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COURAGE condemns arrest of former official

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The country’s biggest public sector union confederation condemned the arrest of its former officer accused by the police as a high-ranking officer of the underground communist movement.

The Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) said Dizon’s arrest is illegal and is a direct attack on the essence of public sector unionism.

“Dizon was illegally arrested based on trumped up charges like murder in Bayugan, Agusan Del Sur and linking her to the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army) by planting files such as ‘communist’ paraphernalia, flash drives and the like…[A]lso caught in her supposed possession are gun and explosives which are pure desperate moves by the state forces,” COURAGE president Santiago Dasmariñas said in a statement.

Dizon was arrested by the San Pedro Police Department at her home in San Pedro, Laguna at 3 A.M. today on the basis of a warrant of arrest for murder issued by Branch 7 of the Bayugan City Regional Trial Court,

COURAGE said Dizon is currently detained at the San Pedro police precinct.

“[T]he state has been aggressive in witch-hunting its critics primarily in the government sector,” Santiago said, adding many of their leaders, who are government workers, have been receiving threats and intimidation and even given trumped-up charges as well as suspension from their work only because of their assertion of their rights for a national minimum wage and ending contractualization in civil service.

Santiago revealed that Dizon were among those who petition the Supreme Court for a Writ of Amparo and Writ of Habeas Data following the several incidents of tailing she suffered from suspected military intelligence operatives in 2015.

In July 11 of that year, Dizon sought refuge and spent the night at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City for fear of being abducted or assassinated by the men who she said had been tailing her.

“Progressive organizations, individuals, and leaders said they have been receiving threats and forms of harassment from the military agents for their affiliation and organizing work, and the case of Dizon is not new as the state has been relentlessly silencing them for their tireless contribution in advancing people’s rights,” Santiago said.

Laguna police director Eleazar Matta also reportedly alleged that Dizon currently acts as secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ National Organizing Department, replacing National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultants Rafael Baylosis and Adelberto Silva.

Santiago, however, said the red-tagging of progressive individuals and organizations is no different as during former dictator Marcos’s martial rule. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Police arrest red-baited public union organizer

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Police operatives arrested a public sector unionizing advocate in Laguna early Wednesday, September 18, accusing her of being the replacement of arrested National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultants.

Antonietta Setias Dizon was arrested in her house in Barangay Rosario, San Pedro City on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued by Branch 7 of the Bayugan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Agusan del Sur.

News reports said that a .38 caliber revolver, ammunition and blasting caps were found in Dizon’s possession at the time of her arrest.

Laguna police director Eleazar Matta also reportedly alleged that Dizon currently acts as secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ National Organizing Department, replacing NDFP consultants Rafael Baylosis and Adelberto Silva.

Baylosis and Silva were separately arrested in 2018 and were also charged with murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Baylosis however was freed early this year after the Quezon City RTC said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him.

A former deputy secretary general of the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), Dizon earlier complained of being tailed by military operatives, forcing her to temporarily seek sanctuary inside the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) offices in Pasig City last July 14, 2015.

It resulted in a 10-hour standoff between Dizon and her pursuers that only ended when lawyers and progressive lawmakers fetched her from the building.

Dizon’s photo of the vehicle that repeatedly tailed her in July 2015.

Prior to the standoff, Dizon told Pinoy Weekly that she had been tailed in succession on July 6, 10 and 11 by a Toyota Innova vehicle that was later traced by an IBP official to one Norberto delos Reyes, of Room 83, Condo B, Camp Crame, general headquarters of the Philippine National Police.

Public servant, public sector unionizing advocate

Before being elected as a COURAGE officer, Dizon was an official of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

“I came into government, ironically, because of Cory Aquino,” she told Pinoy Weekly in 2016. It was Cory, Dizon said, who first inspired her to enter public service in 1986.

“I even recruited my fellow members of UPSCA (University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action, the university’s largest Catholic organization) in UP Manila to join me in OWWA,” Dizon said.

“As part of OWWA, I was able to travel all over the world to meet migrant Filipinos in need,” she said. “That is how I began developing a deeper understanding of their plight.”

Later, Dizon was appointed as executive director of one of DOLE’s staff agencies, the Bureau of Rural Workers, where she was exposed to the plight of rural-based workers and peasants.

