Paggunita at Pagpupugay kay Ka Roger itong ika-47 taon ng Pagkakatatag ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan

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Sa pagdiriwang nitong ika-47 taon ng pagkakatatag ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan(BHB), nais kong ipaabot ang taas-kamaong pagpupugay sa lahat ng mga pulang kumander at mandirigma, at mga nabuwal na bayani at martir ng pambansa demokratikong rebolusyon.

Itong Marso 29, 2016, kaisa ako sa maraming nagbibigay ng taimtim na paggunita at pinakamataas na pagpupugay kay Kasamang Roger (Gregorio Rosal), dahil sa maningning na kasaysayan ng kanyang buhay at pakikibaka hanggang sa kanyang dakilang kamatayan at pagiging isang huwarang bayani ng rebolusyonaryong kilusan. At muli nating sinasariwa ang mga ginintuang aral na naging ambag niya sa pagsusulong ng digmang bayan.

Kaming mga bilanggong pulitikal, sampu ang mga nakakilala kay Ka Roger, ang mga yunit ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB) at buong pambansa demokratikong rebolusyonaryong kilusan, at ang malawak na mamamayang nagtataguyod sa kasalukuyang sumisigabong digmang bayan… tayo ay nakikisa at kalahok ngayon sa paggunita at pagpupugay sa kadakilaang deka-dekadang itinaguyod ni Ka Roger ng lubos na paglilingkod sa mamamayan at mga rebolusyonaryong simulain hanggang sa kamatayan.

Mahalaga sa paggunita kay Ka Roger ang maikling pagbabalik-tanaw sa kasaysayan ng kanyang buhay at pakikibaka, upang makahalaw mula sa mga ito ng mga gintong aral.

Sa bayan ng Ibaan, Batangas isinilang si Ka Roger. Sa kanyang kabataan, naging modelo siya ng kasipagan at tiyaga sa mga gawain at sa pagtulong sa mga magulang. Magkasabay na binalikat niya ang paghahanap-buhay para sa pamilya at ang pag-aaral. Isa siyang kabataang puno ng sigla na madaling naging bukas ang isip sa pagtanggap ng mga bagong pananaw nang may kalaliman at nagkaroon ng paninindigan nang may katatagan, kaya mabilis niyang naisa-isip ang impluwensya ng malawak at malakas na kilusang masa at aktibismo ng kabataan, at ang pag-aaral at seryosong pagsasabuhay ng Lipunan at Rebolusyong Pilipino.

Dahil dito, nag-aaral pa siya sa kalunsura’y mabilis at bukal sa loob niyang tinanggap ang pangangailangang magrebolusyon, at ang pagbibigay-diin sa mga rebolusyonaryong gawain sa kanayunan. Sa maagang bahagi ng dekada ’70, napabilang si Ka Roger sa yunit ng BHB sa katatatag na hangganan ng Quezon-Bicol Zone (QBZ). Mabilis ang naging pag-angkop niya sa mahirap at mapanganib na sitwasyon ng kanyang bagong pagkilos. Seryoso at masaya niyang hinarap ang paglilingkod sa masang magsasaka sa pagsusulong at pagpapalawak ng armadong rebolusyon laban sa paghahari ng Imperyalismo at Pyudalismo na noon ay buong dahas na kinakatawan ng Diktadurang US-Marcos.

Dibdiban siyang tumulong sa pagpupukaw, pag-oorganisa at pagpapakilos sa masa, sa pagtatatag ng malawak na base ng digmang bayan, sa pagsusulong ng minimum hanggang maksimum na antas ng rebolusyong agraryo at sa pagpapalakas ng mga yunit ng BHB at sandatahang pakikibaka.

Bago siya lumipat sa iba pang bahagi ng Timog Katagalugan, nakaipon na ng maraming solidong karanasan at aral si Ka Roger sa pagbubukas at pagpapatatag ng mga larangang gerilya, sa pagbubuo ng mga rebolusyonaryong organisasyong masa, sa mga taktika at teknika sa pakikidigmang gerilya, at sa iba pang mga rebolusyonaryong gawain.

Sa maraming pagkakataon, napatunayang wasto ang kanyang mga naging pag-angkop sa mga aktibong depensa sa harap ng malalaking operasyon at kampanyang militar ng kaaway. Kapag malinaw namang tiyak ang lamang at tagumpay ng mga rebolusyonaryong pwersa, matapang siyang lumalahok at namumuno sa mga taktikal na opensiba.

Naging matagumpay ang pamumuno niya sa iba’t ibang larangan ng gawain sa armadong pakikibaka sa Batangas, sa Laguna at sa Quezon. Malaki ang naitulong niya sa kagyat na pag-aayos ng ilang dating naging maling linya sa mga rebolusyonaryong gawain doon.

