ANGPahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas

Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo

Vol XLVI I I N o. 2 4

December 2 1 , 2 01 7

www. phi l i ppi nerevol uti on. i nfo

The people face unbridled plunder, worsening poverty and intensifiedruthlessness of repression this coming year. The fascist US-Duterteregime is fast digging its grave by incessantly abusing and impoveri-

shing an already enraged people.Duterte pins his hopes on year-

long martial law to solve the crisishis regime is facing. By continuingmartial law, the AFP will increase itsviolence and the state will use thefull force of the Human Security Actagainst the civil liberties and demo-cratic rights of those who oppose hisfascist rule. Shelling and aerial bom-bing on communities in the country-side, soldiers’ occupation of homes,schools and other civilian infra-structure, forced evacuations, foodblockades, illegal searches, arrestsand killing are bound to continueand worsen. Fascist terror is bound

to continue and intensify againstprogressive and democratic massmovements in the cities, speciallysince they are being maliciouslylinked to the revolutionary move-ment to justify the widespread re-pression against their ranks.

Although formally, martial law isimplemented only in Mindanao, inreality many fascist measures al-ready affect the whole country.Nationwide, Duterte wields strong-arm methods like a dictator and AFPexecutioners run wild in manyplaces. The rubber-stamp congressapproves his proposals no matter. . . continued on page 3

EDITORIAL

Resolutely resist andoverthrow the fascist US-Duterte regime

CPP 50th anniver-

sary celebrations

to commence

The Communist Party of thePhilippines’ (CPP) 49th

anniversary of reestablishmentwill be celebrated on December26. This will also serve as thestart of year-long celebrationfor the Party’s 50th anniversary.

From several advanced acti-vists from the working and peti-bourgeois classes and studentyouth who first composed this,the still small and young Partyweathered the brutal repressionof various reactionary regimesto expand and strengthen itself.It organized and led thepeople’s army and the unitedfront, developed itself andlearned warfare through war-fare. After half a century, itcontinues to lead one of thelongest running armed strugglesin Asia, the largest andstrongest people’s army in Phi-lippine history, and an ever ex-panding and deepening revolu-tionary mass base in a scopenever before reached even bythe Katipunan.

Thus, even in the face of thefascist Duterte regime’s inten-sified attacks, the whole revolu-tionary movement celebratesthis 50th anniversary. The cele-bration features the creation ofnew songs, dances and tradi-tional or modern artworks, ac-tive and widespread studies onParty history, regional summing-up of experiences and study oflocal histories, reprinting histo-rically significant articles anddissemination of Party docu-

December 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN2

Meanwhile, bourgeois compradorsgrew wealthier during Duterte’srule. For 2017, the combined wealthof the 50 richest individuals in thePhilippines reached $74 billion.

These conditions increasingly il-luminate the justness and correct-ness of people’s war. The peoplehave no other recourse for allevia-ting their difficulties and achievingprogress than to hold their future intheir own hands.

In carrying out protractedpeople’s war, the NPA must launchmore tactical offensives that arewell-planned using principles ofguerrilla warfare, relying on deep-ening and expanding mass base, andcarried out by Red fighters withhigh fighting morale. The much-vaunted high-tech weapons are in-effective against a people’s armythat is supported by the people andrecognized as their own defenders.

The masses must continuouslyorganize and mobilize both in thecountryside and cities, in armed andnon-armed resistance for their ownlegitimate demands.

People in the revolutionary ba-ses must continue to launch agra-rian revolution and join the people’sarmy. Militia units must be formedto expand the scope of tacticaloffensives by the regular forces ofthe people’s army. Intelligence net-works must be established to frus-trate the enemy’s operations as wellas sapper groups that locate anddamage military equipment, espe-cially the modern ones.

In the urban areas, democraticforces must continue to assert theirjust demands for civil and economicrights, in ever growing mass mobi-lizations.

