Despite intensified enemy attacks both against its fighting units and civilian masses under martial law, the NPA in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley shows there is but one way to address the escalating fascism of the Duterte regime— heighten armed resistance by launching tactical offensives.

Red fighters under the ComVal-Davao East Coast Sub-Regional Operations Command of the NPA in Southern Mindanao arrested PO1 Alfredo Sillada Basabica, Jr., Badge No. 272811, in Km. 26, Brgy. Panansalan, Compostela in Compostela Valley, at around 4:15 pm, July 11.

POW Basabica, 26, is assigned at Cateel Municipal Police Sub-station in Brgy. Aliwagwag. He was captured in an NPA mobile checkpoint while on his way to Davao City. As a prisoner of war, Basabica is being investigated for possible crimes against the people and the revolutionary movement. As per policy of the NPA, POW Basabicsa is being given lenient treatment in adherence to international war protocols.

POW Basabica’s PNP unit is being used by the local and provincial reactionary government for their anti-Lumad and anti-peasant “tourism” project in Aliwagwag Falls. It is also being investigated for the pervasive illegal drug trade in Cateel, for the torture of 5 peasants who were illegally arrested last March and May, and active intelligence activities against civilians whom they accuse of being supporters of the revolutionary movement.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s appointed martial law implementor— the Armed Forces of the Philippines— is having a field day in piling up human rights violations on top of another. Duterte’s martial law is fast-resembling the dark days of Marcos’ loathed martial rule.

AFP combat troops are currently launching offensive and so-called civic-military operations in at least 6 villages in Monkayo, 8 villages in Compostela and at least 5 villages in New Bataan in Compostela Valley. In Davao Oriental, fascist enemy troops are prowling 4 villages in Boston, six villages in Cateel, and several villages in the towns of Baganga, Caraga, Manay and Tarragona. Other AFP combat units are also operating in the hinterlands of Trento in Agusan del Sur and in Lingig and Bislig City in Surigao del Sur.

In their wake is the fascist trail of abuses and human rights violations against Lumad and peasants. This week, masses report that more than 40 AFP soldiers who identified themselves as members of the Division Reconnaissance Company held at gun point, hogtied and mauled seven peasants whom they accused to be members of the NPA in Sitio San Juan, Brgy. Pasian, Monkayo.

After the successful ambush by Red fighters against enemy troops in Brgy. Salvacion in Monkayo last July 1, reinforcing soldiers of the 25IB burned down and looted the houses of Lumad and peasants.

Duterte is leaving the extension and expansion of martial law up to the discretion of the militarist hawks in his regime, especially US stooge DND Sec. Delfin Lorenzana. Instead of addressing the pressing problems of the Filipino people such as landlessness and unemployment, Duterte is deliberately choosing to perpetuate fascism that, time and again, all the more fuels the armed resistance in the country.