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[av_heading heading=’LETTER TO THE EDITOR’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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IT IS WITH rage that we greet the approval to extend the declaration of martial law in Mindanao for another one year, up to Dec. 31, 2018. With 240 votes in the affirmative versus 27 in the negative, both Houses of Congress have effectively exposed themselves as rubber stamps of President Duterte’s militarist policy, especially for as long as it serves their interests.
An extended period of military powers on steroids will give leeway for another period of abuses, violations, detentions, evacuations, and other invasions of human rights especially in Lumad and Moro communities. All of these no thanks to the Armed Forces of the Philippines operatives under the US imperialist command, as it hacks through the increasingly unstable Duterte regime, desperate to regain control of the Philippine and economic landscape.
It is becoming more apparent that the “counter-terrorism” bogey is merely a pretext for a nationwide all-out offensive against the people, that has long been floating around their heads.
Even the AFP’s head honchos have admitted that the real purpose of martial law is to target New People’s Army rebels (NPA) and other most wanted targets.
Quite contrary to such a purpose, martial law in Mindanao has been wielded against the civil rights of Moro civilians in Marawi, Lumad communities in Surigao del Sur, and other unsuspecting civilians, on the mere accusation of being Maute members or NPA rebels. It has only resulted in hourly airstrikes, hordes of forced evacuations and harrassments and killings by trigger-happy state forces.
Interestingly, even business elites, political enemies, and imperialists are starting to show support for martial law.
Apart from the increased intervention of the US-AFP, it seems that business and other players such as China are eyeing their investments in infrastructure and other projects in the war-torn area. Even the Liberal Party through Vice President Leni Robredo has expressed their support.
Their persistence to heighten martial rule is but a sign of the increasing instability of the system, and a desperate attempt at reconsolidating the state in the ruling class’ bid for control and super-profit.
What the government seems to not realize, however, is that martial law, on the other hand, will only amplify the resistance of the people and their cries for social change. Last time there was martial law for 20 years, the people’s movement was never silenced, but instead only grew by hundredfolds.
The Duterte administration must immediately lift the madness called martial law lest things get worse, and resume peace talks which he withdrew from. This craziness called martial law must stop! Should the Duterte regime persist, expect the same or greater to happen. The all-out war against the Moros and the Filipino people will only strengthen their unity and their call for real change against the rotten system.
The heightened offensive of the state will not quell but will only further incite the resistance of the Moro and Lumad and other peoples. Crisis generates resistance. For as long as the state is stubborn on answering the root causes of poverty and crisis, the Moro, Lumad and other minorities will continue their struggle for self-determination. The people, thus, will continue to march for their aspiration for a just and peaceful society, a struggle that cannot be achieved by full-blown military rule. – KABATAAN PARTYLIST
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