In the face of rampaging fascistterror, the Party must lead thebroad united front of workers, pea-sants, youth, women, religious, pro-fessionals, patriotic entrepreneursand other democratic groups andindividuals to fight against theDuterte regime’s fascist terror. Theunited front can reach even pa-triotic soldiers and police, especiallythose coming from the ranks of the

Editorial: Resolutely resist and overthrowthe fascist US-Duterte regime 1

CPP 50th Anniversary to commence 1

No release for POWS in NEMR 3

Killings and harrassment 4

Pork barrel and more taxes 5

Drone operations against the people 6

"Anti-terror war" is big business 7

Rallies against fascism 8

Jerusalem, Palestine's capital 9

Vol . XLVI I I N o. 2 4 | December 2 1 , 2 01 7

Contents

Ang Bayan i s publ i shed i n

Pi l i pi no, Bi saya, I l oko, H i l i gaynon,

Waray, and Engl i sh.

Ang Bayan wel comes

contri buti ons i n the form of

arti cl es and news i tems. Readers

are encouraged to send feedback

and recommendati ons for

i mprovi ng our newspaper.

Ang Bayan i s publ i shed fortni ghtl y by the Central Commi ttee

of the Communi st Party of the Phi l i ppi nes

how unsubstantiated, and he con-tinues maneuvers to consolidate hishold on the supreme court and theombudsman.

The fascist dictatorial US-Duterte regime hopes to crush theCommunist Party of the Philippinesand New People’s Army by the endof 2018, first by crushing the forcesin Mindanao and afterwards thosein Luzon and Visayas, using the newweapons bought by loans from itsUS imperialist master. Duterteseeks to silence the staunchest for-ces against its plans and measuresto facilitate US imperialist interven-tion in the Philippines. It carries outpolitical maneuvers for changingthe constitution behind the facadeof federalism to enable unrestrictedentrance of US military bases andcompletely open the country’swealth to foreign capital invest-ments and ownership, and give hisfamily and cronies free rein toamass profits.

At the same time, Duterteutterly scorns the people’s demandsfor basic socio-economic reformsneeded to solve worsening poverty,

joblessness, landlessness, insuffi-cient wages, and rising prices ofbasic commodities. Despite protestsfrom some congressmen them-selves, he railroaded the Tax Re-form for Acceleration and Inclusion(TRAIN) that imposes additionaltaxes on the people. He also rail-roaded the 2018 budget filled withinsertions for corruption by his pup-pets in the civilian bureaucracy andhis security forces on December 11.

The people remain mired inpoverty. Around 22 million Filipinosundergo severe poverty and surviveon less than P60/day. More than 11million Filipinos are unemployed orunderemployed. The worst forms ofcontractualization continue anddaily wages are nailed down to thebarest minimum. Almost 6,000 Fili-pino workers leave for other coun-tries daily to look for employmentthat they cannot find within thecountry. According to governmentstatistics, around 784,000 jobswere lost during the first half of theyear alone.

Landlessness, homelessness andlack of social services abound.

ANG

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youtube.com/PhilippineRevolutionWebCentral

@prwc_info

fb.com/philrevwebcentral

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ANG BAYAN December 21 , 2017 3

placed by forced evacuations due tomilitarization and aggressive expan-sion of mines and plantations. Evenduring last year’s reciprocal uni-lateral ceasefires, the AFP hadalready occupied 70 barrios in theregion, and this is bound to worsennow that they are backed by martiallaw.

At present, additional two AFPbattalions have been deployed in theregion to attack the NPA. The 401stand 402nd IBde have been con-tinuously carrying out military ope-rations since the proclamation usingattack and surveillance drones thatcreate terror among the civilian com-munities. These are combined withinsincere “peace caravans” and dis-play of fake surrenderees. They canonly boast of some confiscated fire-arms and the “capture” of an aban-doned NPA camp. In reality, not asingle NPA unit has been destroyed.

The National Democratic Front-North Eastern Mindanao Region and theNew People’s Army strongly condemned the AFP’s non-compliance with

the call for a six-day stand down or temporary ceasefire in several villages tofacilitate the release of two prisoners-of-war (POWs).