Barely a year into public service, Dizon recounted that she realized the need to organize government employees and unite them to fight for their rights and contribute to social change.

Dizon said she came to understand the connections between public-sector workers’ struggles and the overall people’s struggle for democratic rights. She even began organizing fellow middle managers.

 “We became involved in the campaign against the privatization of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). We picketed Malacañan as well as the Senate in 1989,” she said.

 “I availed of early retirement in 2003. I no longer wanted to be tied up with government as I criticized its policies,” she added.

Since her retirement, Dizon told Pinoy Weekly that she devoted much of her time advocating for public-sector organizing. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Malaking protesta sa Setyembre 20, pangungunahan ng kabataan

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Nagsagawa ng press conference ang alyansang United People’s Action sa gusali ng Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas ngayong araw ng Lunes, Setyembre 16, para sa itinakda nilang kilos-protesta sa Setyembre 20 bilang paggunita sa ika-47 anibersaryo ng deklarasyon ng batas militar ng diktador na si Ferdinand Marcos.

Pangungunahan ng mga kabataan ang pagkilos na may temang ” Laban Kabataan, Laban Bayan! Inhustisya at Diktadurya Wakasan!” Nagpahayag ng suporta at pagsama sa pagkilos ang iba’t-ibang grupo.

Binasa din ni dating Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno “Unity Statement” ng United People’s Action. (Music: News Background. Bidyo ni: Joseph Cuevas/Kodao)

Land rights activists confront Irene Marcos-Araneta

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Land rights activists Angelo Suarez and Donna Miranda chanced upon Irene Marcos-Araneta at a Sunday market in Quezon City last September 15 and confronted the late dictator’s daughter.

Suarez and Miranda said it is ironic that Marcos-Araneta is buying vegetables when the Araneta family is grabbing land from vegetable farmers in San Juan del Monte City, Bulacan.

The couple also pointed out that the Marcos family has yet to apologize to the victims of the late dictator Ferdinand’s martial law, including Suarez’s father, a journalist. (Video by Raymund Villanueva/Kodao)

‘Return Vic’s hearing aid,’ wife demands from police

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Fides Lim, wife of detained National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Vicente Ladlad, again demanded the return of her husband’s hearing aid she said was taken by the police arresting team.

“[T]hat Oticon pair cost me a lot, we’re still waiting for the police team to return these. It’s fitted just for Vic’s ear canal, what use is it to you?” Lim wrote on her Facebook account following the first hearing on the illegal possession of firearms and explosives case against Ladlad and companions Alberto and Virginia Villamor at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Thursday, September 12.

Lim was actually commenting on Police Major Raleigh Herbert Ampuan’s testimony that medical examinations on Ladlad and the Villamors were duly performed and that their arrest was lawful.

Ampuan is a Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory personnel at Camp Crame.

Lim said Ampuan should have noted in his report that Ladlad had difficulty of hearing he wasn’t wearing his hearing aid during their arrest.

“Doctor doctoran,” (playing doctor) Lim said of the police doctor who testified he was limited to looking for just physical injuries on the three “as he was not in a hospital.”

‘Irregular’

In his testimony, Ampuan admitted those arrested last November 8 should have been brought to the nearest government hospital.

“I asked them why did they not bring those arrested to the nearest government hospital. They insisted that I should be the one to examine the three,” Ampuan said during the cross examination.

Ampuan explained it was the command of the Chief of PNP [Police Director General Oscar Albayalde].

Ampuan also admitted there was no written request for the PNP Crime Laboratory to do the physical examination.

“When I asked them [QCPD] for the request, they just told me they would give it later,” he explained.

In his medico-legal reports, Ampuan noted that the three had the same blood pressure of 140/90. He also said he did not note of any “external findings [injuries].”

‘Lies’

Lim, however, said “Ampuan’s testimony was “sapped/zapped by a miasma of untruths,” insisting that no physical examination were conducted on the arrested persons.

She pointed out that while that Ampuan’s medical report was time-stamped “7:11 AM”, the “Request for Physical Examination” by the QCPD superintendent, based on the “Received” stamp marks of the PC Crime Laboratory, indicate the times of “8:30 AM” and “8:35 AM.”

