Phillipines : CPP congratulates New People's Army for string of victories

[scarletghoul]

Things are heatin up a little. The arsehole Arroyo regime is going out this year, and they're stepping up their counterinsurgency operations. However the Maoists seem to be coming out on top, though still in the strategic defensive.


CPP Information BureauThe Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today congratulated the New People's Army (NPA) for its recent string of military victories in the Cordillera and Bicol regions saying "these signals great advances in the people's war this 2010."
In the Cordillera, the NPA roundly frustrated the all-out military operations of the Philippine Army's 5th Infantry Division and successfully carried out a series of battles against attacking government forces in the Mountain Province and Abra. Also last January, the NPA engaged the state armed forces in 37 encounters including one ambush, one raid, numerous other military actions as well as defensive turned offensive actions.
Citing reports by local NPA units and other revolutionary organizations, the CPP highlighted the following military actions of the NPA carried out in the month of January in the Ilocos-Cordillera at Bicol regions alone:


On January 27, with the support of the masses, the NPA ambushed an elite platoon of the 54th IB led by 1Lt. Victor Leopoldo at the vicinity of Mt. Bato in Mainit, Bontoc resulting in the annihilation of five elements and the wounding of another four.
On January 31, three more troopers of the Pilippine Army's 50th IB were killed in a fight with an NPA unit in Tubo, a southern Abra barangay bordering the Mountain Province.
On the same day, NPA forces almost wiped out another platoon of the 41st IB in Barangay Lap-ey in Malibcong. Five government troopers were killed and another eight were wounded.
Last January 14, the NPA successfully ambushed the Special Operations Team of the 2nd IB in Baranggay Taplacon, Camalig, Albay resulting in the death of Pfc. Michael Sacza.
On January 15, two enemy soldiers belonging to the 49th IB were killed when NPA Red fighters fired upon the military truck in Baranggay Palogtok, Irosin, Sorsogon.
On the same day, four soldiers belonging to the 9th IB were killed and six others were wounded when their vehicle was ambushed in Baranggay Lalaguna, Mobo, Masbate.
On January 20, an NPA commando team set an explosion damaging the walls and guardhouse of the 9th IB and the PNP-RMG at Baranggay Armenia, Unson, Masbate.

All in all, at least 28 enemy soldiers were killed in the Cordillera and Bicol regions and 25 others wounded. Four NPA Red fighters were martyred.
The CPP denounced the brutal, destructive ways of the attacking government troops. "In the Mountain Province, ground operations of the 54th IB were accompanied by three days of aerial bombings by helicopter gunships and jet planes, resulting in the destruction of rice paddies and terraces, irrigation canals, and domestic water systems, and the burning of mountainside forests in the towns of Mainit and Guinaang."
In Albay, elements of the special operations team (SOT) of the 901st Brigade abducted Ananias Cardiente Jr and Vicente Moradillo last January 15 in Baranggay Taplacon, Camalig. On January 30, elements of the 2nd ID fired and killed Vergel Mapola Catubig in Baranggay Lawinon, Pio Duran.
"In the face of the government forces' brutal suppression of the people's rights, wanton destruction of the people's economy and utter disregard of the people's interest," the CPP said "the masses in the area and their army have remained undaunted and have been able to fight with virtuosity in guerrilla tactics against the ineffective government armed forces.
"These victories in battle of the NPA belie pratings of the US-Arroyo regime and its top defense and military officials that the armed revolutionary movement will be drastically reduced to inconsequence if not totally defeated by the end of the present term of the ruling regime and at the same time the end of its brutal nine-year "counter-insurgency" program--Oplan Bantay Laya.
The CPP said that the recent victories of the NPA in the Cordillera and Bicol regions are only a few of the many victories nationwide. "With these victories, the people's war is on track to developing from the present stage of strategic defensive to the stage of strategic stalemate by the middle of the decade."

[Nolan]

Go Maoists! Victory on three fronts!

[Marxist]

People´s war ! That´s just to my birthday :D

[Sendo]

Feels good to be a Maoist, don't it? Maoists and their derivatives have made so much progress. I'd like to see all non-restricted members give support or critical support to all of these revolutions. Capitalism this century is really putting humanity and its own means of production (the earth climate systems, the soil, its own decaying infrastructure, the health and vitality of its labor-force) in serious peril.

