NDF/NDF-Mindanao: Despite the searing economic crisis, the US-Duterte regime is already in a frenzy over the start of 2019 midterm bourgeois elections

Jose Maria Sison propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Website (Oct 30): Despite the searing economic crisis, the US-Duterte regime is already in a frenzy over the start of 2019 midterm bourgeois elections

Ka Joaquin Jacinto
Spokesperson, NDFP-Mindanao

October 29, 2018

Despite the nation being stuck in a quagmire of a searing inflation, the US-Duterte regime is already in a frenzy propping up its electoral machinery for yet another election circus, the 2019 midterm polls. This is part of the regime’s grand design to secure the US-Duterte regime’s hold on state power, fortifying its ground to establish a fascist dictatorship, and rule beyond its term.

To tighten its grip on every rung of the reactionary government, from municipality to city to province and region right up to the Senate and House of Representatives, Duterte’s minions, who are gunning for seats both at the national and local levels, are made to exploit every opportunity, even this early, to employ dirty tricks and, in certain cases, the assassination of political rivals, to ensure eventual victory at the actual polls.

Political violence has commenced as certain politicians are being assassinated for political agenda of one party against another; cases are piling up in Luzon, Visayas ang Mindanao, where early preparation for an easy win in the midterm elections for Duterte toadies are already hatched.

Duterte is already pushing for his handpicked lackeys to grab seats in the Senate or Congress, such as Bong Go, Allan Peter Cayetano, Francis Tolentino and possibly even his own daughter, Sara Duterte, who does his every bidding and defend his fascist policies of martial law, extrajudicial killings, Oplan Tokhang/Double Barrel and outright militarism (Oplan Kapayapaan) in the countryside.

Even as early as in the period of the filing of the certificate of candidacy, Duterte’s bets and pets are already projected on radio, TV and the dailies, conspicuously ever present trying to be “heroes” even in such natural events as typhoon Ompong to simulate a semblance of “giving concern towards poor victims.” Certainly, with this much activity on projecting Duterte’s minions, money has begun to pour out to fund it. This, while the nation is reeling in the midst of skyrocketing prices of rice, petroleum products, basic commodities and services.

It will not be surprising if the US-Duterte regime will once again turn to hi-tech fraud or electronic cheating via hocus-PCOS to ensure certain victory for all his bets. Added to that, politicians from powerful families particularly in Mindanao, such as the Duterte’s in Davao, the Del Rosarios and Alvarezes in Davao del Norte, the Amantes in Agusan del Norte, the Plazas in Agusan del Sur, the Pimentels in Surigao del Sur, the Jalosjoses in Zamboanga and others, will use patronage politics to place their constituents in a stranglehold to guarantee their uninterrupted reign, employing guns, goons and gold.

If need be, members of these powerful families will turn against each other, becoming turncoats and employ mudslinging in order to perpetuate themselves in power.

Also this early, more aggressive effort have already begun to discredit and vilify the leaders and personalities of progressive party lists, as with the recent attacks against the Makabayan Party bloc solons, maliciously tagging them as part of the “Red October plot,” which is a preposterous fiction story conjured by the Duterte and his AFP to justify its crackdown on members of the legal and progressive organizations.

Behind the reactionary elections however, the US-Duterte regime will sustain its fascist Oplan Kapayapaan and martial law in Mindanao to remain in control. Duterte could even gun for “no elections” and declare a nationwide martial law if it means holding on to that level of control, with which all of Duterte’s minions within the reactionary bureaucracy will have hold-over status and perpetuate its fascist and pro-imperialist policies.

Should the elections push through, the Filipino people should exercise their right of suffrage to demand for platforms that embody substantial pro-people changes in the system. The Filipino people must use this right to not elect individuals who clearly are sycophants of Duterte and support his fascist policies. Oust the US-Duterte regime!

https://www.ndfp.org/despite-the-searing-economic-crisis-the-us-duterte-regime-is-already-in-a-frenzy-over-the-start-of-2019-midterm-bourgeois-elections/