Left-wing infantile disorder sa hanay ng Anakbayan Adamson

Hindi pa man umaani ng rebolusyunaryong tagumpay ang Anakbayan Adamson, umaasta nang extremista ang mga ito sa pagsasabing kailangang "markahan" bilang "anti-komunista" ang mga tulad kong nagbibigay ng komento o analisis sa tambalang Makabayan at pangkating Villar-Zamora. Moderasyon at hindi extremismo ang sosyalismo. Mukhang nararapat kayong tawaging may left-wing infantile disorder nyan at asta kayong pasistang gaya ni Hitler, hindi ni Lenin o Mao. Hindi pa man nakukupo ang tagumpay, astang pasista na ang mga miyembro ng Anakbayan matapos akong "markahan" bilang "anti-komunista" at bahagi raw ng "reaksyunaryong Cojuangco-Aquino".

Analisahin natin kung may basehan ang taguring "reaksyunaryo" sa hanay ng mga Aquino sampu ng mga naniniwala sa kandidatong ito.

Reaksyunaryo bang matatawag ang administrasyong Aquino lalo na sa pagtrato sa kilusan noong nasasa kapangyarihan pa ang dating Pangulong Cory Aquino? Kung ikukumpara sa administrasyong Ramos, Estrada at Arroyo o yaong post-Marcos regimes, mas kiling sa kilusan ang Cory administration kaysa sa mga sumunod na administrasyon. Ang Aquino administration lamang ang nagpakita ng sinseridad sa pagsusulong ng kapayapaan, nagpalaya sa daan-daang political detainees, kabilang na sina Ka Joma at Ka Satur at naging balancer sa military. Oo, sa mga huling araw nito, nagpakita ito ng kahinaan at naging kasapakat ng Estados Unidos ngunit kung susumahin ang mga naging hakbanging ginawa ng Aquino administration, mas lamang ito at tiyak na positibo pang matatawag kahit papaano kumpara sa mga sumunod na rehimen ng kalaban.

Kung susumahin, mas reaksyunaryo ang dinadalang kandidato ng Anakbayan Adamson bunga ng direktang pakiki-alam at partisipasyon ni Manny Villar sa mga gawaing tiwali ng kanyang mga tauhan sa kanyang mga kumpanyang tulad ng Vistaland at Camella Homes. Hindi ko na iisa-isahin ang kanilang rekord sa pangangamkam ng lupain, ng pagpatay sa mga katutubo at mga ordinaryong magsasakang kinamkaman ng kanilang mga sinasakang lupain sa Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Iloilo at Mindanao para tayuan ng mga sabdibisyon, gayundin ang malakas na linyado at direktang pakikialam ni Ginoong Villar sa manipulasyon ng mga stocks nito sa PSE.

Kung mayroong Luisita si Noynoy, mayroong daan-daang Luisita si Villar. Ilang libong pamilya sa uring magsasaka ang sinira ng mga kumpanya ni Villar na mayroon siyang direktang partisipasyon? Ilang bilyong piso ang ninakaw at kinamkam ni Villar mula sa kaban ng bayan para lamang paboran ng pamahalaan ang paggawa ng mga daan tungo sa kanyang mga sabdibisyon? Ilang bilyong piso rin ang nakuha ng pamilyang Villar bunga ng binangkarote nilang bangko upang makakuha lamang ng mahigit 6 na bilyong pisong ginagamit ngayon sa kanyang pagkampanya?

Ilang beses ring nagpahayag si Villar ng kanyang naising sugpuin ang rebolusyunaryong kilusan at paduguin ito sa sandaling siya'y maging pangulo? Labingisang beses sa samut-saring venues sinabi na ni Villar ang kanyang pagkasuklam sa mga "maka-kaliwa". Ito ba ang kandidatong nararapat alayan ng buhay at panahon? Hindi.

Magkahintulad lamang sina Villar, Aquino, Estrada, Teodoro, Gordon at kung sino-sino pang nangangarap maging pangulo. Sila'y mga kinatawan ng mga naghaharing uring nagnanais na panatiliin ang bangkarote at naghihingalong estado mula sa banta ng rebolusyon mula sa masa.

Sila ang mga mukha ng diumano'y demokratikong pagbabago na isang hungkag na terminong inimbento upang pakalmahin ang nag-uumalab na damdamin at naisin ng masang Pilipino na makapaglunsad ng tunay na rebolusyon.

Sila ang mga pinusisyon ng uring naghahari upang mapanatili ang paniniwala ng mga Pilipino na magkakaroon ng pagbabago sa pamamagitan ng halalan. Ilang beses nang naghalalan sa Pilipinas, nanatili at bagkus, sumama pa ang kalagayan ng bansa.

Sa pagiging asong ulol at pagkatig ng maigi ng Anakbayan Adamson sa pangkating Villar-Zamora, pinapakita lamang ng mga musmos na ito ang kanilang kawalang pagkaintindi sa dinamismo ng pulitika sa ating bansa, gayundin ng kawalang kaalaman sa tunay na sosyalismo.