Sa kalaunan, naging malaki ang naipong mga ambag niya sa rebolusyonaryong pagkilos sa kabuuan ng Timog Katagalugan, at naging isang posteng kadre roon. Iniukol ni Ka Roger ang kanyang talino at lakas para makatulong nang lubos sa mabilis na pagsusulong ng kilusang masa at armadong pakikibaka sa buong rehiyon.

Si Ka Roger ay naging huwaran sa katapangan at katatagan sa rebolusyunaryong paninindigan. Mula nang siya’y nagpasyang pumaloob sa lihim na kilusan at armadong pakikibaka, walang mabibigat na suliranin, sakripisyo, panganib sa buhay, gawain at maging sa pamilya ang nakaapekto sa kanyang rebolusyunaryong adhikain at pagkilos. At sa pagdami ng naipong tagumpay at karanasan ni Ka Roger, nanatili siyang madaling lapitan ng masa, ng mga kasama at sinumang may nais isangguning suliranin o mungkahi.

Maluwag na tinanggap ni Ka Roger ang tungkulin, noong una, bilang tagapagsalita ng Panrehiyong Kumand sa operasyon ng Timog Katagalugan, at, kasunod, bilang Pambansang Tagapagsalita ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. Ito, kahit pa tiyak niyang magiging target siya ng puspusang pagtugis ng kaaway.

Si Ka Roger ay mapagkaibigan, mapagkasama at masayahin. Sa kanyang masipag na pagsisilindro, paggigitara at pag-aawit na madalas sinasabayan ng mga biro at patawa, nababawasan ang mga nararamdamang pagod at puyat ng mga kasama… dahil sa mahahabang lakad, at mabibigat na mga gawain. Masipag din siya sa pagtuturo sa mga bagong kasama kung paano magsaing nang di nahihilaw ang kanin para sa isang kumpanyang gerilya, at kung papaano ang tanging tamang pagluluto ng kapeng barako ayon sa mga Batangueno. Mabilis siyang nakaangkop sa iba’t ibang katangian at ugali ng iba’t ibang tao — matanda, kabataan, o bata man; babae o lalaki man; beteranong kadre o bagong pwersa man, popular na announcer o masa man. Si Ka Roger ay minahal ng organisadong masa, naging bantog sa mamamayan, at kilabot sa mga nang-aapi at nagsasamantala sa kanila.

Si Ka Roger ay mabuti at mabait na ama. Sa kabila ng mahirap na kalagayan ng kanyang mga anak — na pawang lumaki na hiwalay sa magulang — naituro niya ang tamang direksyon ng buhay na nagmamahal sa kapwa-tao at paglilingkod sa sambayanan. Mas madalas na magkakahiwalay man sila, naitatag niya ang isang rebolusyunaryong pamilya sa loob ng kilusan.

Ka Roger, ikaw ay isang huwarang rebolusyunaryong lider na tumangan sa wastong pananaw at mahigpit na paninindigan, huwaran sa disiplina at sa iyong mahusay at walang pagod na paglilingkod sa sambayanan.

Ka Roger, hindi ka na namin muling makikita dahil sa iyong pagpanaw noong ika-21 ng Hunyo 2011 mula sa iyong naging matindi at matagal na inindang karamdaman. Subalit ang iyong mga ginintuang halimbawa at mga aral sa buhay at pakikibaka ay patuloy na nakatanim sa aming mga puso at isip. Magsisilbi ang mga iyon bilang pundasyong bato sa aming matatag na rebolusyunaryong paninindigan.

Mahal ka namin, at palagi ka naming maaalala, Ka Roger!

Tirso “Ka Bart” Alcantara
Bilanggong Pulitikal
at Konsultant Pangkapayapaan
ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines,
at iba pang mga Bilanggong Pulitikal
sa Camp Bagong Diwa

Political Prisoners Against Bongbong and Revival of Martial Law

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We, political prisoners, have been foully thrown into jail on trumped-up charges by various post-Martial Law ruling regimes. The biggest bulk (more than 500 at present… and counting) of post-Martial Law political prisoners are now imprisoned under the present ruling regime of Benigno S. Aquino III.

We, political prisoners, are all victims of continuing gross violations of freedom, justice, and other human and legal rights.

This, even as the post-Martial Law regimes, up to the outgoing Benigno S. Aquino III regime, keep denying the very fact of our existence.

Those who tell the truth, cry out loud that there there still are political prisoners — in fact, several hundreds of us, hidden in various jails in the country, including here in Camp Bagong Diwa….

In a 2004 peace talks agreement with the National Domocratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo government had agreed to release from its prisons all 350 political prisoners individually identified by the NDFP, as unduly arrested and detained in violation of their human, political, and legal rights, including the landmark Hernandez Doctrine. But the GMA government soon after launched a vicious All-Out War and did not at all implement the agreement. Those 350 political prisoners were, instead, passed on to the BSA III regime, that continued the policy and increased our numbers.

