PHILLIPINES: RECENT ACTIONS OF THE PEOPLES WAR.
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Reports on the Communist Party Of The Phillipines
First in a series of articles on some recent actions by the Maoist-led New
Peoples' Army, which has been waging a revolutionary war against successive
US puppet regimes since 1968.
12 government troopers slain in NPA's Samar attack
2/13/01 ==============================
Communist guerrillas attacked an Army patrol base in Samar yesterday,
killing 11 soldiers and a government militiaman, the military said.
The military said "a large number" of New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas
swooped down on the Army outpost before dawn in the village of Babaclayun in
San Jose de Buan town, triggering a fierce clash.
Two soldiers survived the attack and said that despite tenaciously defending
the outpost, they were outnumbered by the NPA rebels.
Reinforcements were immediately dispatched to the area backed by two attack
helicopters to pursue the fleeing guerrillas.
The attack came on the same day a clash occurred in Iloilo, in which three
guerrillas, one of them a 15-year-old, were killed and a rebel leader,
Reynaldo Bocala, 55, was wounded and captured. Bocala is the deputy
secretary of the Panay Regional Party Committee.
The 30-minute firefight occurred in Barangay Tabiak at the boundary of
Tubungan and Igbaras towns.
The fresh violence came three days after the government announced the
composition of a negotiating panel that would resume formal peace talks with
the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) this year.
In Antipolo City, meanwhile, at least 40 NPA rebels torched vehicles in a
compound in Barangay Calawis over the weekend.
Police said the rebels claimed that the vehicles' owner, a certain Alfredo
Malvar, heads a landgrabbing syndicate.
It was not clear how the attacks would affect the upcoming talks, but the
government had earlier promised to release several communist guerrillas from
detention as a confidence-building measure.
The rebels, in turn, promised to free Army Maj. Noel Buan and police Chief
Inspector Abelardo Martin whom they abducted in 1999.
Earlier Monday, Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he considered the CPP'
s armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), as a major threat despite the
upcoming talks.
"The military assessed that the communist rebels will still stage more
ambuscades against government targets in isolated places but will also lay
low in anticipation of the resumption of talks," Ermita said.
Talks with the rebels collapsed in 1999 after the communists protested the
Senate's ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United
States, which they claimed could be used by the government in its
anti-insurgency drive. - Ulysses Torres Sabuco, Paolo Romero, Non Alquitran
and Leo Solinap
PNP: Communists behind transport strike today
by :Mike Frialde ====================
Expect red flags to fly today.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) accused the Communist Party of the
Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) of masterminding today's
transport strike which threatens to paralyze major routes in Metro Manila
and key cities across the country.
This developed as President Estrada issued a last-ditch appeal to leaders of
transport groups, saying oil prices will soon go down due to a decision of
oil-exporting countries to increase production.
Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, PNP spokesman, said they received
information that the CPP-NDF and its armed wing, the New People's Army
(NPA), are behind the protest move.
He noted that striking groups have been "infiltrated" by CPP-NDF "party
cells" who have been pushing for a strike since last month.
Bartolome said the 115,000 policemen all over the country have been on red
alert since Monday in anticipation of possible rebel attacks on police and
military targets.
The communist rebels marked the 31st founding anniversary of their
Maoist-inspired rebellion yesterday without launching any attack. But
Bartolome said NPA guerrillas or those from a breakaway group, the Alex
Boncayao Brigade-Revolutionary Proletariat Army, may take advantage of
today's tense situation.
He said that as a precautionary measure, the National Capital Region Police
Office is fielding 6,000 policemen in the metropolis. He said, however, that
these law enforcers will observe "maximum tolerance" and will try to avoid
making arrests.
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be fielding 50 trucks and
some 500 buses for commuters who may get stranded by today's strike.
All government hospitals will also be on alert to respond to any
emergencies.
Battlecry: Rollback
Transport groups led by the Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor
Nationwide (Piston) announced that they would "paralyze" major routes in
Metro Manila and other urban centers in the country today to demand a
rollback in fuel prices.
The strike will be joined by the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers
Associations of the Philippines, the Philippine Taxi Operators Association,
and groups of tricycle drivers and laborers.
"We will paralyze Metro Manila and key cities across the country," vowed
Medardo Roda, head of Piston.
The left-leaning group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is also joining
the protest action.
Teddy Casiño, Bayan secretary general, said there have been moves to derail
the protest actions. Among these, he said, were the killing of a Piston
leader in Caloocan City yesterday, the alleged order of a Cotabato official
to use water cannons against protesters, and the spreading of rumors in
Central Luzon that the strike has been moved to Friday.
"There is no stopping tomorrow's (today's) protests. Attempts to sabotage
the mass actions will only boomerang on the perpetrators because they will
be seen for what they really are -- partners and defenders of President
Estrada, the oil cartel and big business," he said.
Church groups, too, have thrown their support to the protests.
The Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) said today's strike will
signal the downfall of the Estrada administration.
"The fact is the massive protests and transport strike are the physical,
actual and objective manifestation of the negative 13 rating of Mr. Estrada
and (it showed) the disappointment of the masses is still growing," said
Robert de Castro, PCPR secretary general.
The PCPR will be fielding priests, nuns and seminarians in today's rallies
and it is expecting participation also from Protestants and other church
groups.
The President appealed to the protesters not to push through with the
strike, saying it would be unfair to blame his government for the recent
increases in oil prices.
"Not even the President of the United States can do anything to stop these
increases," he said, pointing out that the deregulation of the local oil
industry has rendered him powerless against oil price hikes.
"I am doing everything to lower fuel prices. But this is really beyond my
power," he added.
Local fuel prices rose by another 80 centavos this month after world crude
prices soared from $10 to $26 a barrel because of production cuts.
However, world prices are expected to take a dip this month in the wake of
reports that members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
were poised to increase their production quotas.
The President said he is hoping local prices would follow suit.
"This is good news. This will certainly bring down oil prices," he said.
It'll be peaceful
Those behind the protests, though, believe things will be peaceful.
The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), which is among those leading today's
event, assured that it will try to prevent coercive and violent actions on
the part of the strikers.
"Through peaceful means, we will persuade everybody to participate in the
protest," KMU spokesperson Ina Silverio said.
The KMU, which is composed of mostly organized labor groups, will mount a
demonstration starting at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City and in Mendiola, a
block from the presidential palace.
The demonstration will complement Piston's strike in major areas such as
Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, and the southern Metro
Manila.
Protest actions will also be held in Baguio City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan,
Bulacan, Cavite, Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Negros,
Cebu, Bohol, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, and Davao.
KMU chairman Crispin Beltran said the protest actions will highlight the
abuses of the country's three biggest oil companies, namely Petron, Shell
and Caltex, which have increased their prices allegedly to recoup massive
losses.
"Their justification for oil price increases is a mere excuse for their
insatiable greed," Beltran said, adding that the demonstration will also
push for an increase in labor's wages.
"If the government insists on allowing the oil cartel to jack up their
prices on a monthly basis, then the working people have the right to insist
on wage increases as often as there are oil price hikes," he said. -- With
reports from Marichu Villanueva, Rommel Bagares, Cecille Suerte Felipe,
Sandy Araneta, Sheila Crisostomo, Mayen Jaymalin, Marvin Sy, Gina Tabonares,
Efren Danao, Edith Regalado, Ric Sapnu, Jose Aravilla