Maoism may be all we've got. I hate the arguments that people say it's not effective n the First World. Bullshit. The only reason it's not effective is because the First World is into armchair revolutionaryism. It'd be different if we had the non-ML groups staging revolutions in the first world, but right now, we've got promising Maoist revolutions in the 3rd and 2nd worlds and 1st world Maoists dealing with smug liberals, bought-off/seduced conservatives, utopians, petty bourgeois, and phony communists.

I haven't seen very much of the Philippines, but I have seen the enormous rich-poor divide, the export-oriented agriculture (problems of metabolic rift anyone?), and the complete lack of a domestic economy. It's all tourism, services, selling off the resources and labor, and buying up whatever discounted, obsolete crap they can find to have transportation or industry. Oh, and the beggar children, man. One thing you can rely on commies for, they are passionate about getting kids to school and eat at least breakfast and lunch.

[Yazman]

Feels good to be a Maoist, don't it? Maoists and their derivatives have made so much progress. I'd like to see all non-restricted members give support or critical support to all of these revolutions. Capitalism this century is really putting humanity and its own means of production (the earth climate systems, the soil, its own decaying infrastructure, the health and vitality of its labor-force) in serious peril.

Maoism may be all we've got. I hate the arguments that people say it's not effective n the First World. Bullshit. The only reason it's not effective is because the First World is into armchair revolutionaryism. It'd be different if we had the non-ML groups staging revolutions in the first world, but right now, we've got promising Maoist revolutions in the 3rd and 2nd worlds and 1st world Maoists dealing with smug liberals, bought-off/seduced conservatives, utopians, petty bourgeois, and phony communists.

I haven't seen very much of the Philippines, but I have seen the enormous rich-poor divide, the export-oriented agriculture (problems of metabolic rift anyone?), and the complete lack of a domestic economy. It's all tourism, services, selling off the resources and labor, and buying up whatever discounted, obsolete crap they can find to have transportation or industry. Oh, and the beggar children, man. One thing you can rely on commies for, they are passionate about getting kids to school and eat at least breakfast and lunch.

The Philippines is only as bad as you make it out to be in the south (which has been bogged down in various conflicts for a very long time). The rest of the country is not as bad as you make it sound and is developing at a pretty fast pace.

On a ground level, at least in the visayas, the NPA are not popular at all. They do have their supporters of course but in a broad sense they are considered to be little more than 'thugs' by most people. They need to do a lot to repair their image among the workers if they actually want any success to continue.

[Saorsa]

Yazman's statement above about the NPA's popularity is an assertion, not a fact. I've heard very different accounts from people who've been to the Philippines (and also people who were born there and lived there most of their lives), and frankly I'm more inclined to trust their opinions than yours.

[Sendo]

The Philippines is only as bad as you make it out to be in the south (which has been bogged down in various conflicts for a very long time). The rest of the country is not as bad as you make it sound and is developing at a pretty fast pace.


Have you been there? Anywhere in the Phillipines? Cebu and Manila and some surrounding countryside and flying over in a plane is enough to show it is "that bad". So what if a minority has nice shopping malls? Mostly anything locally-made was monoculturally-grown cash-crop goods and handmade trinkets to sell to foreigners.

It's been developing yes....but it's been developing from a low point to begin with. They've got a long way to go and capitalism won't get them more. With many 3rd world countries we're seeing an explosion in GDP and broad growth, but it's only because many are just experiencing some political and economic freedom and the early stages of capitalism. This is an explosion of putting some people to modern work for the first time, but it is not sustainable nor will it provide much betterment for all the people. I saw maybe 1 or 2 traffic lights anywhere in those cities and the public "transit" is jeepneys. The things are the dirtiest most ghetto-rigged things on 4 wheels. No cars were locally made, no capital really outside of small consumer goods, and even then, the vast majority were imported. The only way for the currency to have any value is to facilitate foreign investment as much as possible and export as much basic resources and goods as they can. This scramble to boost wealth won't make miracles.

[Yazman]

Have you been there? Anywhere in the Phillipines?

Yeah, I used to live there.