“Why would a police doctor do something without first awaiting the order of his superior?” Lim asked.

Lim also pointed out that the blood pressure of all three was a uniform “140/90” on the three exam sheets she said is an unlikely occurrence.

She added that Virginia told her that no medical examination was performed on them.

“More peculiar is, why didn’t the doctor note down that Virginia had difficulty standing up and that walking was even more excruciatingly difficult? Wasn’t he supposed to have done a ‘physical examination’ to determine the presence of superficial injuries?” Lim asked.

Virginia’s hip and leg injuries were aggravated when the arresting officers forcibly forced her to lie face down on the floor during the arrest, Lim explained.

“It’s symptomatic of the entirety of this Case of Planted Firearms vs. Vic Ladlad and the Villamors – TRUMPED UP as with other fabricated cases against other activists and critics of the Duterte government,” Lim said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘Sino ang mga nagpapalaya ng mga kriminal?’

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“Ang lakas pa ng loob na sabihin na kailangan daw ng Oplan Tokhang para patayin ang mga rapist, para wala nang kriminal. Pero ngayon, sino ang nagpapalaya ng mga kriminal? Hindi ba’t ang gobyerno rin naman?”–Raoul Manuel, presidente, National Union of Students of the Philippines

Inhustisya ng gubyerno, binatikos ng mga aktibista

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Isang kilos-protesta ang isinagawa ng mga grupo ng kabataan at iba pang organisasyon noong Setyembre 10, 2019 laban sa kawalang hustisya sa ilalim ng gobyerno ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Idinaos ito sa harapan ng Department of Justice kasabay ng Preliminary Investigation laban kina Atty. Neri Colmenares at iba pang lider kabataan na sinampahan ng kaso.

Panawagan nila na ibasura ang kaso laban kina Colmenares sa paniniwalang isa itong panggipit laban sa mga kabataan at progresibong lider.

Binatikos naman nila ang tila kawalang hustisya at pagpabor ng gobyerno sa mga mayayaman. Inihalimbawa nila ang katiwalian sa Bureau of Corrections at naudlot na pagpapalaya sa dating mayor na si Antonio Sanchez, gayundin ang laganap na “GCTA (Good Conduct Time Allowance) for Sale” sa mga drug lord, rapist at mamamatay tao.

Kinundena rin nila ang patuloy na Oplan Tokhang at militarisasyon ng mga komunidad. (Music: News Background Bidyo ni: Joseph Cuevas/ Kodao)

Gunmen set fire to newspaper plant; 2 hurt

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Two workers of the Abante News Group were slightly injured when four masked gunmen attacked its printing plant in Parañaque City and attempted to burn it down early Monday, September 9, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said in an alert.

The Group publishes the popular tabloids Abante and Abante Tonite. The tabloids have been publishing and posting online stories critical of the Rodrigo Duterte government.

Abante managing editor Fernando Jadulco called the attack “the first violent act against our group and its facilities since 1987.”

The NUJP said it is also believed to be the first attack of its kind on a news outfit in recent history.

Jadulco told NUJP said the attackers stormed the printing plant around 2 a.m. “just as we had finished printing.”

The attackers quickly poured gasoline on the machines and printing supplies and set these on fire.

But the quick response of the Parañaque Fire Station prevented any serious damage to the facility, the NUJP said.

National Capital Region Police Office director Guillermo Eleazar ordered an investigation of the incident, the media group added.

Jadulco said the incident would not disrupt their operations.

“We will continue to publish,” he told the NUJP.

In a separate statement, Jadulco said: “We will not be cowed by this attempt to strike fear into our reporters, editors and staff. Our commitment to hard-hitting journalism remains unshaken.”

There are no reports yet of the identities of the gunmen and the reason behind the attacks as of this posting.

In 2006, during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration’s State of National Emergency, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police raided Abante’s office but withdrew upon seeing the presence of television crews. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

EO 70, ‘Whole-of-Nation Approach’ will escalate and prolong armed conflict, not end it

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By Esperanza dela Paz

What do the following have in common?