The NPA-NEMR planned to re-lease PO2 Jhon Paul M. Doverte andPO2 Alfredo L. Degamon of thePhilippine National Police-Placer onDecember 5, but this did not pushthrough due to the AFP’s incessantmilitary operations.

Worse, the AFP treacherouslyattacked the NPA unit tasked withtaking care of the prisoners, en-dangering their lives. The NPA for-ces had to counter-attack, resultingin two encounters with the AFP onDecember 5 and 6. All NPA forceswere able to withdraw safely. Accor-ding to NDF-NEMR spokespersonMaria Malaya, the two POWs’ re-lease will again be delayed due to

the treachery and non-cooperationof the AFP and the PNP. She guaran-teed their families, however, thatthe NPA’s custodial unit is ensuringthe safety of the two policemen.

At the same time, Maria Malayaalso condemned Proclamation 374that declares the CPP and NPA as“terrorist organizations.” She saidthe this will worsen human rightsviolations in the country. Particularin NEMR, the number of victims ofpolitical killings, now numbering 10,will surely rise. There will also beadditions to at least 35 victims ofillegal arrests and detention ontrumped-up criminal charges. Morepeasants and Lumads will be dis-

Human rights abuses are bound to intensify under extended martial law.The reactionary armed forces continue carrying out killings, harass-

ment, illegal arrests and militarization. Victims of human rights violations willincrease especially with Duterte’s threat that he will focus on the NPA unitsfor his new helicopters’ “target practice.” In the past, it was not the NPA thatwas hit by his bombs but civilian communities.

Killings. On December 17,Karapatan-Southern Mindanaofound the body of Jeanni RosePorras, 39, member of the Compos-tela Farmers Association (CFA) at amorgue in Nabunturan, CompostelaValley. Before this, Porras’ son re-ported on December 15 that hismother was missing. According toher son, his mother told him onDecember 14 that she was going tomeet someone, but she did not re-

turn the whole afternoon and couldnot be contacted on her cell phone.Porras was an active defender ofthe environment against destruc-tive mining and a peasant organizerin the area. Members of Porras’ or-ganization have long been targetsof killings, illegal arrests and ha-rassment for their anti-militariza-tion, anti-mining and land reformcampaigns.

On December 9, the body of

poor, who refuse to become cannonfodder or instruments of repressionagainst their fellow poor.

Like Marcos, the copy-cat thugDuterte also relies on his imperialistmaster while carrying out evenmore brazen corruption, dirty livingand more brutal suppression on thepeople. But unlike Marcos, he facesa deeper economic crisis broughtabout by decades of neoliberal poli-

cies, and a larger revolutionarymovement that has learned impor-tant lessons from its lengthier yearsof struggle.

In the end, the Marcos dictator-ship was helpless against the con-vergence of various political forcesin a broad anti-fascist united front.The fascist US-Duterte regime willlikewise be helpless against a peo-ple’s resolute resistance.

ments of the first and secondcongresses.

Aside from the regional cele-brations, Ang Bayan will come outwith a series of articles as con-tribution to the celebration. Thecelebration is expected to raisethe Party’s and the whole revo-lutionary movement’s unity andwill to fight.

No release for POWs in NEMR

Bernardo Clarion, 24, was found inBarangay Callawa, Davao City oneday after reactionary troops raidedthe house of a friend he was visiting.Clarion’s friend was wounded, like-wise his sibling. The Clarion siblingswere members of the organizationSulo ng Kultura.

In Sorsogon on December 12,elements of the 31st IB and 508thPNP Public Safety Company shotdown Jonel Panelo Nuñez and JunVentura Gigantones in BarangaySomagongsong, Bulan.

