Attempts here and there have been made by the US-Duterte regime to fool the nation into thinking that the people’s war under the CPP’s leadership have weakened.

Under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) being led by the AFP-PNP, the reactionary government has launched a national drama consisting of “peace rallies,” “persona non grata” declarations against CPP-NPA-NDF, fake news and black propaganda against the revolutionary movement, and surrender campaign against civilans and members of progressive organizations.

These past months, “peace rallies” were launched to register the supposed condemnation of local government units and ordinary citizens towards CPP-NPA-NDF. In the communities of Mt. Province during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, LGU officials and employees were obliged to take part in the AFP-PNP’s pictorials tagged as “peace rally”. It is a preposterous attempt to thwart the celebrations of the CPP’s 51st anniversary, and the coercion by the military and police involved behind these “peace rallies” cannot be denied. The said LGUs are merely led on with the promise of projects and aid that they have long sought, lest they undertake the local ELCAC task force scheme being directed by the AFP-PNP.

Also included in the script are the supposed “persona non grata” declarations of LGUs against the CPP-NPA-NDF, as the AFP-PNP’s Community Support Program Operations (CSPO) continue to hound the communities. The deceptive CSPO aims to quell the legitimate struggle of the people for their rights. It also seeks to clear the way for the entry of destructive companies in mining and energy, like CEXCI and Chevron. The scheme also legitimizes the outright violation of CARHRIHL with regards to encampment in communities, like the military’s encampment of upland Bontoc, parts of Sagada since October 2019, and Bauko since January 2020.

To spice up the national drama – security plan of the rulling classes, these scenes have been peppered by the AFP-PNP with various fake news against the revolutionary movement. Examples are the long-disproven stories on extortion and landmines being planted by the NPA, which are being fed by the AFP-PNP to the locals and media.

Such scenes are duplicates of those that were spread in Bauko, Tadian, Besao, and Sagada after the series of victorious offensives by NPA-Mt. Province in 2019.

Another favorite antic of the AFP-PNP is parading “NPA surrenderees” who are in fact peasants, activists, even LGU officials, and others coerced into having their names “cleared” because of fear. Aside from a number of “recycled” surrenderees and materiel and explosives displayed and reshown at whim, the fascist regime has also resorted to ridiculous manipulation of pictures and stories to show people surrendering in droves. On the other hand, while bloating the actual number of surrenderees, the AFP-PNP’s higher-ups watch from their director’s seats and production rooms, as they relish in the riches promised to those who have surrendered – funds that head straight into their pockets.

The AFP-PNP’s deceptive and fascist tactics must be exposed and frustrated. The challenge is upon the people of Mt. Province to not be cowed into taking part in the US-Duterte regime’s national drama. What must be amplified are the people’s legitimate calls for social aervices, genuine land reform, national industrialization and self-determination; the immediate repeal of oppressive dictates such as the PD 705, Mining Act of 1995, EPIRA, IPRA, Rice Liberalization Law and TRAIN, the cessation of operations of large-scale and destructive mining, dam and energy, and the militarization of communities.

As we aim to reaffirm the unity of the people, we must not kneel to the AFP-PNP as intelligence agents or submissive CAFGU elements. The foulest agents of the enemy who owe much blood to the people must be exposed, while those coerced by the AFP-PNP due to poverty and unemployment must be encouraged to take the side of their own oppressed and exploited class. To side with the revolutionary movement that truly represents the interest of the oppressed masses is nothing but just.

The US-Duterte regime and AFP-PNP’s national drama is bound to flop and fail. Since Duterte signed into paper EO 70 which formed the NTF-ELCAC, the AFP-PNP has yet to liquidate even one unit of the NPA-Mt. Province. This as the number of casualties in their ranks grows. The fascist regime’s tactics are being uncovered because of its growing list of human rights violations such as firing at a civilian in Ambagiw, aerial bombing in Suquib, illegal search and destruction of rice granaries and structures in Tamboan and Catengan, and harassment of gardeners and peasants in Besao, Sagada and Tadian.

Contrary to what is being said and shown on speakers and screens, units of the NPA remain firm and the CPP-NPA-NDF continue to earn support from the ranks of the toiling masses. The downfall of the economy, civil liberties, and national sovereignty will break the illusion of putting an easy end to the armed conflict and instead compel the peasants, minorities, and masses to advance the people’s democratic revolution to victory.