tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004111469161356591.post7056200440072780954..comments2023-03-20T10:27:47.463-07:00Comments on Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: US troops’ heavy presence down south comes under fireRetired Analysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10164925430018237154noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004111469161356591.post-17852612998435993022014-11-24T18:37:33.079-08:002014-11-24T18:37:33.079-08:00Makabyan is a coalition of Communist Party of the ...Makabyan is a coalition of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-affiliated party list political parties. According to the group's Website (http://makabayan.net/node/5), "Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) was founded on April 16, 2009. It is a political coalition that is presently comprised of 11 Philippine progressive parties: Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, Courage, Migrante, ACT-Teachers, Katribu, Akap Bata, Piston, Kalikasan and Aking Bikolnon." (Note: A count of the organizations listed suggest there are 12 CPP fronts associated with the group.)<br /><br />The Makabayan statement is part of an ongoing propaganda effort to discredit the AFP/Philippine government along with the US military with regard to allegations of a massive US military presence in the Southern Philippines. According to Rep. Terry Ridon, a long-time CPP activist "“The presence of thousands of US troops in Mindanao adds to the fact that majority of the Philippine Army’s forces are deployed in the area. This large-scale deployment bodes ill for the people of Mindanao, many of whom have already been internally displaced and lost jobs and loved ones due to the heavy militarization of the area."<br /><br />The figure of 6,000 US troops deployed to Mindanao appears to have been deliberately manufactured by CPP propagandists in order to be able to falsely assert that the US military presence in the Philippines exceeds the total number of US troops deployed to Iraq. Retired Analysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10164925430018237154noreply@blogger.com