– the recent spate of killings in Negros, Bukidnon, Bicol and elsewhere;
– the bombing of Lumad communities and closure of Lumad schools;
– the red-tagging, terrorist-branding and other attacks on activists;
– the AFP-invented ridiculous “Oust Duterte” conspiracies and conjured matrices;
– the trumped-up criminal and sedition charges, illegal arrests and detention of a broad range of critics of the administration;
– government’s termination of the peace talks with the NDFP and announcements; and
– fake news of NPAs “surrendering in droves.”

All of the above are part of the “whole-of-nation approach” (or WONA) being bannered by the AFP as the “new paradigm” that would “end the local armed conflict” or the “communist insurgency”.

Here are 10 things we the people should know about WONA but which the generals in the national security establishment are not telling us.

1) WONA is NOT a new paradigm or concept. It is an old, worn-out concept and approach derived from US counter-insurgency (COIN) doctrine. WONA is synonymously or interchangeably used with “comprehensive approach” in US COIN manuals to address persistent problems and difficulties in coordinating US military and civilian forest involved in “peace and stabilization” operations in countries they had invaded, occupied or intervened militarily such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan. The difficulties are aggravated by the complexities of US forces dealing at the same time with the host or local government’s military, civilian agencies and the population at large. Studies show the WONA has not adequately solved these problems and difficulties.

2. The concept and program of involving civilian government agencies and the private sector goes as far back as 1992, in Ramos’ Oplan Mamamayan. Ramos realized from the failed COIN campaigns of the Marcos dictatorship (Oplan Katatagan) and Corazon Aquino (Oplan Lambat-Bitag) that the CPP-NPA cannot be defeated nor destroyed through military operations alone.

3. The Arroyo regime adopted the same US-directed “holistic approach to addressing the insurgency problem” in its 2001 National Internal Security Program (NISP 2001), better known by its AFP campaign Oplan Bantay Laya. The BIG difference — what was really NEW in Bantay Laya was the policy and practice of unleashing military operations to “neutralize” unarmed activists and leaders of progressive organizations in urban areas nationwide. These were tagged as “communist fronts”, “enemies of the state” and as “CPP-NA legal political infrastructure” that had to be destroyed in order to defeat the NPA. This brought about the horrific and unprecedented rise in extra-judicial killings from 2001 to 2006.

4. In 2006, then AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Esperon declared Oplan Bantay Laya an unqualified success, claiming it cut NPA strength by 5,000, from 12,000 to 7,000. Arroyo unabashedly displayed her approval of and elation over the bloody, murderous campaign by specially citing and congratulating the notorious Gen. Palpoaran in her 2006 SONA for “doing good work”.

5. Arroyo’s NISP 2007 (or Oplan Bantay Laya 2) is described in AFP documents as “enhanced NISP 2001”. It refurbishes the political, information, economic and security aspects of the “holistic approach” into “5 offensives” – political, legal, strategic communications, economic and military – and “3 programs” – DDR (disarmament-demobilization-reintegration), amnesty, and human rights. Extra-judicial killings off unarmed activists and leaders continued, but scaled down as a result of universal outrage and condemnation here and abroad, capped by the investigations and findings of UN Special Rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, Philip Alston (Feb 2007), Amnesty International (Aug 2006) and the Arroyo-created Melo Commission. All attributed most of the killings and the impunity with which these were perpetrated by elements of state security forces. Alston and Amnesty International went further to conclude the perpetrators acted in line with the state’s counter-insurgency program NISP 2001 and Oplan Bantay Laya.

To sustain the attacks on the so-called “legal political infrastructure”, Arroyo created the Inter-agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) to plan, direct and implement the “legal offensive”, i.e., filing trumped-up criminal charges, arrest and detention of targeted leaders and members of the legal democratic movement.

6. The phrase “whole-of-nation” was used in Oplan Bayanihan, the AFP’s implementing campaign for Aquino III’s 2011 National Internal Peace and Security Plan (NISP 2011-2016). Closely hewing to the 2009 US COIN Guide, it describes the collaborative roles of the civilian and military components. On paper, it asserts the primacy of the non-military component, with the military playing only an enabling role. In practice, however, the military was the main and leading force, set the direction and held the initiative over the civilian component throughout. Extrajudicial killings and other grave human rights violations, including the “legal offensive” continued unabated.

