The National Democratic Front of the Philippines-North Eastern Mindanao Region (NDFP-NEMR) joins all revolutionary forces in the region in joyful celebration of the 49th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). On this occasion we proudly salute the outstanding leadership of the CPP of the Philippine revolution.

As we celebrate the anniversary, we give tribute to all the cadres and members of the Party, Red commanders and fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA), all revolutionaries and activists, for their readiness to sacrifice in the struggle against the fascist oppression of the US-Duterte regime. Let us render our high salute to all revolutionary martyrs for selflessly offering their lives, time and wisdom in order to fully serve the people and the revolution.

Through the ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism (MLM), the Party wisely guided the revolutionary forces towards the achievement of victories and advanced the revolution in the right path. It correctly analyzed current conditions and appropriately dealt with the destructive attacks of the reactionary US-Duterte regime.

I. Fascist attack of the the AFP/PNP against the people and revolutionaries of NEMR

The continuing subservience of the puppet and fascist US-Duterte regime to the policies of US imperialism in the economic, political and military fronts further plunged Philippine society to severe crisis. The rotting semicolonial and semifeudal system engendered grave poverty, crime, war, corruption, oppression and exploitation. Duterte’s promises such as ending contractualization, land reform, independent foreign policy and others, remain unfulfilled.

Despite becoming the center of mining in the Philippines and the presence of large plantations of banana, oil palm and rubber, the region remains the second poorest in the country. Many are underemployed or unemployed. Contractualization remains rampant in malls, factories, plantations and mines. Not less than 3,000 workers were laid-off from employment by companies this year. The urban poor and vendors are being deprived of their livelihood. Thousands of drivers and operators are being threatened of losing their livelihood because of the jeepney phase-out.

Countless farmers remain landless. They continue to be victims of feudal and semifeudal exploitation such as high land rent, high interest rates of loans and low prices for their products. The grabbing of ancestral lands from the Lumad and farmlands from peasants continue due to the expansion of plantations and mines. They were the most brutally victimized with grave human rights violations committed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police (AFP/PNP) resulting from sustained military operations.

With Oplan Kapayapaan, the extension of martial law in Mindanao and the terrorist declaration of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), the US-Duterte regime started an all out war against the NPA, revolutionaries, progressives and democratic forces, farmers and Lumad. Fantasizing to crush the NPA by the year 2018, the AFP/PNP launched massive and sustained operations supported by arsenals for bombing, shelling, and surveillance and attack drones which resulted to military abuses and evacuations of thousands of Lumad and farmers in the region.

These were combined with community organizing for peace and development (COPD), productions of sham peace caravans and fake surrenderees under the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) and fake propaganda. Rank promotions and funds for plunder were the primary reasons for the surrender programs and livelihood projects of the ambitious officials of the AFP/PNP.

Countless became victims of political killings, arrests and trumped-up charges committed by AFP/PNP personnel against the leaders and members of progressive organizations. There were incidents of staffing of houses and shooting of farmers chanced upon in their farms by AFP forces.

The AFP attempted to destroy Lumad schools and communities by maliciously linking them to armed struggle. The Lumad were threatened with bombing of schools and communities. The AFP filed trumped-up charges against their teachers to force them to abandon the schools. During military operations, the AFP instantly targeted the communities and schools under the guise of looking for Red fighters, prompting the forcible evacuation of the Lumad. The military limited the entry of food to hungry evacuees. In actuality, the AFP wants to destroy the Lumad communities to pave the way for the entry of capitalist mining and plantations in ancestral lands which the Lumad have been opposing.

The police and military has intensified its repression of those living in the countryside by openly preventing them from joining mobilizations in the cities. They were delayed at the checkpoints, required to show IDs and investigated. Several members of progressive organizations were threatened and told to stop joining organizations.

Despite evident fascist repression, oppression, harassment and killings, the AFP/PNP tried to cover up the actual situation to show that the region was peaceful under martial law in Mindanao.

II. Amidst the utterly fascist brutality, the people’s struggle and the revolution in NEMR continue to advance

The declaration of the US-Duterte regime of completely ending the peace talks, tagging the CPP-NPA as “terrorists”, issuing a shot to kill order against NPA members, arresting CPP members and NDFP consultants, and focusing its attacks against the NPA under its extended martial law in Mindanao, are but desperate attempts of the regime in the face of the people’s escalating discontent of the gravely rotten ruling system. This is Duterte’s ambitious attempt to force revolutionaries, progressive forces and the Filipino people to kneel down to fascist rule and the establishment of a dictatorship.

The CPP and NPA are revolutionaries and not terrorists. The CPP has gained high prestige because of his successful leadership in advancing the Philippine revolution for 49 years. Together with the NPA and NDFP it gained support from the people because of its determination to struggle for the just demands of the Filipino people such as genuine land reform, national sovereignty, national industrialization and others. Because the war being waged by the NPA under the absolute leadership of the CPP is just, from being small and weak, it increased and overcame the destructive military campaigns of the AFP since the time of the US-Marcos dictatorship until the present.

