From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 25): Militants press for resumption of scuttled peace talks on 31st EDSA People Power anniversary
Hundreds of militant activists, led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Bicol, staged separate rallies in the cities of Legazpi, Naga and Sorsogon and Daet town on Saturday to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolt, according to Bayan-Bicol Spokesperson Vince Kasilihan.
In this city, a march was held from Peňaranda Park, Albay District to the Pinaglabanan Monument in this city’s Central Business District.
The protesters urged the resumption of the peace talks between the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front and the government and for a stop to extra-judicial killing and human rights abuses.
They asked the government to instead wage a war against poverty and hunger and introduce social and economic reforms that could improve the living conditions of the marginalized sectors of society.
The militant groups were also composed of representatives from partylist Bayan Muna, Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas, Karapatan-Bicol, CONDOR (Concerned Drivers and Operators in Bicol Region), Gabriela, Kabataan partylist group and Selda-Bicol.
They urged the Duterte administration to address the pressing social and economic issues instead of declaring war against illegal drugs where thousands of alleged drug users and traders have been reported killed.
The marchers also expressed outrage at the surfacing of vigilantism in the government’s brutal fight against illegal drug suspects.
Kasilihan said that even if there were positive results attained in the initial round of the peace talks the prospects for a lasting peace were dimmed with the cancellation of the talks early in February.
He said the failed peace talks would lead to a “surge of human rights abuses in the form of illegal arrests, extra-judicial killings and militarization in the countryside.”
CONDOR staged a protest against the phasing-out of public utility passenger jeepneys, aged 15 years old and above, while announcing that the group will join a nationwide jeepney strike on Monday.
They said that as the phase out plan would greatly affect their livelihood they want a revocation of the executive order on the old jeepneys’ phaseout.
Sr. Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of Police Regional Office in Bicol, said the commemoration of the EDSA People Power in Bicol was “generally peaceful” with no untoward incidents reported in the six provincial police offices and Naga City Police Office.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=967242
This is Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front group activity. The term "militant groups" is just a euphemism for CPP front organizations.
ReplyDeleteThe Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance) is a multisectoral umbrella front organization associated with the CPP.
Bayan Muna (People First) is a political party/front that has several members serving in the Philippine House of Representatives.
Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP-Philippine Peasant Movement) is a peasant front and a member of BAYAN.
KARAPATAN is a national-level CPP-affiliated umbrella human rights front group with regional and local chapters scattered throughout the Philippines.
Concerned Drivers and Operators in Bicol Region (CONDOR) is a regional affiliate of the national-level CPP transportation front organization the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON-Organization of the Drivers and Operators Nationwide).
The General Assembly Binding Women for Reform, Integrity, Equality, Leadership and Action (GABRIELA) is a CPP front for women. There is a political spinoff from this group called the Gabriela Women's Party (GWP).
Kabataan (Youth) is another CPP political front focused on student/youth issues.
Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto(SELDA-Association of Ex-Detainees Against Detention and Arrest) is a national-level CPP front organization with regional chapters active throughout the country.