Yazman's statement above about the NPA's popularity is an assertion, not a fact. I've heard very different accounts from people who've been to the Philippines (and also people who were born there and lived there most of their lives), and frankly I'm more inclined to trust their opinions than yours.

I support the NPA. But the majority by far of people who lived in my old area there did not support them at all. That doesn't mean they are "bad" though. Just that they don't have much support in parts of the philippines. I don't know how much support they have in mindanao though, I lived in the visayas. I would imagine they have a lot more support in mindanao.

My "assertion" is completely true of the region I lived in. You seem to think that I was talking about the entire country when I never said that at all.

[The Vegan Marxist]

How about we stop arguing upon one another about certain assertions, whether true or not, on how developed an economy is sparking. The point of this is that the Phillipines, whether suffering or not, is in support of the 'Peoples War' & is showing that they are wanting a much better life than they have now, as do the rest of us. As a first worldist, I can't say that I know much about Maoism, but what I do know is that all Communists & Anarchists need to stand together during this time & age, because the Class War will never be succeeded by our people if we remain as divided as we are right now. We should show support to all groups of our class. Anarchists, Marxists, Leninists, Maoists, etc. This is a war against the Capitalist exploiters, not amongst ourselves.

[chegitz guevara]

Maoism may be all we've got. I hate the arguments that people say it's not effective n the First World. Bullshit. The only reason it's not effective is because the First World is into armchair revolutionaryism. It'd be different if we had the non-ML groups staging revolutions in the first world, but right now, we've got promising Maoist revolutions in the 3rd and 2nd worlds and 1st world Maoists dealing with smug liberals, bought-off/seduced conservatives, utopians, petty bourgeois, and phony communists.

It's shit like this that keeps comrades from uniting against the common enemy ... you know, capitalism.

The last thing I need to read is someone on the internet complaining about all those internet revolutionaries. Look in the mirror lately?

The material conditions in the First World do not exist for the creation a mass revolutionary movements. That's why, in the First World, Maoism is every bit as unpopular as every other Marxist movement. We cannot create a movement by yelling real hard or wishing it with all our might. Maoists, Trotskyists, and everyone else is doing everything they can to build revolutionary movements in the First World.

Stop griping at your fellow comrades, and overthrow South Korea.

[Sendo]

It's shit like this that keeps comrades from uniting against the common enemy ... you know, capitalism.

The last thing I need to read is someone on the internet complaining about all those internet revolutionaries. Look in the mirror lately?

The material conditions in the First World do not exist for the creation a mass revolutionary movements. That's why, in the First World, Maoism is every bit as unpopular as every other Marxist movement. We cannot create a movement by yelling real hard or wishing it with all our might. Maoists, Trotskyists, and everyone else is doing everything they can to build revolutionary movements in the First World.

Stop griping at your fellow comrades, and overthrow South Korea.

I'm griping at the people who often jump into threads on lenin, mao, stalin, or anyone and hijack the thread and turning it into a this ideology vs that with the bantering of state capitalism, fetishism, Third Worldism.

When I said armchair revolutionary I didn't mean to refer to people using the Internet. I'm obviously doing the same and due to my lack of ability to speak Korean fluently and my very restricted visa status, I'm not in much condition to do organizing. But I have gone to the major protests over the past two years. I've talked to people in socialist groups who can speak English. Last year I was deep in rural Korea for the vast majority of my time. My only option would be to become part of the teacher's union, but that's not feasible on 1-year visas. I didn't become radical until my last year of school, but I was active and I organized a protest against a certain Bush-admin speaker at my school.

I'm mad at the armchair revolutionaries who stand on the sidelines to criticize what is going on. I was in a Trot group for a short time, ISO, and it was dogmatic as hell, revolved around reading books, and ignored all real socialism going on. They sold newspapers, criticized capitalism, many working-class members, and helped out in broad anti-war protests. But they had no plan for anything, rarely discussed global events, and condemned anything outside of a narrow spectrum. Not just "that's not our party line this year", or "we don't agree with that tactic/strategy", or "that is the wrong analysis and here's why....".