With the threat that the evils of Martial Law history might repeat itself — if Bongbong Marcos (the deceased fascist dictator’s heir) would be able to “win” a position that would be only a heartbeat away from the country’s presidency — we are wary of an even bigger problem of the foul throwing into jails of even more prisoners of conscience; of the jailing, too, of large numbers from the opposition and other political parties, of elements in the mass media, and of many others; of more blatant torture that no longer need to be hidden; of trial by military or militarized courts under a barefaced Martial Law regime with no term limits; and of other gross human rights violations against fighters for socio-economic-political changes in the country, and even against defenders of human rights… as what happened when Marcoses ruled with bare-faced Martial Law for 14 years.

Not long after their U.S. imperialist masters arranged the Marcoses’ sanctuary in Hawaii to escape the wrath of the EDSA People’s Power Uprising against the Marcoses’ Martial Law, Imelda, the conjugal partner in their fascist reign and other heirs of the fascist dictator returned to the Philippines, and since then have been retaking and restashing the bulk of their more than tens of billions of pesos worth of plundered wealth, and investing money and time to retaking key government positions (including the governorship and congressional representation of their home province, and a Senate seat). They have, since their return, been aiming for more power positions… up to their return to Malacanang and the reimposition of more outright fascism.

We, political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, express our fullest solidarity with the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacanang (CARMMA) and organize our ranks and our advocates and supporters on this issue.

The fight for true democracy and other basic interests of the people will, however, require much more than preventing the Marcoses from reoccupying Malacañang, reimposing outright fascist rule and using such to further ravage the country and its people. It is a continuing struggle in the country, that we, political prisoners, and other advocates of and fighters for freedom, justice, human rights, and socio-economic-political changes, are determined to keep pressing on, despite many twists-and-turns, hardships and sacrifices….
NDFP peace consultants

Adelberto Silva

Alan Jazmines

Ernesto Lorenzo

Loida magpatoc

Ruben Saluta

Tirso Alcantara

and other political prisoners
in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City
(March 28, 2016)

Jail Anomalies and Fascism against Prison Inmates

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We, political detainees at the Special Intensive Care Area (SICA1) Jail, watched with utter disgust, the last two days, repeated televised shots of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) forces’ brutal fascist reaction to the Makati City Jail inmates’ noise barrage. The noise barrage was in protest of, accordingly, the jail authorities’ role there as the ones principally responsible for the entry and proliferation of illegal drugs inside prison and for the poor food rations being given them by the jail authorities.

The jail anomalies being protested by the Makati City Jail inmates are not at all new to us.

We have long been raising the issue of proliferation of illegal drugs in prison, and also the tolerated continuing transactions between big-time drug suppliers even in jails and their pushers outside… all these, unfettered by the iron bars of prison.

We have also long been raising the issue of low budget allocation for food and very poor food rations in jails. The issue is practically a universal issue in all jails in the country.

Makati City Jail inmates’ food rations are supposed to be a lot better than what we are given as national jail inmates, and also what other inmates are being given in most other jails in the country. This is because Metro Manila city governments and other local governments in the country allocate a minimum of P20 up to P50 per inmate per day — in addition to the nationally allocated P50 per inmate per day — for the food budget in the jails within their jurisdiction. The Makati City Jail, thus, has a food budget double the P50 worth of food rations per inmate per day, that we are theoretically supposed to receive here at the SICA1 Jail. Yet, the Makati City Jail inmates are complaining about the poor food rations being given to them.

A unique stark contrast was the case of the Bataan Provincial Jail, where the Warden, Jail Inspector Angelina Bautista, took the side of the inmates, and raised the issue of the BJMP national leadership’s anomalies in regard to the BJMP’s food budget for the Bataan Provincial Jail inmates. This, as the BJMP was no longer allocating BJMP funds for it — and wanted the Bataan Provincial Jail to just use, instead, the allocation of the local government, even if the latter was meant only as an addition to the BJMP’s food budget for the inmates. Bataan Provincial Jail Warden Bautista filed before the Ombudsman an administrative case on the issue against the BJMP national leadership, then held by National Director Diony Mamaril.

We, political detainees at the SICA1 Jail, suffered much in sympathy as we saw on TV how the jail authorities continued to beat up the protesting inmates there, who then were already under control, were only squatting on the floor and were entirely defenseless. Some were crippled, and one of them even died, because of the beatings.

The Makati City Jail inmates have raised valid issues in their protest. But, instead of intently listening to and resolving those issues, the jail authorities there resorted to brutal fascist suppression of the noise barrage. They also resorted to the immediate transfer here, the SICA 1 Jail, of the suspected leaders of the protest by the Makati City Jail inmates.

The fascist reaction to the inmates’ valid complaints should be fully investigated, condemned and rectified, for being a brutal and callous effort to cover up the gross anomalies being exposed by the jail inmates.