On December 8, at 5 a.m., armedmen shot to death Aldrin Sese, Pa-malakaya organizer in BarangayLagundi, Batuan, Masbate.Illegal arrests and harassment.On December 19, members of PNP-

Killings and harassment under martial law

"CPP 50th" . . . from page 1

. . . continued on page 3

December 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN4

Pork barrel and more taxes

Concurrent with martial law extension, GRP's Rodrigo Duterte alsosigned into law two other bills that show his regime's extreme corrup-

tion and anti-people character. On December 19, the General Appro-priations Act or 2018 budget and the TRAIN, his regime's first tax reformpackage, became law.Budget for corruption

As with Duterte's other decla-rations, his pronouncement that heis "anti-corruption" is a big lie.Using the people's funds, he givesout bribes left and right to his sy-cophants in the house of represen-tatives and senate.

This is very obvious in the re-cently approved 2018 budget thatbristles with “pork barrel” or fundsfor congressmen’s and senator's'personal projects in the form of"insertions" that were sneaked induring the budget’s last delibera-tions. These are Duterte suppor-ters' preparations for the 2018elections.

Progressive parties in Congressestimate at least P46 billion worthof pork barrel" items in the ap-proved national budget. Amongthese are more than P11 billionadditions to the budget of theDepartment of Public Works andHighways, one of the most corruptstate departments. This caused thetotal 2018 budget to rise to P637.9billion. An item for construction ofroads was also inserted into theallocations for the Department ofAgriculture, bringing its budget toP53.3 billion. Allocations were alsoinserted for agencies that cong-ressmen have long been using intheir election campaigns. Someexamples are the additional P4.8billion for the Department of SocialWelfare and Development and theDepartment of Health's additionalP2.4 billion.On the other hand, billions werededucted from necessary so-cialservices. Some P33 billion wasremoved from the Department of

Education budget, which havebeen previously allocated

for new classrooms.The Commissionon Higher Educa-tion budget was

Railroaded billsSan Mariano in Isabela arrestedElmerito Pagulayan, chairperson ofDanggayan Dagiti Mannalon ItiIsabela (DAGAMI)-San Mariano.Pagulayan was slapped withtrumped-up charges of frustratedmurder.

On December 16, 22 civilian-clothed soldiers of the 88th IB for-cibly entered the Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus (BTL) training center in Field1, Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon.They looked for BTL chairpersonWinnie Loable. The day before,three military agents went to theplace and looked for EbaristoForten, Limus chairperson.

On December 13, the MarineBattalion Landing Team 7 illegallyarrested eight Dulangan Manobos inSitio Blanga, Barangay Nalilidan,Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, at 4:30p.m. Karapatan-Soccsksargen iden-tified the victims as Kuya Gan-tangan, Anto Gantangan, JonardGantangan, Dodo Gantangan, DinkyGumpay, Palut Saglang, Kasio Cianoand Jitre Gantangan. They aremembers of Kesasabanay DulanganManobo (Keduma), a local organi-zation strongly against the plannedexpansion and land grabbing ofancestral lands by David M.Consunji, Inc (DMCI).

On December 16, two-year oldJoshua Gantangan died from traumaafter elements of the MBLT7 bargedinto their house at Sitio Tinagdanan,Barangay Hinalaan, Kalamansig. Hewas rushed to the hospital but waspronounced dead on arrival.

On December 12, Bangued, Abrapolice arrested Sherwin De Vera,writer of Northern Dispatch Weeklyand environmental activist. Accor-ding to the police, De Vera had awarrant of arrest for a rebellioncase filed against him in 2014.

On December 18, Radyo ni JuanNetwork-Davao newsperson KathCortez received threat messages onher cell phone about her oppositionto government policies and allegedbias for the communists.

In Western Samar on December10, 14th IB soldiers arrested twopeasant members of Asosasyon han

Kablas nga Parag-uma, DoydoyEdusma and Hosep Harumay. Wit-nesses saw them being taken awayby soldiers in Barangay Tula,Paranas, but they have not beenlocated as of this writing. Edusmawas said to be wearing a soldier'suniform while Harumay was car-rying a sack of rice which he hadintended to bring to his hut thatday.

Prior to this on December 6,11:30 a.m., suspected military

agents tried to enter the house ofReylan Vergara, leader of a humanrights organization in Panay. Theagents left only when Vergara's in-law went out to meet them.

