Robert Reid | Chairperson FFPS
On July 3rd, in the wake of the martyrdom of ten red fighters in Pantabangan, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called on the red fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender. The AFP claimed that armed struggle is pointless and that there should be ‘unity’ to ‘strengthen [the country’s] external defense and to secure [the country’s] sovereignty’.
The AFP’s statement is full of lies and distortions, and will ultimately fall on deaf ears. It claims that armed struggle is pointless, but fails to mention why this armed struggle is happening in the first place. The majority of the Filipino people are suffering under the heavy oppression and exploitation imposed on them by the semi-colonial and semi-feudal system. Landlessness, contractualization, displacement, and increasing prices for basic needs are just a few examples of the problems the Filipino people face on the daily. But as soon as the masses resist, they are faced with extreme violence from the fascist state forces. In such conditions it is only natural that the Filipino people take up the gun and wage armed struggle.
In an attempt to defeat the revolutionary movement, the Philippine government is waging a ‘counterinsurgency’ war based on the COIN model of the USA. This war against the people has intensified under the US-Duterte and US-Marcos regimes and has resulted in countless war crimes and other violations of International Humanitarian Law committed by state forces.
Earlier this year, the Filipino people took the Philippine and US governments to court at the International People’s Tribunal. The overwhelming amount of compelling evidence presented by the Filipino people and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) in their case, has left no doubt of the truthfulness of their assertion that the US-Marcos and US-Duterte regimes are guilty of various grave war crimes. Terrorist-tagging and abducting activists, indiscriminately bombing civilian areas, the killing of hors de combat, and the massacring of entire civilian families are only a few examples. Despite the guilty verdict, the government continues with these crimes. Recently, human rights organizations have pointed out that the bodies of the Pantabangan ten have been desecrated by the army.
The AFP is also hypocritical to call for the NPA to ‘unite for a bigger security challenge’ when it is Marcos Jr.’s and AFP’s submission to US imperialism and its warmongering against China that endangers the Filipino people in being dragged into and inter-imperialist war. The biggest threat to the security of the Philippines, is US imperialism and its puppets in Malacańang. Especially in these times of increasing inter-imperialist tensions, the Filipino people’s war is far from pointless. As a strong revolutionary movement in the Philippines, prevents US imperialism from using the Philippines and the AFP as tools of war against China.
As Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle we condemn the AFP for its continued crimes against the Filipino people. In the face of these crimes it is vital that we support and propagate the guilty verdict of the IPT. We must continue to spread the brave testimonies given by victims and their close comrades, friends, and family. Let us be true friends of the Filipino people and stand with them in their struggle for justice and fight for a just peace!
Duterte, Marcos, Biden are Guilty!
Just and lasting peace in the Philippines!
Support the Filipino people’s aspiration: national liberation against US imperialism!