By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — “Nalawag iti amin a kayat ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal Arroyo nga agtalinaed iti turay uray malpas ti termino na kalpasan ti June 30, 2010 (It is clear to all that President Arroyo wants to remain in power even after her term on June 30, 2010),” said Cordillera People’s Democratic Front (CPDF) Simon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan.

“Ka Filiw” sent media including Nordis a video interview of the CPDF’s position on the elections of 2010.

On the failure of elections
According to Naogsan, all remedies and scenarios are being prepared by the regime like failure of elections and the declaration of martial law. Another way is to let Arroyo win a congressional seat and together with her allies in the House of Congress control it and declare her Speaker of the House. That way, he added, they will be able to change the Philippine Constitution and succeed in making Arroyo the prime minister.

Naogsan said there are many possibilities for a failure of elections. One is the failure of the first automated election in the Philippines because of the power outages not only in Mindanao but in the whole country. This, according to him, will pave the way of the probable sabotage of the automation process.

The declaration of martial law is also a probability as the president had succesfully done it before. The CPDF spokesperson cited the declaration of martial law in the case of Maguindanao after the infamous Ampatuan massacre where 58 people including 32 journalists were slaughtered.

After more than a week after the massacre, Arroyo through proclamation 1959 placed the whole of Maguindanao province under a state of martial law. Before the declaration, hundreds of government troops were deployed in Maguindanao. Later, armories allegedly belonging to the Ampatuan clan were raided where powerful firearms and a mmunitions were confiscated. Around 198 suspects were arrested by government forces most of them police men and goons of the private army of the Ampatuans.

The CPDF spokesperson said, “Ken daytoy panangipuesto ni Arroyo kada (Gen. Delfin) Bangit iti Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ken dadduma pay a sensitibo a posisyon ket makitkita a panangisagana iti deklarasyon iti martial law,” (The appointment of Bangit in the AFP by Arroyo and other sensitive positions can be seen as a preparation to delaring martial law),” said Naogsan.

“If this happens, the reaction of the Filipino people will be militant and widespread protests.” Naogsan added that it cannot be denied that the Filipino people are long fed-up with the administration’s inaction on the basic problems and demands of the people.

“Nu kasano met ti panagbuya ti rebolusyonaryo a tignayan, awan ti ilusyon ti rebolusyonaryo a tignayan a daytoy a maiyaramid nga eleksiyon 2010 ket isu ti mangited ti nawadwad a panagbalbaliw ti kagimongan,” ( From the point of view of the revolutionary movement, it has no illusion that this 2010 elections will bring a big change in society), Naogsan said. He said the option of the revolutionary movement is how to continue to arouse, mobilize and organize the people while solidifying their ranks and intensifying the tactical offensives by the New People’s Army (NPA).

On the permit to campaign fee
On the issue of the Permit to Campaign Fee (PTC), Naogsan explained that there are two existing governments in the Philippines. One, he said, is the reactionary government ruled by the elite and the other is the revolutionary government that can be found in any part of the country that has reached different stages of governance.

According to Naogsan, all of the candidates as well as businessmen upon entering the territories of the revolutionary government should respect the integrity of the said government. “Kadagitoy kandidato a sumsumrek, katkatungtong dagiti puwersa ti rebolusyonaryo a gobyerno iti panggep a kuma ket awan ti agar-aramid iti ranggas ken ikkan ti patas ken nalinis a panagkampanya kadagiti luglugar,” (To candidates who enter our territories, the forces of the revolutionary government talk with them so no one will use violence and they should give equal opportunity and conduct a clean campaign in these places), he said.

On the “hit list”
Naogsan denied the allegations of the military that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA) has an alleged hit list. He said that they believe in due process and they have their own way of revolutionary justice. He said that before a person will be punished, he should first undergo a series of investigations and hearings and will be given the right to defend himself in the people’s court.

Ka Filiw said it is the AFP and the Philippine National Police instead who have hit lists of the people they plan to neutralize. He said victims like Pepe Manegdeg and Romy Sanchez among others and James Balao who was abducted more than a year ago were included in the AFP and PNP hit list.

Naogsan further said, “Option dagiti mangiyem-implementar a yunit ti NPA kadagitoy warrant of arrest kadagiti napatawan iti pannusa ti people’s court nu itatta a panawen ti panagkampanya nga ited wenno iyemplementar dagitoy iti dadduma a panawen. Basta ti kangrunaan nga ikonkonsidera da ket nu anya ti kasayaatan a maipaay iti interes ti rebolusyon ken umili.” ( It is the option of the implementing units of the NPA to serve or implement the warrants of arrest to those who are tried by the people’s court whether in the present campaign period or some other time as long as they put into consideration what is best for the revolution and the people.) # nordis.net