In Bukidnon on December 3,two peasant leaders were arrestedin Don Carlos. Nabbed withoutwarrants of arrest were Welhil-mino Espinar, vice chairperson ofKahugpongan ng mga Mag-uuma saBukidnon, and Jocelyn Palpagan ofMaramag, KADAMAY-NMR leader.

. . . continued on page 5

"Pork Barrel" . . . from page 4

ANG BAYAN December 21 , 2017 5

The terrorist US-Duterte regime has again extended Martial Law in Mindanao. AFP budget for 2018 was bloated togive way for AFP modernization. Duterte continues to spend billions of public funds to buy new equipment from

his US master.Its primary target is the revo-

lutionary movement, particularlythe Red army. Expectedly, dronesor unmanned aerial vehicle systems,military equipment remotely con-trolled by a computer, are addedto the anti-NPA arsenal.

Drones are used for intelligencedata collection, surveillance andattacks on the identified target.Most models can stay 17 hours onair. They can send real-time imagesto the computer or the militaryoperator.

Drones have been used beforein the Philippines. In 2002, aPredator drone crashed inZamboanga. A spy plane alsocrashed in Mount Tumatangis, Joloin 2005.

Through the US Joint SpecialOperations Command based in Zam-boanga, the US army has flowndrones from the military camps ofthe AFP. It was reported in 2006that the US Predator drone un-leashed Hellfire missiles to targettheir tagged terrorist Umar Patekwho was believed to be in Jolo,Sulu. They failed to kill Patek, whilehis other companions died. Grave

terror was brought to the Morocommunities after the bombing.

The AFP started using drones in2013. They used the Raptor, KnightFalcon and TUAV drones to fightthe armed Moro group in Zam-boanga and to locate the Moro Na-tional Liberation Front.

In 2015, the AFP bought 12attack drones and 6 surveillancedrones. These included 15 Scan-Eagle drones which were used forsurveillance. There are also droneswith electronic surveillance equip-ment used to determine the pre-sence and volume of electronic sig-nals in a forest or an area of sur-veillance, such as electronic signalsof cellphones, internet, computers,transceiver radios, and others.

In the Marawi war, militaryforces used P3 Orion spy planes andPredator drones in their airstrikes.There are photos of US militarypersonnel operating drones whiletraining AFP units. Over the lastmonth, the drones were seen flyingaround the communities of Cagayande Oro, Iligan, western part ofMisamis Oriental and Lanao del Sur.

The Duterte regime and the

makers of these drones make thepeople believe that using drones arerisk-free and the attacks will bemore effective and accurate. But inreality, drones can be regarded asweapons of mass destruction be-cause they cannot differentiatecombatants from civilians. In thefirst decade of using drones from2001, the US killed almost 4,000people in 420 “targeted killing ope-rations”. In 2010, the CIA admittedin a report that almost 2,500Pakistani were killed by drones al-though only 35 people were the realtargets. The others were only sus-pected terrorists.

Even before Duterte declaredthe revolutionary movement as‘terrorists’, his fascist troops havebeen using attack helicopters anddrones against the Red army andthe people. Last month, NPA-Southern Mindanao Region repor-ted that along with the large mili-tary force in the communities,white-colored drone-like objectsflew nightly around their area. Theyusually flew from 6 p.m. until 4a.m. Another NPA unit also repor-ted that drones were used to locate

also reduced by P6.6 billion despitethe recently approved law on freetuition for public universities andcolleges.

The budget for the Departmentof Transportation also suffered aP8.2 billion decrease for the masstransport system. Contrary to thepromise of free irrigation, the re-gime reduced the budget for theNational Irrigation Authority byP978 million. Funds were cut for thedepartments of Environment andNatural Resources and Trade andIndustry. Moreover, Duterte allo-cated huge amounts for himself un-der the discretionary funds of theoffice of the president. Progressive

"Pork Barrel" . . . from page 4 groups have long been criticizingthe absence of funds for low-costhousing and agrarian reform.

