me-dia people in the country in a span of two weeks has

earned widespread condemnation.The following media people have been killed in the past few

weeks: Joas Dignos, who was gunned down in Valencia, Bukid-non on November 29; Michael Milo, killed in Tandag City, Suri-gao del Sur on December 6; and Rogelio Butalid, shot dead in Ta-

gum City, Davao del Norte on December 11.In the face of these killings, Aquino's officials have asserted

that "without the Maguindanao Massacre, media killings in thePhilippines are not so serious." In fact, up to 161 journalistshave been killed for work-related reasons since 1986. In justover three years under the Aquino regime, up to 21 media peo-ple have been killed, the worst record since 1986. ~


12/12


The protest actions werelaunched after the Departmentof Energy and Meralco an-nounced a `4.15 per kilowatt-hour hike. The power rate in-crease will be spread out overthe next three months:`2.41/kwh this month,`1.21/kwh in February and`0.53/kwh in March. In otherareas like Pangasinan, electric-ity charges will rise by`5.00/kwh.

Meralco bills are expectedto register hikes of up to `800this December for ordinaryfamilies consuming about 200kilowatt-hours per month.

The CPP assailed theAquino regime not only forpaving the way for the Meralcopower hike, but for its taxwindfall under the expandedvalue-added tax system.

The protesters slammed

the virtually simultaneousshutdowns of the Malampayaplant and several other powerproducers which allegedly com-pelled Meralco to purchasemore expensive power and like-wise sell this at a higher price.

The MAKABAYAN bloc atthe Lower House of Congressannounced that it would block

the power rate hike even be-fore it takes effect by petition-ing the Supreme Court to issuea Temporary Restraining Or-der.

Meanwhile, aside from thehike in power rates, fares at theLight Rail Transit (LRT) andMetropolitan Rail Transit (MRT)are set to be hiked by `1.00 perkilometer, raising MRT faresfrom `15 to `28 and LRT faresfrom `20 to `30.

Progressive groups alsoprotested the public consulta-tion conducted by the MRT andLRT Authority on December12. According to the Riles Laansa Sambayanan Network, thepeople are bound to suffermore in the new year becausethe fare hikes come on top ofthe power rate hike. Theycharged that the consultationwas bogus because the MRT

and LRT representatives couldnot answer questions regard-ing the whereabouts of the bil-lions of pesos being raked in bythe company.

The progressive groupsurged the people to join themin waging continuing protestsand resisting power and trainfare hikes. ~

Protests meet impendingpower rate hikes

P

rogressive groups launched protest actions to oppose plansto hike power rates this month until March next year. This is

the biggest power rate hike in history. The Anakpawis partyrallied in front of the Meralco office on December 6 whileGABRIELA demonstrated at the office of the Energy RegulatoryCommission (ERC) on December 9.

Human rights day

commemorated

Progressive groups and hu-man rights advocates rallied

to commemorate the 65th anni-versary of International HumanRights Day on December 10. InManila, a protest was held inMendiola where Benigno AquinoIII dubbed "Pnoy Destroyer"was burned in effigy. Separateprotest actions were held in thecities of Davao, Baguio and Li-gao, Albay.

Earlier, KARAPATAN-South-ern Tagalog trooped to Aquino'shouse on Times St,, QuezonCity. According to KARAPATAN,there have been 152 cases ofpolitical killings, 168 frustratedkillings, 18 abductions and 358illegal arrests under the currentregime. This translates to onekilling a week.

Most of the victims are farm-

ers, national minorities and ur-ban poor. The most striking cas-es this year were the murders ofCristina Jose, a Bayan Munamember slain in Davao Orientalin March; the abduction in Sep-tember of labor leader BenjaminVilleno in Cavite; and the arrestof peasant leader Aries Sar-miento in July.

According to the Samahanng mga Ex-Detainees Laban saDetensyon at Aresto (SELDA),the number of political detain-ees in the country has beengrowing. There are now up to449 detainees, many of themwith serious health problems.Many of them need medical at-tention and should be released.

Documents

Communist Party of the Philippines - Ang Bayan Vol. XLIV No. 24 (December 21, 2013)