Kung mayroong dapat markahan ng pagiging anti-komunista, yan ay ang mga miyembro ng Anakbayan Adamson. Sila ang mga di tunay na sosyalista. Sila ang mga batang musmos pa lamang sa kilusan na umaastang may alam sa Komunismo at Sosyalismo gayung sa kanilang kinikilos ay mas maiging markahan silang pasista kaysa sosyalista.

Kung markahan lamang ang pag-uusapan, ngayon pa lamang, kailangang markahang ignoramus sa komunismo at taktikang pang-rebolusyon ang mga ito. Sosyalista bang matatawag ang isang grupong naniniwala pa rin sa halalan? Magbasa pa kayo ng mga akda ni Karl Marx para lumiwanag ang inyong isip na lumabnaw na dahil sa milyong pisong perang ambon sa inyo ng pangkating Villar-Zamora.

Na hindi eleksyon ninuman ang solusyon kundi isang nakapangyayaring rebolusyon.

Sa pagkatig ng maigi sa sinasandalang pader na bilyong pisong kinurakot na pera ng pangkating Villar-Zamora, pinatutunayan lamang ng Anakbayan Adamson ang kanilang lihis at tiwaling paniniwala, hungkag na nga sa kaalamang sosyalismo, kinakakitaan pa ng pagiging sindikato. Astang syndikalismo ang pinapakita ng grupong ito na nararapat lamang markahan bilang mga pekeng sosyalistang walang puwang sa tunay na kilusang rebolusyunaryo.

The Neo-Red Menace Campaign of the AFP

Is there a silent Commie persecution going on right now? It seems like it. So, if you're a Communist sympathizer or you're just a plain and simple admirer of Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin or someone heard you speak of the analects of Mao Tse Tung, you better watch your back. For there could be an agent behind your back, ready to pounce on you.

Are we back in the Cold war era where the mere mention of Socialism or Communism is a crime? Are we really back in that age when someone shouts "imperialism!" or " Mabuhay CPP-NPA-NDF!", he'll be hauled to jail immediately?

Blame General Dominquez book, " The Trinity of War" which is on its third edition. This almost Nazi-like book is to be blamed for the renewed paranoia of the military against anything red. This book spells out the new doctrine of the Armed Forces of the Philippines when treating Communism or its branches. The book actually encourages the destruction of legal and legitimate organizations which at least believes in the National Democratic agenda of the CPP-NPA-NDF, albeit, not openly declared. 

For all I know, the Anti-Subversion Law has been effectively repealed. Communism was considered de-criminalized in 1994, and whoever believes in Communism has the right to freely expressed it, however others hate it. Believing in something is an inherent and inviolable right. And being a Communist is one of them.

When a State authorizes the use of military or State power against those who merely believe in an ideology, it acts as a dictator or an authoritarian. And when a government transforms itself into a dictatorial or an authoritarian regime, it is the right of Peoples to militate against it. This is even recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the People.



As far as I know, even if you're a card-carrying member of the Communist Party of the Philippines, you'll not be arrested because it is not a crime anymore to be a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF or any other political party. 

It is a crime however, if you're a combatant or an armed member of the New People's Army. That's another story. 


Bearing arms against the government and declaring that you believe in the protracted people's war and you live in the mountains and subsist only with potatoes or camotes, of course, that will clearly put your life at extreme risk. There are two (2) things you must know: believing in something and acting on it.


If you believe in something and acted based on it, meaning, you actually rebelled, got your firearm and declared rebellion against the State, you are now, a declared enemy of the State. The State has the right to exercise its right for self-preservation. The State will kill you. The State has the right to arrest you, detain you and present you in court with charges of rebellion. If the civilian courts deemed you guilty, then, be ready to face the consequences of your actions.


Yet, if you just espouse Communism and you just propagandize, then, that is a right enshrined in the Constitution and you will not be arrested. 


In the case of the Morong 43, their arrests shows you the effects of a misunderstanding or a mis-appreciation or worst, a mis-interpretation of current reality. If you're a health worker and you believe in the National Democratic ideal, you are okey provided you don't mingle with the Communist rebels. If you don't live with the rebels, and just help the poor folks, then, you are not a combatant; hence, safe from prosecution.


Our soldiers should know the distinction. It should be very clear with them. 


Otherwise, people might suspect that, in their desperation to defeat their enemy, they'll commit the same mistakes as what they did during the Marcos years.

New Media Landscape

Just an hour ago, I talked with Ding Gagelonia. He reminded me that it was only a month ago when Vic Montero, formerly of ABC 5 died. I went to his wake. There, Ding and Manong Jules gave their eulogies.

It was there when Manong told me that "una una lang yan." I remember telling him that this year is most distressing. Noel Cabrera, a good friend, died. Tata Joe Cappadoccia whom I met when I was still a defense beat reporter was killed in a copper crash. Previous to that, many other journalists, especially those who fought against the dictatorship, just faded away.

One of the regular commenters of this space, wrote that the former First Quarter Storm (FQS) pioneers are slowly fading away. Yet, there's still hope because the Movement is being infused by new blood. I believe him.