Additional burdensMeanwhile, the House of Re-

presentatives and the Senatehurriedly passed the anti-peopletax reform bill. The house of repre-sentatives approved this even with-out a quorum. There were only 10congressmen inside the hall whenthe proposal was passed, accordingto the ACT Teachers Party.

Among the worst approvedprovisions were additional taxes foroil products. According to the IBONFoundation, this will mean risingprices of gasoline for as much as

P6/liter in the first year ofimplementation and P1.75/liter fordiesel. Aviation fuel will also rise byP4/liter and LPG by P1/liter. Thiswill affect not only transportationfares but also trade expenses. Thistranslates to increased prices forraw materials, processed foods andother commodities.

A tax of up to P10/liter forsugared drinks was also approved.IBON also estimates that thesetaxes will cost the people up toP341.6, while the wealthiest Fili-pinos will be exempted by up toP944 billion annually. Most affectedare the 60% poorest Filipinos whoare already subsisting on verymeager wages and salaries.

Drone operations against the people

December 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN6

actual battle. In addition, morethan 400 drones have crashed inthe last decade.

Because the AFP is reac-tionary, mercenary and does notenjoy the support of the masses,like other fascist armies, it de-pends on expensive military equip-ment bought using public funds.The much-flaunted spy drone isnothing but a mechanized informerthat can see farther and deliverinformation faster to its handler.

Like an ordinary spy, it can notsee a person behind a rock, a thickwooden wall, huge trees, denseforest, even behind a mirror oraluminum foil if the person avoidsdirect contact with it. The attackdrone’s difference from a warplane is that it has no pilot thatcan be killed by its enemy. Thegovernment is intentionally wrap-ping the new equipment with“mystery” to add to its terroreffect on the people.

It is therefore necessary tostudy different ways of counte-ring the surveillance and attackdrones' capacities. The drone ter-minal and its ground controlsystem should be located in orderto attack it. Continuously studyand develop methods to evade,frustrate and sabotage the drones.

The presence of drones can beused as an indicator of plannedenemy operations and possibledanger to NPA camps and units.Necessary measures and communi-cations should be made.

NPA units and local Party bran-ches should urgently report droneoperations in their area of respon-sibility and take necessary steps tofrustrate their operations.

"Anti-terror war” is big business

Last week, Rodrigo Duterte arrogantly boasted about his purchase of new helicopters that he will supposedly use inblasting the NPA. He and his generals are pleased to high heavens for the US’ purported generosity where before

he took an angry stance against said country.

Red army positions. According tothem, before this was sighted in theair, they heard a whirring soundslighter than the hum of an attackhelicopter. From a distance of 200-300 meters, NPA troops saw a quaddrone – with 4 legs and height of 2-3 ft. It surveyed the terrain for 7-10 minutes.

The drones can only recognizetheir operators, and their control-lers can attack without compunc-tion because of their distance from

He makes it appear that theseweapons were “given” or sold atdiscounted rates when these aredearly paid for by the Filipino peo-ple. Billions have been spent on the“modernization” program of theArmed Forces of the Philippines,which is used for the state’s war ofrepression.

Since 2010, the Philippine go-vernment bought three old war-ships, 17 attack helicopters and twocargo planes under the first phaseof the AFP Modernization Act.Funds for these reached P90 billion.

The AFP modernization’s se-cond phase will cover 2018 to 2022,

with P600 billion. This will includeDuterte’s much vaunted additional23 attack helicopters which the US“loaned,” payable in 25 years.According to the AFP list, he will bepurchasing Bell 309 King Cobrahelicopters built by the Americancompany Bell Helicopters, eachcosting $11.1 million in 1995. Priorto this, the AFP procured four Her-mes 900 Kochav (Star) dronesworth $42 million (P2.1 billion)each from the Elbit Systems, anAmerican company based in Israel.Added to these are Duterte’splanned purchases of new helmets,vests and many other equipment for

night combat and communications.Last June, four M134 machineguns, 300 M4 and 100 grenadelaunchers arrived in the Philippinesunder the US “counter-terrorism”program.