It should be the anomalous and fascist jailors and their higher ups who should be punished for their criminal anomalies and fascist acts, and not the inmates — especially the innocent victims of trumped-up charges — who have only been asserting their legal and human rights.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultants

Adelberto Silva
Alan Jazmines
Ernesto Lorenzo
Ruben Saluta
Tirso Alcantara
and other political prisoners at the SICA1 Jail,
Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan,
Taguig City
(Match 11, 2016)

Ka Nestor Parangal

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Sa mahal na kabiyak na si Remedios, mga anak at iba pang kapamilya, kaibigan, nakabalikat sa trabaho, sa mga simulain at pagkilos para sa mga kapwa magbubukid, mga kababayan at iba pang kasamahan sa pakikibaka ni Ka Nestor Villanueva, kaming mga nakasama rin niya sa pagkilos at nabisita rin na mga bilanggong pulitikal dito sa Camp Bagong Diwa ay lubos na nakikiramay sa kanyang pagyao sa edad na 58 taong-gulang, nitong Pebrero 27, dulot ng paglala ng kanyang sakit na TB.

Mula pa sa kanyang pagkabata ay masigasig na siyang tumutulong sa pagmumulat at pag-oorganisa ng mga kapwa kabataan sa baryo, sa San Antonio, Kalayaan, Laguna, at nang nasa edad na ay sumapi na sa komite ng mga magbubukid sa lokalidad.

Noong dekada 1980 ay naging buong-panahong mandirigma at lider siya ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan sa erya ng Bundok Banahaw sa Laguna at sa Hilagang Quezon.

Lumala ang sakit niyang TB, pero di ito nagpatigil sa kanyang masigasig na pagkilos at noong 1986, naobliga siyang bumalik sa lokalidad upang doon patuloy na kumilos.

Noong 1986, kasama siya sa pagtatatag ng distritong alyansa ng mga organisasyon ng mga magbubukid sa Laguna, ang Peasant Alliance of Laguna (PALAG).

Makaraan ang mga 10 taong pagkilos niya roon, nang tumutok sa lugar nila ang berdugong si Gen. Jovito Palparan noong 1997 at pinag-iinitan noon nitong berdugo si Ka Nestor, lumipat siya at ang kanyang pamilya sa Hacienda Yulo, kung saan naman siya tumutok sa patuloy na pagkilos. Doon, masigasig na tumulong siya sa pag-oorganisa at pagpapalakas pa ng Samahan ng mga Magsasakang Nagkakaisa – Buntog (SAMANA – Buntog) na sumaklaw sa Buntog, Balagbag-Araw, Matang.Tubig at iba pang kalapit na sityo sa Canlubang, Calamba, at Baranggay Kasili, Cabuyao, Laguna — na kalakha’y saklaw ng Hacienda Yulo. Mahigit 300 pamilyang magbubukid ang kaagad nasaklaw sa pag-oorganisa nito.

Nakapa-ilalim ang SAMANA – Buntog sa Pagkakaisa’t Ugnayan ng mga Magbubukid sa Laguna (PUMALAG) na nakapaloob naman sa Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog-Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK). Hanggang sa pagyao niya, si Ka Nestor ang tagapangulo ng KASAMA-TK.

Ikinatuwa naming mga bilanggong pulitikal ang pagdalaw niya sa amin noong 2014.

Saanman siya kumilos at nag-organisa, mataas ang respeto sa kanya ng mga kapwa magsasaka at iba pang mamamayan. Hanggang sa huling sandali ng kanyang buhay, naging tapat siya sa rebolusyonaryong adhikain, masigasig at walang-tigil sa pag-oorganisa at pakikibaka para sa mga kauring magbubukid at iba pang mamamayan.

Pulang saludo namin kay Ka Nestor!

Ang kanyang rebolusyunaryong diwa at mga ibinunga ng kanyang paglilingkod sa mga kauri at sa mamamayan ay nakatanim sa aming mga isip at puso!

Mga bilanggong pulitikal sa Camp Bagong Diwa,

Adelberto Silva
Alan Jazmines
Alberto Macasinag
Alex Arias
Alex Birondo
Armand Matres
Cesar Balmaceda
Dennis Ortiz
Diony Borre
Eddie Cruz
Edward Lanzanas
Eliseo Lopez
Elmer Torres
Ernesto Lorenzo
Evelyn Legaspi
Gemma Carag
George Bruce
Hermogenes Reyes, Jr.
Isidro de Lima
Jake Calayag
Jared Morales
Jesus Abetria, Jr.
Joel Enano
Jose Nuyda
Joseph Cuevas
Jovy Ortiz
Joyce Latayan
Ma. Loida Magpatoc
Ma. Miradel Torres
Marissa Espedido
Miguela Pinero
Modesto Araza
Pastora Latagan
Pedro Calimita
Presentacion Estrada-Saluta
Rex Villaflor
Rhea Pareja
Rommel Nuñez
Ruben Rupido
Ruben Saluta
Rene Nuyda
Senon Sambola
Sharon Cabusao
Tirso Alcantara
Voltaire Guray
Winona Oñate-Birondo