History has proven that under the leadership of the CPP-MLM, true revolutionaries and communists will never surrender to the enemy of the people. It is ever at a ready to choose death in the persevering struggle to advance the interests and welfare of the people instead of bowing down to the oppressive reactionary government such as the fascist criminal US-Duterte regime.

In NEMR, the correct leadership of the CPP has been proven. It has successfully advanced the revolution in all fronts amidst sustained fascist attacks under Oplan Kapayapaan.

Studies on Basic and Intermediate Party Courses were successfully conducted. MLM principles and victory of the revolution were learned and gained. It effectively facilitated the molding of ideas among revolutionaries towards the proletarian standpoint, viewpoint and method. It has strengthened their capabilities to fully serve the people and the revolution, and determination to persevere with the struggle to achieve a free and just socialist society.

The NPA-NEMR successfully seized the initiative to advance the people’s war by launching armed struggle, establishing mass base and implementing agrarian revolution. It fulfilled the call of the Central Committee of the CPP and the National Operational Command of the NPA to launch tactical offensives against the worsening fascism of the Duterte regime and its puppetry to US imperialism. The region contributed to the advance of armed struggle in the country.

The NPA continue to be positioned in strategic areas in the region favorable for the advance of the people’s war. The NPA were not prevented from further expansion and consolidation of mass bases through painstaking arousing, organizing and mobilizing the masses in the barrios especially by the highway, lowland, coastal areas and town centers or cities. These areas operated served as wellspring, an endless source of NPA Red fighters.

Within one year, the NPA-NEMR launched 180 military actions in defense and as counter-attacks against AFP/PNP troop offensives and to sanction companies that did not respect the people’s government and were destroying the environment and livelihood of the people. The NPA showed impressive bravery that delivered 147 casualties to the fascist troops. The NPA captured one (1) member of the 29th IB, two (2) from the PNP and several CAFGU members who were all treated as prisoners of war (POW). The Red fighters successfully demolished a COPD unit by attacking its camp in the center of the barrio.

In these military actions, the NPA seized weapons enough to equip a new platoon. Not a single NPA-NEMR formation was destroyed by the enemy. On the other hand, eleven (11) Red fighters valiantly sacrificed their lives in battle.

The COPD and enemy attacks never stopped the peasantry from launching reasonable demands in line with the program for agrarian revolution. The struggle for higher wages of agricultural workers continued. The victories attained that decreased rent of land and farming equipment, and lowered the high interest rate of loans or usury, were sustained. Farmers who benefitted from the revolutionary land distribution continue to cultivate. They maintained their collective farming and exchange of labor to develop and expand farms.

Furthermore, the NPA continued to deliver social services to the people in the countryside such as free medical services, maintained peace and order, helped improve livelihoods and farming and others. In the barrios where the NPA operate, the people are free from illegal drugs, theft, gambling and other crimes.

Because of these, widespread support was established among the masses who actively implemented measures that rendered the enemy blind and deaf. The People’s Militias actively join tactical offensives to confront attacking AFP forces.

On the other hand, the people in the region bravely stood firm to assert their rights and welfare. The people launched various mobilizations in the cities to expose and oppose Duterte’s devious and fascist move to establish a dictatorial rule.

In the attempt to defeat the people’s struggle, the US-Duterte regime fueled an outpouring of resistance from the Filipino people against fascist attacks. This will end his dictatorial rule. It was Duterte himself who exposed to the world that his government is anti-nationalist, anti-masses and anti-democratic, that in the end, it is a terrorist state.

III. Efforts to further advance the people’s war in NEMR and frustrate the all out fascist war of the US-Duterte regime

History has proven that a united armed resistance and powerful people’s revolt will defeat the overt oppression and exploitation of a brutal rule.

To frustrate Duterte’s selfish aspiration for dictatorial rule, defeat counter-revolutionary offensives of the AFP/PNP, and contribute more to the advance of the people’s war in the country, we must do the following:

We need to consciously implement the ideological tasks of Party members, NPA, and revolutionary mass organizations to constantly raise the understanding of MLM in its application to the Philippine revolution. Sharpen the understanding of the national and international situations especially on the phase of worsening capitalist crisis and the chronic semicolonial and semicolonial system.

The NPA-NEMR must persistently launch numerous successful tactical offensives based on the ever widening and deepening mass base. Deliver overwhelming strikes against fascist troops. Increase recruitment to the NPA and form additional platoons.

We should persistently arouse, organize and mobilize all classes and sectors of the people in the countryside and cities to establish a wide and strong mass base. Form a powerful force that will strongly resist and frustrate the fascist terrorism of the US-Duterte regime.

We should launch bigger mass struggles that promote and defend rights, welfare and demands. Launch widespread struggles for the program for agrarian revolution, national industrialization and national sovereignty.

Unite and build cooperation with nationalist and patriotic organizations, personalities, businessmen, government officials, soldiers and policemen that will expose the anti-nationalist, anti-democratic moves of Duterte.

Promote and intensify propaganda work to constantly unite the masses and the people. Raise their political consciousness especially about the enemy, to consolidate the determination of the masses in advancing the revolution.

Long live the CPP on its 49th anniversary!

Ka Maria Malaya

Spokesperson

NDFP-NEMR