A big portion of the newlypurchased weapons comes from UScompanies and their intertwiningsubsidiaries all over the world. Upto 75% of all weapons bought bythe AFP were made by these com-panies. Before Donald Trump cameinto office, most of the purchaseswere through the US’ ForeignMilitary Financing (FMF). Thebiggest were in 2015 (P50 billion)

"Anti-terror war" . . . from page 6

ANG BAYAN December 21 , 2017 7

and 2016 (P40 billion). The FMF is aUS means to sell off their outdatedweapons, ships and airplanes. Withthese funds, semi-colonies arerequired to buy their outdatedequipment, repairing and upgradingthese from their own pockets andpaying for shipping costs from theUS to their country. Thus, the USprofits from dumping its outdatedarms while making cosmeticimprovements. In 2016, this mili-tary aid increased, underscoringthe irrelevance of Duterte’s anti-UStirades. According to reports, theUS shelled out as much as $127million from October 2015 to Sep-tember 2016. According to the USembassy, $50 million was FMF, $1.9million for soldiers’ training, $42million for naval ac-tivities, and$33.2 million for “counter-terror-ism activities.” For 2018, the USallocated $5.7 billion for this. Aswith other minions, Duterte had toshow extreme servility for thesefunds to be sprinkled his way.

War is an industryThe US remains the biggest

arms dealer in the world. This lastdecade, it doubled its sales, in stepwith the “counter terrorism war” inthe Middle East and Asia. This wasbiggest in 2011, when US armscompanies reached a whopping$66.3 billion in arms sales, three-fourths of the whole arms trade inthe world. A big portion of thiswent to Saudi Arabia and its otherallies in the region. These coun-tries purchased expensive war-planes and missiles that they usedto bomb ISIS and pro-ISIS groupsnear their countries.

While these wars continue, theUS rakes in profit. In 2015, itreaped $46 billion in sales whilegetting $40 billion in 2016. In2016, P33 billion came from sales inthe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone.These newly purchased weaponswere used by Saudi in Yemen,where whole provinces were pul-verized in the name of “war againstterror.”

Rallies against fascism in Human Rights Day

Massive protests were held by the democratic mass movement all overthe country last December 10 to condemn the US-Duterte regime's

worsening repression, violence and killings of the ranks of struggling people.This was followed by a series of protests by the youth and students to callfor the puppet and fascist regime's overthrow .

In NCR, Karapatan and BagongAlyansang Makabayan led a bigmobilization in Bonifacio Shrine,Manila, attended by more than8,000 activists. They were joinedby the "Let’s Organize for Demo-cracy and Integrity", a newalliance of media practitioners andartists. Chief Justice LourdesSereno sent a message of soli-darity.

At night, the people marchedto Mendiola with a thousand tor-ches. They burned a big image ofDuterte as a demon.

In Bicol, more than 15,000held rallies in six provinces. InSorsogon, rallyists barricaded theGen. Escudero Provincial Head-quarters of the PNP. They werejoined by members of SorsogonPeople’s Organization. In NagaCity, activists held a program atPlaza Rizal. Rallies were also heldin Legazpi City and Masbate.

In Panay, more than 1,000rallied in Jaro, Iloilo led by theMovement Against Tyranny-IloIlo.

In Negros, hundreds marchedto Bacolod City where they burneda two-faced Duterte effigy. Beforethis, PNP-Escalante blocked thePeople’s Caravan that was to jointhe protest for the InternationalHuman Rights Day to prevent themfrom going to Bacolod. In Cebu, arally was held in front of the CityHall.

Other forms of protests werealso held in different areas inNorthern Luzon, such as in IlocosSur, Isabela and Baguio.

In Mindanao, there wereprotests in five provinces. InSoccsksargen, Kaluhhamin, Bayanand Karapatan led the picket-protest in front of the 27th IBcamp in Tupi, South Cotabato.

In Zamboanga del Sur,

hundreds joined the rally with theBishops of Iglesia Filipina Inde-pendiente and Karapatan-WestMindanao towards Pagadian City.

In Davao, activists rallied atthe Eastern Mindanao Commandheadquarters in Panaon, DavaoCity. In Cagayan de Oro, activistsheld a program in the city.