I am very happy to have Trots and Anarchists participating and organizing, and they participate far more than I do or am capable of right now. But I can't stand the anti-ML posters on revleft who just dismiss everything it seems. I never see ML people go into threads and say that major protests or uprisings carried out by, say anarchists, are "anti-socialist" or "only supported by a minority."

Too Yazman, I am sorry for accusing you of not having seen the Philippines. When I say "that bad" I am referring to the overall conditions and outlook. The Philippines were not a hell hole and the beggars weren't everywhere. I have many similar feelings towards the US. For someone born in 1986 there is a HUGE WORLD of difference in domestic manufacturing. I remember seeing "Made in the USA" on most things, not a few select things like elevators and power tools.

I'm not trying to attack the Philippines particularly, I can rail against the problems of any nation. England's dependence on the dwindling North Sea Oil, Western Europe's outsourcing of ecologically damaging production, the USA's complete collapse of public infrastructure and atomization of its people, etc. I know the people there are working hard to develop their country, but under capitalism, especially in the polarized one today, some feats are impossible. It could change when the US falls and gives everyone some breathing room, but the slack could get pulled up by Japan and the Asian Tigers.

I also get the feeling you're mocking me for being in South Korea. I'm doing what I can, given that I have a worthless 4-year degree in History and minor East Asian culture that can certify me for shit and my family and I are $100,000 more in debt because of it. I don't where I'm going to settle down and I don't have too many options given how expensive a teacher certification program would be in the States and the fact that studying in other Anglophone nations presents many problems for housing and immigration and part-time employment eligibility.

[Devrim]

How about we stop arguing upon one another about certain assertions, whether true or not, on how developed an economy is sparking. The point of this is that the Phillipines, whether suffering or not, is in support of the 'Peoples War' & is showing that they are wanting a much better life than they have now, as do the rest of us. As a first worldist, I can't say that I know much about Maoism, but what I do know is that all Communists & Anarchists need to stand together during this time & age, because the Class War will never be succeeded by our people if we remain as divided as we are right now. We should show support to all groups of our class. Anarchists, Marxists, Leninists, Maoists, etc. This is a war against the Capitalist exploiters, not amongst ourselves.

I find this quite a strange post coming from an anarchist. The question is not some abstract one of 'unity', and 'standing together'.

I think first that it is important to look at the character of groups. Yes, the NPA claim to be socialist or communist, but then even the English Labour Party uses socialist rhetoric on occasion. Claiming to be socialist or communist does not necessarily mean that you are.

Another important question is whether these sort of armed gangs are political movements of the working class. They are certainly not the working class acting as a class for itself.

I think Yazman's post is quite telling:


On a ground level, at least in the visayas, the NPA are not popular at all. They do have their supporters of course but in a broad sense they are considered to be little more than 'thugs' by most people. They need to do a lot to repair their image among the workers if they actually want any success to continue.

The reason that these sort of groups get that reputation is because it is precisely how they act.

Do you think that the emancipation of the working class is the task of the working class itself, or the task of small armed groups who set themselves up to act on behalf of the working class, and usually end up as gangsters who kill a few policemen and soldiers?

Do you think that killing 28 soldiers, which is the point of the OP here, develops class consciousness in anyway, or moves the working class a single step closer to socialism?

Devrim

[Sendo]

something I want to mention that I forgot: I don't want people to think that being a Maoist while living in the First World means advocating guerilla war in the USA. Venezuela is having a revolution of sorts. Chavez was elected and although he is somewhere ambiguous between a reformist and revolutionary. He would never be able to carry out his policies nor withstand American imperialism without a vibrant workforce and organized populace. He is also not the only thing happening there either. Revolution comes in many forms, and the Black Panthers had some great ideas--I'd say armed leftists acting as anti-fascist brigades in the Southwest would be appreciated.

[scarletghoul]

Yeah thats true. It's also worth noting that Chavez has been influenced a lot by Mao and has called himself a Maoist. There are plenty of instances of Maoist ideas being useful for first world revolution, the Panthers being a prime example.


I find this quite a strange post coming from an anarchist.
Maybe youre forgetting that Anarchists have historically been aligned with Marxist movements in times of revolution. At least, in the early 20th century they were, when Anarchism constitued a significant movement and had some success.