On the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Uprising : Continuing Fight for Freedom, Justice, Social Causes, Peace and against Continuing Fascism

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The 30th anniversary of the February 25, 1986 EDSA people power uprising against the Marcos outright fascist dictatorship takes place, on the one hand, in the midst of the continuing advance of the people’s struggles and, on the other hand, in the face of increasing blatant — as well as disguised — fascism. This, under the prevailing neocolonial socio-economic-political system that serves principally the richest and most powerful in the country and their imperialist masters.

Out-and-out fascist rule has been dismantled but in many ways, much of the same oppressive and exploitative system has remained intact and continues to intensify — buttressed by fascistic measures that are veiled by pseudo-democratic rhetoric.

Just yesterday, fascist military and paramilitary forces under the ruling regime sought to burn down the United Church of Christ of the Philippines’ Haran Compound in Davao City, where hundreds of Lumad refugees from fascist attacks in their communities have long been sheltered since the massive driving away of Lumad people from their ancestral lands. Five Lumad refugees, including two children were injured in the conflagration. This latest act of fascism against the Lumad has followed the series of burning down of Lumad schools, cooperatives, homes and entire communities, the vicious hunting down and killing of Lumad leaders and educators, and other fascist acts against the Lumad and other people insistent on fighting for their rights and the rights of others like them.
Among those who have also been continuing to suffer fascism under present pseudo-democratic facade are hundreds of political prisoners. The present regime of Benigno S. Aquino III, inheritor of the post-EDSA People Power regime of his mother, Cory Aquino, keeps on denying that there are political prisoners in the country. Yet, there are presently more than 500 of us, individually documented political prisoners in the country — about twice the number the present regime has inherited from the earlier regime of Gloria Arroyo. And our numbers have been increasing, instead of decreasing.

It is because of our continuing fight for freedom, for justice, for social causes (especially in the interest of the poor, the deprived and the oppressed), for peace and against continuing fascism, that we have become victims of political repression. The objective of those in power is to suppress us and separate us from the oppressed and exploited masses by keeping us in heavily guarded stockades and behind iron bars.

We, political prisoners, continue to suffer gross violations of justice and human rights. We suffer arbitrary and illegal arrests, trumped-up charges, hardly moving course of justice, poor and repressive prison conditions, and the ruling state and regime’s indifference to all these.

Those of us, who have also gone through imprisonment, torture and other gross violations of justice and human rights during the Marcos martial rule have won court cases, but have not actually attained justice against the Marcoses, for the fascist crimes committed against us.

The Marcoses have, in the meantime, maintained their provincial political bases, have repositioned themselves in various high government positions, including the Senate, and have continued to maintain much of their plundered wealth, especially those kept abroad. Funded by a massive campaign kitty from his parents’ plundered wealth, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. — the son, and designated successor of the late open fascist dictator — aspires to be just a heartbeat away from the dominant power held then by his father. There is urgent need to keep the Marcoses from again holding the highest reins of power and reinstituting out-and-out fascism.
In the face of all these, the people’s fight for freedom, for justice, for social causes (especially in the interest of the poor, the exploited and the oppressed), for peace and against continuing fascism continues to expand and gain ground.

We, who remain in chains and behind prison bars, vow to keep up the fight to the utmost in any way we can … and more so as soon as we regain freedom.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultants

Adelberto Silva
Alan Jazmines
Ernesto Lorenzo
Loida Magpatoc
Ruben Saluta
Tirso Alcantara

and other political prisoners detained in Camp Bagong Diwa February 25, 2016

On the Fifth Anniversary of “Black Valentine’s Day”

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February 14, this year, is the fifth anniversary of “Black Valentine’s Day”, that showed and continues to show how actually uninterested, heartless — actually spiteful — the ruling Benigno S. Aquino III regime has been in regard to justice and freedom in the case of political prisoners, in regard to peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and in regard to the advocacies of these for fundamental socio-economic, cultural and political changes in the interest of the country, especially the suffering oppressed and exploited mass of our people.

In practically the full term of the present ruling regime, the environment of the peace talks between the NDFP and the GRP/GPH has been fraught with gross insincerities, treacheries and violations on the part of the ruling regime.

A few hours before the resumption, in February 14, 2011, of the long-stalled peace talks between the NDFP and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, Malacañang gave the military and police leadership under its command the order for their arrest of an NDFP peace consultant with long-standing and immediate work directly related to comprehensive socio-economic reforms — the already long-delayed next substantive agenda in the peace talks.