There were also mass actionsin Hayward, California, The Haguein Netherlands, Hongkong and NewYork.

Last December 18, KMP-Soccsksargen held a picket-protestto condemn the massacre of eightLumads by the 33rd and 27th IBlast December 3, in Barangay Ned,Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. Theycalled Cotabato Governor DaisyFuentes to launch an investigationregarding the military's protectionof the carbon mining companies.

The youth cry: Overthrow DuterteLast December 16, the annual

lantern parade in the University ofthe Philippines-Diliman was trans-formed into a mass protest whenthe activists paraded an effigy ofDuterte depicted as a monsterwearing military uniform and killingUP students. A lighting rally wasalso held in UP-Visayas.

Last December 13, thestudents walked out of theirclasses as the special session inCongress was held to extend Mar-tial Law in Mindanao. Some of thestudents joined the picket led byBayan in Batasan Road in front ofthe House of Representatives.Students from the UST lit candlesalong Espana Avenue.

Before this, the theme for theannual Oblation Run in UP Dilimanwas the call to end the killings andother state-sponsored violence. InUP-Manila, the Oblation Run was

"Anti-terror war" . . . from page 6

December 21 , 2017 ANG BAYAN8

with violent dispersal from theUniversity of Cordillera adminis-tration and the Cordillera Police.

Workers' actionsWorkers under Liga Cavite of

Southern Tagalog held a protest-action in front of the Department ofLabor and Employment office inIntramuros, Manila. They called forthe urgent decision of DOLEregarding the situation of SanMiguel Yamamura's contractualworkers.

The International League of Peoples' Struggles stood firmly with the Palestinian people that Jerusalem isthe rightful capital of Palestine. They condemned US President Trump’s declaration that the said city is the

capital of Israel and the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.According to ILPS, this declaration exposes the US' utter disregard for international conventions and

norms. All Arab countries, including the ultra-reactionary and pro-US Saudi Arabia, have denounced Trump’sdecision.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP) took the pronouncement as a declaration of waragainst the Palestinians. The PLFP called on the people to “unite their efforts and respond collectively,practically and forcefully to this decision through action and escalation of the momentum of the popularmovement.” They clamor for a new intifada or revolution.

Since 1980, the United Nations (UN) has declared Jerusalem as part of Palestine. The UN Security Councilreleased Resolution 478, one of the seven resolutions that condemns Israel's occupation of East Jerusalemsince 1967. They also opposed Israel’s “Jerusalem Law” which claims the city as its “fully united” capital.Despite this, Israel built homes in East Jerusalem. Until now, the UN considers this as occupied territory.

Today, more than 200,000 Israeli families are illegally living in the midst of the Palestine community inJerusalem. In 2000, Israel built walls around the occupied territory and placed this under heavy guard by theIsraeli army and police. According to UN records, more than 20,000 Palestinian homes were demolished tobuild it. The holy lands of Judaism, Christianism and Islam are found in the eastern part of Jerusalem.

Trump’s latest decision will further embolden the Zionists to commit even more dastardly crimes againstthe Palestinian people with impunity, ILPS said.

Jerusalem: Palestine’s Capital, not Israel's – ILPS

held as a tribute to their martyr,Josephine Lapira.

Last December 9, students fromdifferent organizations walked outfrom their campuses to protestagainst widespread killings, threatsand repression of their rights.According to them, their campuseswere virtually under martial rulebecause of heavy PNP and AFPpresence inside and around thecampus. Students from UP-Diliman,UP-Manila, UST and other univer-sities joined the walk-out and

marched to Mendiola later in theafternoon. Lumad students underSave Our Schools Network alsopicketed in Mendiola on the sameday.

In Cagayan de Oro, members ofAnakbayan and LFS-Northern Min-danao Region held a lightning rallyin front of the 4th ID camp.

Last December 14, Anakbayan-Cordillera held a protest to con-demn the CHED-UnFAST or RA10931 which serves the interests ofcapitalist educators. This was met