Modern anarchism is largely a joke. Anarchists have these strange idealist ultraleftist principles and will not align with any leninists or whatever. Its stupid and is the reason why Anarchism is failing so bad right now. The early 20th century anarchists tended to side with the marxists and leninists and were actually a part of the revolutionary movement (in spain russia korea etc), not just some crazy idealist fools on the sidelines.


I think first that it is important to look at the character of groups. Yes, the NPA claim to be socialist or communist, but then even the English Labour Party uses socialist rhetoric on occasion.
Differance is the Labour Party is not at war with the British state.

[/quote]Another important question is whether these sort of armed gangs are political movements of the working class. They are certainly not the working class acting as a class for itself.[/quote]
Youre being a shit now, calling a peoples liberation movement an 'armed gang'. Its exactly the kind of shit the bourgeois media say and tbh makes me sick

[Devrim]

Maybe youre forgetting that Anarchists have historically been aligned with Marxist movements in times of revolution. At least, in the early 20th century they were, when Anarchism constitued a significant movement and had some success.

Modern anarchism is largely a joke. Anarchists have these strange idealist ultraleftist principles and will not align with any leninists or whatever. Its stupid and is the reason why Anarchism is failing so bad right now. The early 20th century anarchists tended to side with the marxists and leninists and were actually a part of the revolutionary movement (in spain russia korea etc), not just some crazy idealist fools on the sidelines.

I don't thing there was very much anarchistic about those who used the label anarchist in Korea. The reason that anarchism is weak at the moment is because the working class is weak. Anarchist organisation will strengthen themselves, as will the vast majority of leftist organisations as the working class becomes stronger.


Differance is the Labour Party is not at war with the British state.

I don't think that it is particularly relevant to my point. My point is that all sorts of organisations claim to be socialist, and just because an organisation claims to be it doesn't mean it is.



Another important question is whether these sort of armed gangs are political movements of the working class. They are certainly not the working class acting as a class for itself.
Youre being a shit now, calling a peoples liberation movement an 'armed gang'. Its exactly the kind of shit the bourgeois media say and tbh makes me sick

It may well make you sick. It does change my perception of these sort of groups. They are anti-working class armed gangs. Just because they have a little leftist rhetoric it does mean that I abandon all critical faculties, just because a man with a gun has a red flag.

Devrim

[The Vegan Marxist]

I find this quite a strange post coming from an anarchist.


I'm not a 'straight-forward' anarchist. I don't support the immediate abolishment of the State. That move would be highly detrimental to the movement & would only lead to the global exploiters to take over once again, & everything we've been fighting for would be ruined.

[red cat]

I'm not a 'straight-forward' anarchist. I don't support the immediate abolishment of the State. That move would be highly detrimental to the movement & would only lead to the global exploiters to take over once again, & everything we've been fighting for would be ruined.

That seems to be Marxism-Leninism. :)

[scarletghoul]

LOL there are plenty of non-Leninist schools of thought that advocate a transition rather than instant abolition of the state..


I don't thing there was very much anarchistic about those who used the label anarchist in Korea.
Just about every successful anarchist revolution is 'not very anarchistic' by the ridiculous liberal idealist standards of modern 'anarchists'.


The reason that anarchism is weak at the moment is because the working class is weak. Anarchist organisation will strengthen themselves, as will the vast majority of leftist organisations as the working class becomes stronger.What a load of bollocks. What is the use in a revolutionary organisation if it is just gonna tail the workin class rather than lead it. This tailism-workerism is really silly tbh

[Devrim]

Just about every successful anarchist revolution is 'not very anarchistic' by the ridiculous liberal idealist standards of modern 'anarchists'.

I don't think there have been any anarchist revolutions. I am not sure what sort of anarchists that you are talking about, let's take for example what is probably the biggest anarchist organisation in the world today, the IWA/AIT, what is 'liberal and idealistic' about it?



The reason that anarchism is weak at the moment is because the working class is weak. Anarchist organisation will strengthen themselves, as will the vast majority of leftist organisations as the working class becomes stronger.What a load of bollocks. What is the use in a revolutionary organisation if it is just gonna tail the workin class rather than lead it. This tailism-workerism is really silly tbh

It is not tailism, or workerism. It is just a fact that left wing organisations, and particularly revolutionary organisations, grow in periods of class struggle. I don't know how you can even dispute that.

