When U.S. leaders talk about spreading “democracy” abroad, what do they mean? Whether in Iraq, Palestine, Haiti, Afghanistan or the Philippines, “democracy” is a keyword for committing or supporting state terrorism, killing and repression.
In the Philippines, the U.S.-backed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime is carrying out a long-term terror campaign against
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Since Macapagal-Arroyo took power in 2001 around 742 people have been killed in politically motivated murders. Attacks have increased in 2006.
Trade unionists, peasant leaders, women’s organizations, student organizers, and others that make up the national democratic movement in the Philippines have been the targets of this state-sponsored terror.
On Sept. 7, Victor Olayvar, 41, president of BAYAN-Bohol, was shot dead as he was riding a passenger motorcycle. The assassins, from the Philippine army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade, blocked his path with motorcycles and shot him at close range.
Less than two months earlier, on July 31, Dr. Constancio “Chandu” Claver and Alyce Omengan Claver were riddled with M-16 bullets as they were dropping off their daughters at school. Alyce died several hours later. Dr. Claver, their 11-year-old daughter, and a student are recovering from injuries.
Alyce Omengan Claver worked in the Cordillera student’s organizations, including the Cordillera People’s Alliance chapter in Manila, where she attended college. Chandu Claver is the chairperson of Bayan Muna-Kalinga, and the vice chairperson of CPA-Kalinga.
Kidnappings and assassinations also took place in May and June. On May 27, Noli Capulong, Bayan Muna’s regional deputy coordinator for environmental action, was assassinated in Calamba, Laguna. Bayan Muna means “nation first.” It is a political party building a movement to remove Macapagal-Arroyo from office.
On June 26, two student activists, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empe?o, along with peasant Manuel Merino, disappeared when armed men believed to be in the military abducted them in a village in San Miguel, Hagonoy. The military continues to deny holding them.
U.S. funds political repression
Murdering leftist and progressive activists in the Philippines is nothing new.
Under the U.S.-puppet Ferdinand Marcos, martial law was declared on Sept. 21, 1972. It was not lifted until 1981. Hundreds were murdered, imprisoned, and exiled during this period of what Marcos called the “New Society”—a severely repressive society in which the Marcos family confiscated billions of dollars for their personal gain.
A popular movement militantly opposed the Marcos regime—putting the U.S. puppet at risk. The broad-based movement was led by the Communist Party of the Philippines.
In an attempt to quell the movement, the United States propped up opposition forces within the Philippine ruling class.
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Subsequent regimes in the Philippines have continued to play subservient roles to U.S. imperialism, leaving the country with the highest debt in Asia.
The Arroyo regime has received massive funding from the U.S. government to carry out the current assassination campaign. This includes $126 million for training and military supplies; $3.2 billion for government, NGO and business deals; and $357 million in direct military aid.
The targeting of left-wing political activists is far from accidental. In many cases, evidence has surfaced pointing to the existence of military “hit lists.” The Arroyo regime wants to destroy the communist and progressive forces that oppose them. They also want to discourage additional workers and peasants from joining the national democratic and revolutionary movements in the Philippines.
Activists in the Philippines and all over the world have registered outrage at the Arroyo regime’s assassination campaign.
In the United States, the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines and other Filipino organizations, along with the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), are organizing protests and meetings in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York on Sept. 21-22. Sept. 21 marks the beginning of the nine years of martial law under Marcos.
These are part of an international campaign to stop political killings in the Philippines called by the International League of Peoples Struggle and others. The Party for Socialism and Liberation is mobilizing to support these events.
The actions will help renew the struggle for justice for all victims of repression in the Philippines under the current U.S.-Arroyo regime.
A recent statement by PESANTE, a U.S. Filipino peasant support organization, said: “The US-Arroyo terrorism will backfire and will only earn enmity and disdain from the people. For sure she will suffer the same fate that befell Marcos, Estrada and other tyrants who oppressed the Filipino people.”
