Several notable actions of the People’s War in the Philippines have recently undertaken by the New People’s Army (NPA), giving a striking blow to military battalions, and winning adulation of the people.
On September 10th, the NPA-Bukidnon had a confrontation with the troops of the 89th Infantry Battalion in Quezon. A reactionary soldier was injured and another died. There were no injured reported in the NPA units. This is not the first time that the two units battled against each other, since in June there was another confrontation in which there was a dead soldier and three injured by the reactionary army. Three days later, on September 13th, there was an armed confrontation between the troops of the 48th Infantry Battalion that guarded a control post in Quezon. A reactionary army soldier was killed. This action was welcomed by the people, since they were on the receiving end of abuses and pressures on export control and income in their areas.
In Samar Oriental, there was a tussle with the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion (SRB) along with the 42nd Infantry Battalion on August 23rd.Two 4th SRB soldiers died and three were injured. To mask the great defeat, they decided to declare the city of Can-Avid as “insurgency free.”
On September 20th, an attack on a quarry contractor in Mindoro took place. This company, engaged in the extraction of rocks, gravel and sand, caused with its activity great floods and landslides. Due to the demand of the people to stop mass mining on the island, the NPA – Mindoro demolished an excavator. This punitive action was saluted by the people, demonstrating that the land can be defended against companies that plunder it.
On September 27th there was a confrontation between the NPA – Northern Quezon and the troops of the 80th Infantry Battalion. Within the ranks of reactionary troops one perished and and two injured, while the revolutionary army bore no casualties. This confrontation provoked the arrival of reactionary troops in the area, who intimidated the people with their presence, even killing two civilians. The military presence was a result of .the people resisting for years the construction of a dam that would extradite the indigenous community in the area.
Demonstrations against Martial Law
September 21st marked 51 years from the declaration of the Martial Law, day that was commemorated by massive demonstrations. In the city of Manila, the New Patriotic Alliance Group carried out with it actions in nine provinces and eight overseas countries with the slogan “Martial Law then, Law of Terrorism now”. That same day, demonstrations were also held in front of the United States Embassy and the Supreme Court and there were protests in the 12 Universities of Manila.More than 6,000 people have thronged in the marches in Manila demanding justice for the thousands of victims of the violations of the ‘human rights’. They demanded the repeal of the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Law (ATA). In Baguio, more than 800 young university students marched and in Tacloban actions were carried out within the university.
Banner in the demonstration, it is written in it: “Marcos then, Marcos today: torture, repression and corruption continue!”
The demonstrations were international, highlighting the one in New York on September 18th, held near the Congress. In it, the end of the military aid of the US government and the financing of the Filipino government was demanded. There were also more actions in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Canada.
Marcos endorsing plundering by mining companies
In the area of the province of Abra, large mining companies have been patronised, since through mining mega-projects they can loot the natural resources of the area and thus escalate their investment and profits. Championing its anti-people and pro-imperialist policies, the State of the Philippines is intensifying the militarization to worsen the oppression of the Abrenian people.Marcos’s government has increased the Battalions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFD), currently being the Infantry Battalions 24th, 102th and 50th. Next to them are battalions of the National Police of the Philippines (PNP) to ensure the implementation of these measures. The Ang Bayan newspaper declares: “Their farms and pasture lands are bombed by the AFP. The people are prevented from going far from the center of their villages. A number of hunters were shot by the AFP during their operations. Many villagers were forced by the Army and PNP to surrender. They are compelled to report to the military headquarters whenever they are summoned. They were promised of aid and livelihood such as hogs, but they only got a few heads of chicks. They weren’t even paid yet for their transport fares on these trips. The E-CLIP (Enhanced Community Integration and Livelihood Program) funds are just looted by the military while the innocent people are incessantly put into pressure. To where mining applications and dam projects are located, mercenary troops of the AFP are numerously deployed to terrorize civilians.”
All this boosts the plunder of the large-scale mining companies. Meanwhile, poor landless peasants or those who only very marginal lands anticipate their situations aggravate. To be able to tackle their situation, they fish and take care of animals in addition to wage labour in construction or agricultural work, where they begin after finishing high school. The children of the people work in domestic tasks from primary school to be able to pay the rates in urban centers, since there are no schools in their areas.
While the people of the Philippines bear the crisis of imperialism, Marcos Jr. sells the people to the service of large imperialist companies. The State continues to sell its people as cheap commodity both inside and outside the country.
Due to this situation, the statement ends by calling to struggle this system: “The Filipino people has no other choice but to fight for social justice. Ergo, their revolutionary struggle must carry on. The shining historical struggle of the Abra people must be carried forward. They must keep on propagating the revolutionary education, persevere in the people’s revolutionary organization and firmly and persistently fight for their rights and advance the armed struggle.
“Rally the Filipino people’s power and unity to charge and reprimand the Marcoses for their crimes against the people. All gatherings, all forces and all arms must be pointed to punish the US-Marcos Jr. regime.”
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Harsh Thakor is freelance journalist
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