THE MILITANT Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) has expressed
alarm over President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's marching orders to
stage a crackdown against so-called "front organizations"
and "militant cells" of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New
People's Army (CPP-NPA) operating in Metro Manila and other urban
centers.
"Ms Macapagal and the fascist military had capitalized Kintanar's
assassination to stage a crackdown against legal organizations and
communities. The President's move is in direct contrast with her so-called
reactivation of the peace process," said KMP chair Rafael Mariano.
"This will also be used to fast-track the approval of fascist
measures like the national ID system and the so-called anti-terrorism
bills pending in both houses of Congress," he added.
Presidential spokesperson Ignacio Bunye said the government crackdown
would extend to CPP-NPA "front organizations" and "militant
cells" in Metro Manila and other urban centers.
"The President has directed the AFP and the PNP to conduct intelligence
saturation drives to flush out underground cells and expose front
organizations that are according to them political and material support
sanctuary," Bunye said.
But Mariano called on the Filipino people not to be cowed by the
President's directive and instead intensify the struggle against the
fascist regime.
He warned that, "even one of the world's notorious dictators
like Marcos, who tortured and killed thousands of Filipinos, totally
failed to suppress the people's struggle, even at its early development."
"Ms Macapagal's orders do not have any difference with Marcos'
martial law. Instead of being afraid, the Filipino people has (sic)
fought and intensified the struggle," he stressed.
"The people's struggle is advancing on all fronts; the President
will surely suffer the same fate that Marcos went through," Mariano
chided.
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