7. The current “new paradigm” so-called was first announced by the AFP in Sept 2018, along with a proposal for a “national task force to end the communist insurgency by mid 2019.” The revelation of a supposed “Red October” Oust-Duterte plot signaled the escalation of attacks against the legal democratic movement. Trade unions and worker’s strikes, youth organizations and schools, peasants’ and indigenous peoples’ struggles, churches and hospitals, environment and human rights defenders, peace advocates — all were accused of being recruiters and training grounds for the CPP-NPA. If this sounds like Oplan Bantay Laya over again, it is because the proposal “to end the communist insurgency using the “whole-of-nation approach” is in line with NISP 2018-2022, which the AFP describes as an “enhanced version of NISP 2007” or “E2NISP”(since NISP 20074 is “E1NISP”).

8. In the AFP proposal, the five offensives and three programs in NISP 2007 are transformed to twelve (12)”pillars” or “clusters” of cooperation, wherein each “pillar” is assigned a cluster of civilian and military/security agencies.

9. Executive Order 70, dated 4 December 2018,seeksto institutionalize the whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, create a national task force to end local communist armed conflict, and direct the adoption of a national peace framework. Like the 2011 Oplan Bayanihan and the 2009 US Counterinsurgency Guide, it purports to prioritize and harmonize the non-military, i.e., economic and political aspects of the counter-insurgency drive (such as delivery of basic services and social development packages) and ensure the active participation of all sectors of society in the pursuit of the country’s peace agenda. Not so curiously now, the EO70 makes special mention of SUCs in directing all government departments, bureaus, agencies or instrumentalities to “render the necessary support to the Task Force” But it not only underplays, it covers up and is totally silent about the military and “security” aspects such as the so-called legal offensive and the “neutralization” or destruction of the so-called “legal political infrastructure of the communist terrorists”.

10. EO70 institutionalizes and declares government’s total abandonment of its commitment to and obligations in implementing CARHRIHL and in forging basic political, social and economic reforms that would address the roots of the armed conflict and bring about a just and lasting peace. It has also stripped off the pretense of shifting to local peace talks instead of national peace negotiations by pursuing “local peace engagements” aimed at enticing surrenders and encouraging capitulation.

Conclusion

More than a year has passed since the Duterte government announced its intention to shift to local peace talks instead of negotiating with the NDFP for basic reforms. Eight months have passed since the formal announcement of the “new paradigm” or the whole-of-nation approach. What we have seen and experienced so far has not brought us any closer to an “inclusive and sustainable peace”. Rather, we are thrown back to the dark and bloody years of Oplan Bantay Laya and could fall further back to the martial law years. Only the people’s active resistance will prevent that, in what would more truly be a whole-of-nation effort. #

Itanong Mo Kay Prof: Hinggil sa Inopacan Case

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Prof Sarah: Unang nilabas ng Philippine News Agency nito lang gabi Setyembre 5, 2019 ang bali-tang may court order para sa pag-aresto kay Jose Maria Sison, Juliet de Lima at 36 na iba pa dahil umano sa NPA purging. Umaabot sa 38 katao ang nasa nilabas na listahan na nilalaman ng court or-der nilabas noong August 22, 2019. Kasama natin si Prof Sison upang marinig ang kanyang panig.

Pagututuunan din natin ng talakayan ang laging bintang na purges na ginagamit ng mga kontra-rebolusyonaryo upang yurakan ang mga partido komunista, at halimbawa na rito ang rebolusyonar-yong si Joseph Stalin, ngayon naman gamit din ang linyang ito laban kay Prop Sison at Partido Komunista ng Plipinas. Aalamin din natin ang posibleng epekto nito status ni Prop.Sison sa Nether-lands bilang political refugee. Kasama natin muli ang Chair Emeritus ng Internatioanal League of Peoples’ Struggle Isang mainit dito sa Itanong Mo Kay Prof. Mainit na pagbati Prof Sison.

Prof Sison: Maalab na makabayang pagbati sa inyo Professor Sarah Raymundo at sa lahat ng ating kababayan.

Mga Tanong at Sagot:

Prof Sarah: 1. Prof. Sison, ito ba ang unang pagkakataon na magkaroon ng court order para sa paghuli sa inyo? At ano po ang naging reaksyon ninyo at ni Juliet de Lima rito? Maari ba kayong magbigay ng direktang tugon sa alegasyon?