The one particularly assigned by Malacañang, as over-all in command over the joint military and police arrest operations to implement the “Black Valentine’s Day” arrest — then Philippine Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz — arrogantly declared right after the arrest that they will keep arresting NDFP peace consultants — “No matter the JASIG!” (The JASIG, or Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, is one of the comprehensive peace agreements, mutually signed way back in February 24, 1995, for the protection of the freedom and rights of negotiators, consultants, staffers, security and other personnel, so that they may be able to effectively participate in their respective work in the peace process.)

The arrest was ordered “No matter … anything”. No matter how open and welcoming the NDFP has been for the resumption of the peace talks. No matter that the NDFP has prepared, worked and hoped for a great many prospects in the talks beforehand. No matter that the one ordered to be immediately arrested has long been among the NDFP peace talks consultants, has continuing and urgent work related to his specific tasks, including the scheduled substantive agenda in the supposedly immediately-to-resume peace talks, and is supposed to be protected from surveillance, arrest, detention and other acts of violence that would deter his effective participation in the peace process. No matter that the resumption of the long-stalled peace talks was to start in a couple of hours in Oslo, Norway, but would be very much frustrated, with the recent and continuing, as well as past, arrests and imprisonments of NDFP peace consultants and staffers supposedly protected from such and other acts of violence.

As the one so arrested, I informed the arresting officer about my being an NDFP peace consultant, about my JASIG protection and about my objection to my arrest as violative of peace agreements, more immediately so as I was supposed to be involved in the then just about to resume peace talks.

I stated that the NDFP leadership and peace panel would definitely vehemently object to my arrest as blatantly violative of the JASIG. I also asked to be able to immediately communicate and consult directly with the NDFP peace panel’s legal counsel, that is also the legal counsel of NDFP peace consultants — the People’s Interest Law Center (PILC) and its head then, Atty. Romeo Capulong — even as I knew, and the arresting officer also confirmed, that they then were already in Oslo, Norway to participate in the peace talks.

After some two hours of consultations with their higher ups, the arresting officer informed me that they brought up before their higher ups the objections that I have raised against my arrest and their violations of the JASIG and my other rights as an NDFP peace consultant and participant in the about-to-resume peace talks. He simply said that their higher ups insisted on the arrest — no matter the JASIG, and no matter the peace talks. The arresting officer added that my objections to my arrest, the matter of the JASIG and other matters, including my demand to be able to consult with the NDFP peace panel’s legal counsel, would all be taken up with and responded to later by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and that in the meantime I would be detained.

The hurriedly implemented arrest was also patently illegal — as it was made without a warrant of arrest and I was ill!egally served a “warrant of arrest” only the next day. I was later swamped with trumped-up criminalized charges for “13 counts of murder” — supposedly committed by a certain “Ka Dexter” (who I never was) against government soldiers ambushed by the New People’s Army (NPA) in various places (where I actually have never been to) some 27 years ago (at a time when I was based in Metro Manila and was then working in the open, legal political struggle).

Those trumped-up criminalized charges are also in recalcitrant violation of the landmark Hernandez Doctrine — a historical Philippine jurisprudence that prohibits the criminalization of “political offenses” and requires the consolidation of all “political offenses” under a single bailable case of “rebellion”. (Actually, the main purpose of the swamping of political prisoners with numerous trumped-up criminalized charges — most especially with non-bailable charges, at that — no matter the utter falsity of the charges, is to ensure that political prisoners are as much as possible bogged down with court cases and deprived of the right to bail, so that they are thus kept practically indefinitely detained, especially as the crawl of justice in the country is one of the slowest, as well as one of the most rotten, in the world.)

The ruling regime and its shadow fascist apparatus have also been dictating on the prosecution — and even the judges — to do what they can to see to it that, as much as possible, the detained NDFP consultants be kept in jail indefinitely. This, if not yet to fast-tract and spuriously cook-up their convictions — as they had done so in the cases of fellow NDFP peace consultants Eduardo Sarmiento, Emeterio Antalan and Leopoldo Caloza. Previously, practically all the trumped-up charges against these NDFP peace consultants have been dismissed, but, under heavy pressure from the ruling regime and its shadow fascist apparatus, the courts hearing the last cases of these imprisoned fellow NDFP peace consultants spuriously cooked-up their convictions, just to prevent them from gaining freedom.

The fifth anniversary of “Black Valentine’s Day” is marked by even more dire prospects as the current Benigno S. Aquino III regime has already hauled into prison more NDFP peace consultants and an additional 300 or so more socio-economic-cultural and political cause advocates, and continues to haul more of these into its jails, has refused to discuss substantive agenda for socio-economic-cultural and political reforms for the strategic upliftment of the oppressed and exploited suffering mass of our people,
in line with the previously agreed upon Hague Declaration, has instead been insisting on putting in the agenda only petty, ephemeral “doables”, and has thus actually been refusing to be open with any seriousness to substantive peace talks with the NDFP.

