CPP/Ang Bayan: Fight the US-Duterte regime’s fascist terrorism and Memo Order 32

CPP/Ang Bayan editorial posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Dec 7): Fight the US-Duterte regime’s fascist terrorism and Memo Order 32

The US-Duterte regime has formally put almost half the nation under militarization and military rule when it issued Memorandum Order 32. Using the order, Rodrigo Duterte directly deployed additional battalions to Eastern Visayas, Negros Island and Bicol to supposedly counter “lawless violence and terrorism.”

In reality, MO 32 imposed martial law on the four regions while extending again martial law in Mindanao for the whole of 2019. It will take a short while, and some flimsy excuse, for Duterte to outrightly and formally impose perpetual military rule over remaining regions. The regime’s reign of terror is already imposed all over the nation.

While the memo will intensify militarization and military offensives against the New People’s Army (NPA), its immediate focus is to enable the AFP to tighten its control and manipulate the 2019 May elections. Duterte revamped the AFP and appointed his most trusted officials to ensure the success of candidates who favor him and his military clique. The Duterte clique aims to monopolize the elections, with the help of allied warlords and dynasties in the regions and provinces. It is fanning the AFP and the PNP’s fanaticism and unleashing state violence to intimidate the people, paralyze the opposition and brutally suppress all resistance.

Duterte has fully exposed his all-out fascist, puppet, reactionary and power-and plunder-hungry character. He carries out widespread and foul extrajudical killings, abuse of power, spreading of lies and dirty tricks. It is apt that all revolutionaries, progressives and democratic forces hold him in contempt.

The people should firmly face the US-Duterte regime’s relentless militarization and fascist terrorism with greater determination to expand and intensify the people’s war. Because of the attacks against their democratic rights, more and more people are pushed to wage armed struggle. On the other hand, it is important for the democratic sectors and forces to continue asserting and defending their democratic rights and movements against fascist intimidation and suppression. Remember and hold on to the lessons of the long struggle against the US-Marcos fascist dictatorship.

Boldly, extensively and in the most all-round manner persevere in advancing the armed struggle, legal democratic movement and underground movement; in forming the broadest anti-fascist, antifeudal and anti-imperialist front; strengthening the Party ideologically, politically and organizationally; and in rallying the widest support from compatriots and progressive and democratic organizations and forces abroad.

The Party should considerably advance and intensify guerrilla warfare. Basic tactical offensives should be boldly launched. Annihilative offensives should be undertaken in all levels and fronts, while carrying out the widest and most extensive attritive actions with the help of the people’s militia and the masses and through the use of explosives and other weapons.

Form and consolidate NPA platoons and companies which link guerrilla fronts. Strengthen command and coordination between guerrilla units and seize political and military initiative. Closely monitor the enemy’s movements and identify the role of each area and unit in battle and cooperation. Earnestly raise military knowledge and capacity of commanders and fighters through education, training, exercises, assessments, summing-ups and politico-military conferences in various levels.

Prioritize military actions such as attacks against the most notorious fascist officials and units, big plunderous corporations and businesses which destroy and impoverish majority of the people. This becomes more imperative in the face of Duterte’s threat to use death squads against his opponents and critics. Sabotage facilities used for fascist offensive in the countryside and fascist suppression of the people. Engage in tit-for-tat against the AFP and regime’s slander and truth-twisting regarding tactical offensives and battles.

Broaden and intensify the antifeudal movement and struggle as key to arousing and mobilizing the peasant masses and farm workers and to carrying out their key tasks. This include mass campaigns and struggles and alliance work and tactics against “peace and development operations” and other forms of fascist terrorism and abuses. Expose and fight the campaign for civilians to surrender and their forced conscription to the reactionary army. Pay attention to the widespread and appalling corruption in the military, from the highest to the lowest level.

Pay attention to the people’s main problems and sentiments in each area. Arouse and collectively mobilize them to face and resolve these problems. The expansion and consolidation of mass organizations should translate to broader and stronger mass campaigns and mobilizations. Invigorate production campaigns and improve livelihood to alleviate the conditions of the masses and sustain the people’s army and the people’s war.

Expand and enliven education and propaganda mass campaigns and mobilizations to raise political awareness and the fighting spirit of the toiling masses. Expand and galvanize cultural, health and other campaigns to sustain the level of militancy, unity and collective struggle. Launch bigger and stronger protests and other mass struggles against illegal arrests and other fascist suppression of democratic rights and legal democratic organizations.

Strengthen and broaden the workers, urban poor and other sector’s union and economic struggles for their employment and social services. Fight neoliberal policies oppressing the toiling masses and which grossly favor big foreign and local companies. Expose and oppose the neoliberal ban, suppression and denial of union rights, as well as other individual and collective freedoms in factories, offices and schools, in favor of the interests of these corporations.

Legal progressive organizations, parties and alliances should insist and fight for their legal status. They should continue to expand and strengthen themselves while arousing traditional and non-traditional organizations and alliances of the democratic sectors.

Forge the broadest anti-fascist alliance. Unite with the widest range of democratic and ant-fascist forces and trends to defend democratic rights and civil freedoms against fascist repression. Expose and oppose the fascist Duterte clique’s plan to manipulate the elections. A broad and multilevel unity and coordination between parties and candidates should isolate and defeat the most rabid pro-Duterte and counterrevolutionary candidates.

Mobilize the most number of revolutionaries and progressive forces and masses in urban and rural areas to actively counter the regime and the AFP’s lies, misinformation and counterrevolutionary psywar. Continue to expose and condemn the ruling system’s fascist crimes and abuses, greed and plunder, exploitation and oppression of the toiling masses, widespread anomalies and corruption, and general decay. Actively propagate and promote the revolution’s calls and struggles.

Strengthen the Party at all levels. Boldly advance guerrilla warfare and antifacist, antifeudal and anti-imperialist struggles against the fascist US-Duterte regime. Continue to strengthen the Party’s political and military leadership over the broadest number of people. Improve their capacity to wage and advance widespread mass campaigns in the fields of politics, economy, military, production, education, health, culture and others.

Expose, isolate and fight the fascist and puppet Duterte regime abroad and in the realm of international opinion. Continue to expand efforts to arouse, organize and mobilize migrants. Broaden links and areas of cooperation with revolutionary and progressive forces abroad.

https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2018/12/07/fight-the-us-duterte-regimes-fascist-terrorism-and-memo-order-32/