Prof Sison: Ngayon pa lang namin nabalitaan na may court order para hulihin kami. Pero dati ko nang alam na ako ang No.1 accused sa pekeng kaso tungkol sa umano’y mass graves sa Inopacan.

Reaksyon namin ni Julie na kalokohan ang kaso dahil sa alegasyon na isa ako sa mga nag-utos sa inimbentong masaker. Nasa maximum security detention ako noong 1985 at nang nahuli ako noong 1977 nawalan na ako ng katungkulan sa CPP. Wala ako sa kalagayan at katayuan na mag-utos sa NPA Ginagawa ang arrest order para takutin ang mga akusado at iba pang tao.

Prof Sarah: 2. Tinutukoy ng balita ang court order na nagtutukoy sa 38 na kataong sangkot sa isang “purge” o ang pag-massacre sa 67 na umano’y biktima ng “Oplan Venereal Disease” ng New People’s Army sa Inopacan, Leyte. Mayroon daw mga mababaw na pinagbaunan o shallow graves na natagpuan noong August 28, 2006. Sa inyong pagkakaalam, mayroon nga bang ganoong Oplan na isinagawa ang NPA?

Prof Sison: Sa tingin ko, boladas lamang ang tinawag na Oplan Venereal Disease. Gawa-gawa ng military psywar. Ang katunayan, inimbento nina Norberto Gonzales at General Esperon ang pekeng kaso ng Inopakan/Hilongos. Si Esperon ang nag-ipon ng mga kalansay mula sa iba’t ibang sementeryo at ginamit na ebidensya sa iba’t ibang kaso. Kaya tinawag ang Inopacan case na case of “walking skeletons”.

Prof Sarah: 3. Alam niyo po ba kung bakit sa tagal ng umano’y pagkakatagpo nila sa mass grave ay ngayon lamang sila naglabas ng court order?

Prof Sison: Binabanat-banat ang kaso para i-harass at siraan ang mga akusado. Pinatatagal ng militar ang kaso sa pamamagitan ng pagprisinta ng napakaraming false witnesses. Halos dalawang dekada na linalabas ng militar ang pabrikasyon nila.

Noon pang 2007 nagpasiya na ang Supreme Court sa ilalim ni Chief Justice Reynaldo Puno na ibasura ang kaso at sinabi pa niyang dapat hindi i-prostitute ang tungkulin ng prosecution. Pero inamyenda ang paratang para buhayin ang patay na kaso.

Prof Sarah: 4. Ito po bang mass graves na ito ay siya ring ikinaso kina Ka Satur Ocampo at iba pa dati? Ano na po ang nangyari sa kaso na iyon? Kung ito rin iyon, maaari niyo bang ibahagi sa amin ang inyong nalalaman sa kasong ito ng gobyerno?

Prof Sison: Dati nang isinama sa Inopacan case si Satur. At nagkaroon siya ng bail dahil sa walang batayan ang paratang sa kanya.

Prof Sarah: 5. Pamilyar ba kayo sa mga pangalang nasa listahan ng court order? Sila bang lahat ay katulad niyo ring aktibista at matagal nang kritiko ng sistemang mapang-api at ng gobyerno?

Prof Sison: Hindi ako pamilyar sa lahat ng pangalan ng akusado. Pero alam kong ilan sa kanila ay nasa kulungan noong 1985 tulad nina Satur Ocampo at Vicente Ladlad. Ilan ang patay na sa mga akusado tulad ni Jose Luneta. At ilan ang desaparecido na dinukot ng militar, tulad nina Leo Velasco at Prudencio Calubid. Meron ding nasa abrod tulad ni Luis Jalandoni nong 1976 pa at hanggang ngayon.

Marami sa mga nasa list ay dating mga aktibista. Nais takutin ang mga ito at lahat ng aktibista. Ipinapakita ni Duterte na kaya niya ang anumang pangiggipit hanggang pamamaslang.

Prof Sarah: 6. Ano po ang epekto sa inyong katayuan bilang asylum seeker sa Netherlands? Maari po ba kayong hulihin mula riyan? Ano po ang mga proteksyon ninyo riyan?