In the meantime, but for a mere handful who have been able to win their freedom through exceptional court victories that have slipped through reactionary pressures and dirty manueverings, all of us (about a score of detained NDFP peace consultants and staffers, and more than 500 other political prisoners) continue to suffer grave injustice and overly slow and rotten court processes, excessive restrictions and deprivations, poor prison conditions, and numerous other human rights violations. More than half of the present political prisoners have already been detained for about or more than a decade already, with their cases in court hardly moving at all. And some — like our fellow NDFP peace consultant, Eduardo “Ka Eddik” Serrano, who was wrongly charged as a different person and made to suffer more than 11 years of unjust imprisonment — have already died in prison, due to these problems and the utter nonchalance to these of the ruling state and jail authorities.

The ruling regime has shown itself to be totally deaf and blind to calls for justice, respect for human rights, fundamental political and socio-economic changes, and related efforts for the attainment of peace. It continues to refuse to abide by, or even take cognizance of standing peace agreements with the NDFP. Worse, it has even gone much further in violating, and even mocking and spitting at those agreements and related efforts.

In the same way, with its “daang matuwid” (“straight road”) as a mere facade of a slogan without anything real and solid in substance, the ruling regime has only been mocking and spitting at the suffering oppressed and exploited mass of our people.

ALAN JAZMINES
NDFP peace consultant and member of the NDFP Committee on Socio-Economic Reforms,

detained at the SICA 1 Jail, Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City
14 February 2016

Our 10 Days of Fasting/Hunger Strike Before and During the Visit of Pope Francis I to Our Country

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Starting five days before the January 15 arrival of Pope Francis I in our country, we, political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa, went on fasting/hunger strike. And during the five days of his actual visit to our country bringing along “mercy and compassion”, we proceeded to go on hunger strike.

All such act of self-sacrifice, to make loud our calls for our freedom, for justice, for real solutions to social ills, for serious efforts towards peace in our country.

These calls emphasize our dire situation as political prisoners — imprisoned because of our struggles for political and social changes in the interest of the people; subjected to severe repressions, reprisals, abuses, deprivations, and other fascist acts by state and jail authorities; made to suffer and one of the most rotten and slowest crawl of justice in the world, and frustrated with the long lack of progress in the peace process.

We went through such act, with a significantly highly raised level of unity of forces, will to fight and resistance to repressions, and were able to proceed steadfast and advance in our act of self-sacrifice for our calls. This, in the face of foul and fascist reactions to our act, and in the face of violations of our rights to the extent of disregarding international protocols on respect for human rights, the United Nation’s norms on the treatment of prisoners, as well as the prevailing state’s own laws — particularly here at the Special Intensive Care Area1(SICA1) Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa.

From the very start, our doctors were totally barred from visiting us and checking on our medical conditions. There were instances, when even our lawyers and some of our loved ones were also barred. Many, many visitors from human rights organizations, and many more other supporters were also cruelly barred.

Worse, prison authorities here at the SICA1 Jail, even cooked up and unleased malicious and vicious schemes to isolate us, political prisoners, and induce, from other inmates under the hands of leaders of a lumpen prison gang and of those accused by the government as terrorists, intensified antagonisms and orchestrated threats of violence against us. This, by also barring the visitors of all other inmates and casting the blame for such on the “foolish” (“kalokohan”) hunger strike of political prisoners.

This, even as, among their ranks, we have many friends and sympathizers, whom we have been in touch with and even wrote to about the noble objectives of our act, in order to gain their unity with us, even as they are being prevented from doing so by threats against them.

We also have taken, and continue to take, appropriate steps direct to the public and also via the courts and other institutions, in effort to put in place and counter such foul and fascist acts of the jail authorities against our loved ones, and against others caring about and supporting us.

In the midst of all these, we have remained solid and in peace, and have maintained our steadfastness in our act, well up to its successful conclusion and its aftermath.

With the help of those outside with means and opportunities at linking with the visiting Pope, with those in sympathy with us and supporting us in various ways in our struggles, with the general public, and with other relevant forces, we are grateful that our letters and calls have reached those concerned and have been raised loud enough to be amplified further, especially our calls for the return of our lost freedom, for the redress of the injustices committed against us and the people we have been struggling and imprisoned for, and for serious efforts towards peace.

In the meantime, for as long as we remain under threats of reprisals, foul deeds and violence against us in jail, we are determined to keep raising the issues we have been raising–our call for freedom, justice, for real solutions to social ills, for serious efforts towards peace in this country.

