People’s movement seen as real target of gov’t crackdown

A nationwide state of emergency was called in the Philippines by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Feb. 24—the 20th anniversary of a people’s uprising that toppled the hated U.S.-backed regime of Ferdinand Marcos.

The repressive move was based on the claim that a coup was in the offing by a coalition of leftist leaders and right-wing military officers. The named conspirators are Brig. General Danilo Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin. Proclamation 1017 was issued after the military of the Philippines claimed it had prevented the coup.

The state of emergency was far from expected. The call for Arroyo’s ouster has been growing louder since the spring of 2005. Still, the edict caught everyone off guard because the pretext for the state of emergency is very unlikely. Circumstances point to a more plausible explanation: it is a ploy to crack down on the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.

On Feb. 27 the Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management forwarded two lists to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales containing the names of 59 individuals, mostly CPP and NDF leaders. Although a handful of soldiers are among the names, the alleged coup organizers are not listed. More names are being added to the lists each day.

A statement issued by Jose Maria Sison, chief political consultant to the National Democratic Front, exposed the real motives of Arroyo’s crackdown and discussed the issue of working with elements of the military in a struggle against the ruling regime.

“[T]he CPP has no agreement with any group in the military organization of the reactionary government regarding any conspiracy to carry out a coup d’etat on February 24 or any other date,” wrote Sison.

“The claim of the Arroyo regime that there is a coup conspiracy between the CPP and so-called military adventurists of the Right is a brazen lie. It misrepresents as a foiled coup attempt a mere conversation between AFP chief of staff General Senga and General Danilo Lim about the difficulty of preventing the officers and troops from joining the mass actions, as in Edsa 1 and Edsa [the uprisings that toppled President Marcos and President Estrada, respectively—SS]. It also misrepresents as a coup conspiracy an alleged agreement of political alliance between the CPP and the anti-Arroyo groups in the military and police forces.

“There is nothing wrong if under certain conditions the representatives of the CPP and any anti-Arroyo group in the military and police negotiate and make agreements for the benefit of the people along the line of patriotism, democracy, civilian supremacy, development and just peace.”

A crackdown against many of the top leaders of the people’s movement is definitely underway. According to an article in “Inside PCIJ” (Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism), among those targeted in the lists are “Jose Ma. Sison, Luis Jalandoni and Fidel Agacoili and 44 other alleged communist leaders and members; all six congressmen who are members of the leftist party list groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Anakpawis; Reform the Armed Forces (RAM) leaders Gregorio Honasan, Jake Malajacan and Felix Turingan, and three lieutenants.”

Government lawyers have said that rebellion is a “continuing crime,” and that those who are guilty can be arrested even without warrants. Bayan Muna party list representative Joel G. Virador, for example, was arrested without a warrant in Davao City. Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Bel tran was picked up in Bulacan, also in a warrantless arrest, and the police attempted to arrest Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo, but he eluded them.

Movement organizers are worried that many more arrests are in the offing. Since the news of the initial lists came out, the PNP has said that it now has 200 names.

But the response from Filipino leaders has been one of confidence and determination—not fear. According to Chito Quijano, vice-chairperson of BAYAN-USA, “The declaration of the State of National Emergency by the fascist Arroyo regime is a blatant and arrogant abuse of power by one fearful of losing the hold on the presidency that she illegitimately acquired by cheating in the elections. Arroyo is isolated further from the broad masses of Filipino people because of her anti-people policies.

“These policies cater to the interests of its master, the Bush regime, and support the rotten system of U.S. imperialism. Ninety percent of the Filipino people are suffering from severe poverty, unemployment is at an all-time high and thousands are leaving the country for jobs abroad. The Filipino people must declare their own national state of emergency and rally the people to oust the U.S.-Arroyo regime now!”