Prof Sison: Walang extradition treaty sa pagitan ng Netherlands at Philippines. At may mga karapatan ako bilang recognized political refugee alinsunod sa Geneva Refugee Convention at European Convention on Human Rights.

Pinakamahalagang punto ay nasabi ko na. Nasa maximum security detention ako noong 1985 at bilang bilanggo, wala akong katungkulan na mag-utos sa CPP at NPA. Kayang-kaya ng mga abogado kong Olandes at Pilipino na supalpalin ang pekeng alegasyon.

Prof Sarah: 7. Prof. Joma, maram-rami na rin ang mga katulad ninyo mula sa iba’t-ibang bayan ang napilitang mangibang-bansa, ang nakararami sa mga kababayan natin ay mga OFW. Ang sa kaso niyo naman po ay tinatawag ng ilang experto na political refugee. Ito rin ba ang turing niyo sa sarili? May pinagkaiba ba ito political exile? Maaari niyo bang ipaliwanag sa amin kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mga ito? Bakit po parami na nang parami ang mga political refugee sa mundo? Bakit po ganon na lang ang pagdedemonyo o paninira sa mga political refugee? May kaibigan o mga kakilala rin ba kayan mga political exiles? Ano naman po ang kaso at mga kosa nila?

Prof Sison: Ako’y political refugee na rekonosido ng pinakamataas na administrative court at ng gobierno mismo ng Netherlands alinsunod sa Geneva Refugee Convention. Hindi kailangan na political refugee ang political exile. Dumarami ang political refugees sa mundo dahil sa panggugulo ng US sa Middle East, Africa at marami pang ibang bansa.

Prof Sarah: 8.Sinasabi rin ng iilang kritiko ninyo na self-exile naman daw ang sa kaso ninyo, ibig sabihin ay sarili niyo lang naman ang boluntaryong umalis ng bansa. Ano po ba ang masasabi niyo rito?

Prof Sison: Hindi ako self-exile. Pang-insulto lang sa akin iyon ng aking mga kritiko. Nasabi ko na kung bakit ako ay naging political refugee. Napilitan akong mag-apply ng political asylum dahil kinansela ni Cory Aquino ang Philippine passport ko noong 1988 at pinagbantaan ako na hulihin ng militar kung umuwi ako dahil sa pekeng kaso ng subversion. Laging gumagawa ang militar ng pekeng kaso laban sa akin.

Prof Sarah: 9. Prof. Joma, ayon po sa mga eksperto sa literatura, ang inyo pong tulang “Sometimes, the Heart Yearns for Mangoes” o “Minsan, hinahanap-hanap ng puso ang mga mangga” ay tungkol sa danas ng mga exile na katulad ninyo. Kailan niyo po naisulat ang tula na iyon? Ano-ano po kaya ang mga alaala ninyo ng ating bayan na nagtulak sa inyong makapagsulat ng tula na iyon? At marami na rin ang gustong-gustong mabatid kung paborito niyo daw po bang prutas ang mangga?

Prof Sison: Sinulat ko ang “Sometimes the Heart Yearns for Mangoes” para sa isang poetry festival sa Netherlands noong 1994. Paminsan-minsan akong nahohomesick dahil sa inangbayan marami akong kasama, kaibigan at kamag-anak na inaala-ala ko . Pero laging panatag ang loob ko dahil sa proletaryong internasyonalista rin ako.

Talagang paborito kong prutas ang mangga dahil sa matamis at masarap kung hinog at pwedeng metaphor ng pag-ibig sa inangbayan dahil malapit ang hugis nito sa puso.

Prof Sarah: 10. Prof. Sison, paboritong linya ng mga kontra-rebolusyonaryo ang paratang ng “purges” o bayolenteng paglilinis ng mga rebolusyonaryong kilusan. Halimbawa, abot-abot ang pangdedemonyo kay Joseph Stalin ng Soviet Union dahil umano sa pinatupad niyang purging, at pilit na binubura ang katotohanang siya ang namuno sa matagumpay na pakikipaglaban ng mga sundalong komunista ng Unyong Sobyet sa mga nagaping pasista ng Nazi sa Germany na pinamunuan naman ni Hitler. Bakit po kaya pare-pareho ang linya ng paratang sa mga rebolusyonaryong kilusan?