Political prisoners at the SICA1 Jail,
Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City
(31 January 2015)

Tirso Alcantara
Emeterio Antalan
Cesar Balmaceda
Leopoldo Caloza
Alan Jazmines
Jesus Abetria Jr.
Modesto Araza
Alex Arias
Eddie Cruz
Philip Enteria
Voltaire Guray
Fidel Holanda
Edward Lanzanas
Rolando Laylo
Eliseo Lopez
Alberto Macasinag
Jared Morales
Denis Ortiz
Hermogenes Reyes Jr.
Felicardo Salamat
Aristides Sarmiento
Cirilo Verdan
Elmer Torres

Political Prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa on Fasting and Hunger Strike after death of NDFP Peace Consultant and Political Prisoner Ka Eddik Serrano

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We, political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa, join other political prisoners across the country in going on fasting and hunger strike starting with the southward funeral march today, January 12, until the burial in January 17 of the body of deceased NDFP Peace Consultant and staunch fighter for the rights of indigenous peoples, peasants and other exploited and oppressed people, foully arrested, charged as another person, suffered a snail-paced course of justice and held as political prisoner for more than 11 years — Ka Eddik Serrano.

Such acts of self-sacrifice is in protest against the grave injustice that Ka Eddik endured for 11 years, eroded his health and caused his death.

We join in the protest of other political prisoners in the country, and categorically state that successive reactionary regimes — up to the current Benigno S. Aquino III regime — are responsible for Ka Eddik’s death.

Words fail us in expressing the depth of our collective rage at the gross injustice and violations of human rights, and of peace agreements that we political prisoners have long been suffering.

Justice for Ka Eddik and all victims of injustice!
Adelberto Silva Alan Jazmines
Ernesto Lorenzo Loida Magpatoc
Ruben Saluta Tirso Alcantara
and other political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa

Re 6 Dec. 2015 visit of RNG ambassadors supporting the NDFP-GRP/GPH peace talks

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We, NDFP peace consultants detained in Camp Bagong Diwa (Adelberto Silva, Alan Jazmines, Eduardo Serrano, Ruben Saluta, Tirso Alcantara, Ernesto Lorenzo and Loida Magpatoc) appreciated much the 6 Dec. visit and meeting with us of two RNG ambassadors (Elizabeth Slattum, Special Envoy of the RNG, and Kristian Netland, 1st Secretary of the RNG embassy). Read more

THE BSAQUINO EFFIGY ON INTL HR DAY 2015

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Free All Political Prisoners! Persist in the Struggle for Justice, Human Rights, Social Progress, Peace and Freedom!

(Statement of NDFP Peace Consultants and Other Political Prisoners Detained in Camp Bagong Diwa on the International Day of Solidarity for Political Prisoners, December 3, 2015)

On the occason of the International Day of Solidarity for Political Prisoners, we, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultants and other political prisoners detained in Camp Bagong Diwa, express our warmest solidarity with all political prisoners in the country and the world, with whom we raise high our urgent calls for justice, human rights, political and socio-economic reforms, peace and freedom.

We thank the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) for its significant role in designating this particular day of solidarity for political prisoners of all nations, expressing concern for the dire conditions of political prisoners, and vigorously supporting the struggle of political prisoners.

Here in the Philippines, despite the denial of the ruling regime that there are political prisoners in the country, the contrary fact is that there are more than 500 Filipino political prisoners, who have long been suffering inhumane and fascist conditions; trumped-up criminalized charges to hide the political nature of our struggles; very slow and hardly moving crawl of justice; and overly prolonged foul and unjust detention.

Unjust imprisonment, fascist repression and other antagonistic acts have not at all subdued and silenced us, political prisoners. On the contrary, such have even pushed us to further press our calls and struggles, resist repressive treatment, survive our sufferings, and win victories — within as well as beyond prison bars.

A big number — more than 17 — of us, political prisoners at present, are also NDFP peace consultants and staff workers, who, according to a long-standing Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) between the NDFP and the ruling state, are supposed to be protected from surveillance, arrest, imprisonment, torture and other human rights violations, trumped-up court charges, and other acts that would deter our effective participation and work in the peace process.

Other standing peace agreements between the NDFP and the ruling state, such as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), are supposed to protect the people, including activists, fighters for change, and political prisoners from violations of their human rights.

Yet reactionary ruling regimes, in succession, have grossly been violating those agreements and, up to the present regime, have been refusing to rectify their gross violations of those agreements, and release the foully detained NDFP Peace Consultants and other political prisoners in the country.

We, detained NDFP Peace Consultants and other political prisoners, who have long been made to suffer as victims of violations of our rights and those of the people, reiterate our still-urgent, long-standing demand for the respect of our rights and freedom, and those of our suffering exploited and oppressed people, including our human rights, our rights against repression and suppression, and our rights and freedom to pursue long-sought for socio-economic and political changes for the better, and relatedly for a just and lasting peace, in the interest of the mass of our people and society.

NDFP Peace Consultants
NDFP Consultants in Camp Bagong Diwa:

Adelberto Silva
Alan Jazmines
Ernesto Lorenzo
Eduardo Serrano
Tirso Alcantara
Ruben Saluta
Loida Magpatoc
and other political prisoners detained in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City