The National Democratic Front (NDF)-Bicol today lambasted the Duterte regime’s extension of its militarist lockdown until April 30. The regime issued its declaration of extension last April 7.

“With additional 15 days of lockdown, abuses of the most basic human rights will worsen,” Maria Roja Banua, spokesperson of NDF-Bicol said.

With Ret. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. as chief implementor of the National Action Plan (NAP) for Covid-19, the regime’s task force to ‘lead’ the fight against the pandemic is primarily composed of military and police officials.



Banua however, belittled the NAP’s capacity to solve the public health crisis faced by the people. “If Duterte’s mercenary army has at all shown any expertise for the past years, it’s in ending people’s lives and not saving them,” she added.

The Philippine National Police reported a record high of 2,996 ‘violators’ of the lockdown on Thursday, bringing the total to 99,326 from March 17 until April 9.

“Due to severe hunger and poverty faced by the people today, they are pushed to take action for their welfare,” Banua continued. She warned the regime, “[The militarist lockdown] will pave way for the surge of a mass movement that will frustrate and end any attempt of legalizing a fascist dictatorship.”

She called on the people of Bicol to defend their democratic rights and the collective victories they have accumulated in the past years.