Prof Sison: Totoong dinadakila ng mga rebolusyonaryo si Stalin dahil sa pagtatayo niya sa sistemang sosyalista sa Unyon Sobyet at paggapi sa pasismo. Sadyang sinisiraan ng mga kontrarebolusyonaryo ang mga pantas at lider na komunista para siraan na rin ang makatarungang layunin nilang baguhin ang marahas at mapagsamantalang naghaharing sistema ng malalaking kapitalista at panginoong maylupa.

Sa katotohanan ang sistema ng imperyalismo, pyudalismo at burukrata kapitalismo ang siyang marahas at mapanupil sa mga anakpawis. Para buwagin ang mga sistemang mapang-api at mapagsamantala, kinakailangang itumba ang mga ito ng mga mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng armadong pakikibaka.

Prof Sarah: 11. Bilang dalubhasa at iskolar ng mga rebolusyonaryong kilusan at mga kasaysayan ng mga ito, magari niyo po bang ipaliwanag sa amin ang umano’y purges ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas noong dekada 80? Mayroon nang lagom at komprehensibong dokumento hinggil dito ang PKP. Nagkaroon ba ang imbestigasyon ang PKP dito? 
Ano po ba ang ugat ng mga purge, kung totoo man ito, at ano po ang nangyari sa mga nagpatupad nito?

Prof Sison: Sa ilang taon ng dekadang 1980, may ilang kadre na nalihis sa linya at nagpalaganap ng maling linya ng militarismo. Nang pumalpak ito, tinakpan nila ang kanilang pananagutan at isinisi sa iba, na kanila ring pinarusahan. Sa kalaunan. Nagkaroon ng mga imbestigasyon at naging maliwanag ang kamalian at mga krimen ng mga talipandas.

Nagpasiya ang CPP noong 1992 na itakwil at ituwid ang kamalian at ikondena ang mga krimen ng mga lumihis sa tamang landas. Kung kaya nagkaroon ng dakilang kilusan sa pagwawasto. Ang mga prinsipal na maysala ay lumikas at pumunta sa panig ng kaaway.

Prof Sarah: 12. Ano po kaya ang motibasyon ng ganitong kilos ng korte at ng rehimeng Duterte? Isa po kayo sa pinakamantinding kritiko ni Duterte. Sa tingin niyo ba ay may kinalalman itong bagong kaso sa inyo sa inyong walang humpay na pagbabantay at pagsasapubliko ng kanyang mga kahinaan at katiwalian?

Totoong matindi ang galit ni Duterte sa akin dahil sa madalas kong pagpuna sa mga maling patakaran at kilos niya. Pero gusto niyang takutin ang lahat ng pumupuna at sumasalungat sa kanya. Gusto niyang takutin ang lahat nito dahil sa tuloy pa rin ang balak niyang magpataw ng pasistang diktadura sa bayan para makapagpatuloy siyang magnakaw at pumaslang nang walang hadlang.

Prof Sarah: 13. Panghuli, ano po ang inyong mensahe sa mga aktibista, kritiko at mga personahe sa oposisyon na patuloy ang pagpapahayag ng mga kabulukan ng rehimeng Duterte?

Prof Sison: Payo at panawagan ko sa mga aktibista, kritiko at mga oposisyonista: Huwag matakot, makibaka! Huwag magpasindak, ituloy ang laban. Ilantad pang lalo ang kabulukan at mga krimen ni Duterte at mga alipuris niya. Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

Prof Sarah: Maraming salamat Prof Sison sa napakayamang talakayan at pa matalas na pagpapaliwanag.

Prof Sison: Maraming salamat po sa inyo. Paalam at abangan ang susunod ng brodkas namin ni Prof. Sarah Raymundo.

Prof Sarah: Nabanggit na po ni Prof. Sison na walang ibang layunin ang gobyerno ni Duterte kundi takutin ang mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng pagmainobra sa batas at mga korte. Wala na po tayong ba pang nararapat na panawagan kundi ang magtiwala sa ating hanay, ipaglaban ang karapatan at manindigan sa kapakanan ng ating kapwa at bayan tulad ng mga magigiting na bayanıng Pilipino. Ito po si Sarah Raymundo, guro ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman at aktibista ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan na nananawagan din, Makibaka, huwag matakot!