Philippine media is undergoing a similar fate. Members of the old school are slowly leaving this earth. Those who were accustomed to typing those stories away with their typewriters are being replaced by those who type away from laptops. Those who learned the ropes from old school broadcasting are being replaced by savvy, radio reporters that report news with their monotonous voices.

Manong Jules was one such man. When Ding and I urged him to put up a blog of his writings, he did not know how to do it. I was the one who opened his blogger.com account (http://eastwest.blogspot.com). He never updated it. The last entry was January 19, 2009.

I admit that I personally think I belong to the old school. When I was a journalist, I got my stories the old fashion way, calling sources and authenticating facts thrice. Last night, I had a nice discussion with Rainier of Philippine Star. I was told that media organizations right now are fragmented. Each and every beat have factions.

The situation is very bad indeed. I remember those times when media organisations in every geographical beat were united. In Pasay, there was only one group. Now, there are two. In QC, there's at least three. Before, it was just one. In the Eastern Police beat, there's two. Even I think in the national scene, there are also two---Samahang Plaridel founded by Manong Max Soliven and the NPC.

One thing though that remains the same---journalists both from the old and the new share life over bottles of beer. That is the one thing that probably journalists would never ever give up.

I don't know what would happen in the event of another dictatorship. Who will stand up from the media ranks and fight? Who will give up their futures for the Cause of the Masses?

By the way, here's Manong Jules last column over at Manila Times.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

EAST WEST By Julius F. Fortuna Good riddance
to anti-communist agency

Whatever critics say about President GMA on other aspects of governance, something positive could be said about her recent issuances. This is the matter of her abolishing an anti-communist agency that should properly be described as a relic of the Cold War.
We refer particularly to her Executive Order 8008 issued last May 15 abolishing the
three-year old Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) that was supervised by
the viscerally anti-communist national security adviser, Mr. Norberto Gonzales.
This decision is somewhat a landmark, similar to the move by Fidel V. Ramos
rescinding the Anti-Subversion Act passed in 1957.
Why the government took so long to publicize the abolition of this agency of government puzzles me. But this move is truly imbued with international significance, specially for some countries observing how we comply with human rights and international laws. The abolition of this agency was a recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston who investigated human rights observance by the government almost two years ago.
IALAG had come to be very notorious. It was the group that tried to revive, or more accurately, invent the cases against Congressman Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna. It was this group that charged Ocampo of committing murder in several places in the country almost at the same time—with some committed even when Satur was in prison. It was also this group that tried but failed to induce the Dutch government to file charges against NDF officials.
If there are people who believe that President GMA is on the road to declare martial
law—this recent abolition of IALAG would disprove that there is a conspiracy to
do another Proclamation 1081. From hereon, some professional anti-communists
lurking inside the government could not use the agency to promote their Cold War
agenda.
Best wishes to Ambassador Yano
We have a new envoy to Brunei—Mr.
alexander T. Yano—the former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. For a while, we thought his confirmation would be delayed, but after three sessions of questioning, this soldier turned diplomat passed the standards of our legislature.
He is a political ambassador, one who is not a product of the examination system in our foreign office. But he would be an asset to the Republic because of his experience and also because he has the trust of the President.
An envoy is an extension of the President and the Republic. His word is official and is construed to be a direct and undiluted instruction from the sovereign. In that respect, Ambassador Yano shines because he has the full trust of the appointing power.
This is not to say that career envoys are not as good. I have seen former Ambassador Rodolfo Severino—who came from the career group as envoy to Malaysia. But all reviews of his work say he deserved the honor of being an envoy to an important country.
Let me say that the nation needs both career and political envoys because the
two styles are needed in our foreign service. As a matter of fact, the foreign
service act provides that the President can appoint both career and non-career.
I remember that former President Marcos would appoint former Leyte governor
Benjamin Romualdez as ambassador to the US, to Saudi Arabia and later to Beijing
whenever the national interest so requires. If those appointments were to be
assessed today, they were beneficial to the nation. Romualdez, wearing his
all-white suit—was able to deliver the message of the President to these
countries.
In the case of the US appointment, the Philippine message on the
future of the US facilities in the country was delivered—and later led to the
review of the 1947 bases accord. In the case of Saudi Arabia, we were able to
secure the regular supply of oil and continued deployment of workers. In the
case of Beijing, Romualdez stint was also landmark—as it inaugurated normal ties
with the Asian power.
Brunei may be a small country but it is a gem in the Southeast Asian scene. Its opinion on the region is given weight not only because of its richness but also because of its influence in the Muslim world.
Now that we need all the support to get observer status is the OIC, the more we
need to reach out to countries like Brunei.
In a briefing to reporters last Saturday, one little but significant fact was revealed. Mr. Yano has established close personal ties with the Sultan of Brunei because of their love for the game of badminton. When the Sultan came here last year, the Brunei sovereign sought out Yano for a game. This rapport can only redound to the mutual interest of the two countries.
jules42na@yahoo.com