Devrim

[Sendo]

It is not tailism, or workerism. It is just a fact that left wing organisations, and particularly revolutionary organisations, grow in periods of class struggle. I don't know how you can even dispute that.


That approach seems a little deterministic. I don't agree with either extreme, jump-starting a revolution when there is no working class orgnization yet, nor waiting for the ideal conditions. One is idealistic and active and the other is materialist and passive. I think there is a sweet spot in the middle.

[The Vegan Marxist]

I don't think there have been any anarchist revolutions. I am not sure what sort of anarchists that you are talking about, let's take for example what is probably the biggest anarchist organisation in the world today, the IWA/AIT, what is 'liberal and idealistic' about it?


Have you not heard of the Spanish Revolution? That was an anarchist revolution. A successful one for the most part, at that. Sure, you can call it a Libertarian-Socialist revolution, but either way, it was anarchy.


That seems to be Marxism-Leninism. :)

Not really Leninist. I don't have much respect for him, to be honest. I believe the drive of the revolution should be based around the Proletariat, not a state-run military organization. It's more along the lines of Marxism, & I'm also becoming quite a fan of Maoism as well, but that's a different story.

[Devrim]

That approach seems a little deterministic. I don't agree with either extreme, jump-starting a revolution when there is no working class orgnization yet, nor waiting for the ideal conditions. One is idealistic and active and the other is materialist and passive. I think there is a sweet spot in the middle.

I don't think it is deterministic at all. It is merely stating a fact. In periods of class struggle socialist organisations grow, and at the moment we are just starting to recover from the defeats of the 80s and the terrible years that were the 90s.

Devrim

[Devrim]

Have you not heard of the Spanish Revolution? That was an anarchist revolution. A successful one for the most part, at that. Sure, you can call it a Libertarian-Socialist revolution, but either way, it was anarchy.

I have no problem with calling it anarchist. I would just question whether there was a revolution. The working class didn't seize power, and the anarchists joined the bourgeois government.

Devrim

[Yazman]

I don't think it is deterministic at all. It is merely stating a fact. In periods of class struggle socialist organisations grow, and at the moment we are just starting to recover from the defeats of the 80s and the terrible years that were the 90s.

Devrim

Seems interesting you feel that there is a recovery in progress. Do you mean this in a local sense, regional sense or a global sense?

[Devrim]

Seems interesting you feel that there is a recovery in progress. Do you mean this in a local sense, regional sense or a global sense?

In a global sense. I think it is quite clear.
Devrim

[Das war einmal]

Devrim do you seem to forget that there is no real alternative other then to pick up a weapon and start a revolutionary war? Protests and opposition is being cracked down by the state, communists are being arrested, tortured and executed (exiled leader of the Philippine CP, Sison, who currently resides in The Netherlands was also imprisoned and tortured).

[ls]

Is the P-CPP aligned with the MILF at all?


Devrim do you seem to forget that there is no real alternative other then to pick up a weapon and start a revolutionary war? Protests and opposition is being cracked down by the state, communists are being arrested, tortured and executed (exiled leader of the Philippine CP, Sison, who currently resides in The Netherlands was also imprisoned and tortured).

It's hardly unique here and it would seem weird to assume that immediate insurrectionary armed struggle is always the way forward in response to 'being cracked down upon'.

In my opinion, it brought revisionism to the front door of the FSLN; whereas the other factions called for the traditional means of struggle in the face of a weak (unlike Arroyo), Fascist-like dictatorial government, Ortega's called for an immediate insurrectionary coup, this in turn led to the utter consolidation of his power as a revisionist. Also, at certain times it would surely be suicidal to wage an armed struggle (especially in the wake of so many massacres and what I've perceived as being a strengthening of ability to use physical power by the Arroyo regime's police and army) and would bring down an even harsher crackdown that could defeat the working-class for decades?

Nonetheless, if you can expand on why you think you are right with a deeper analysis then I'll take a closer look, but surely getting the workers to self-organise where the bulk of the workers are in the workplaces in the big cities like Manila and other big towns is the best way they'll defeat Arroyo.