plan Bayanihan：Antipeople program of the Aquino regime

Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG English Edition Special Issue March 5, 2011 www.philippinerevolution.net O plan Bayanihan (OPB) is the newest Inter- nal Security Operation (ISO) plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It was issued in January 2011 after approval by Be- nigno Aquino III, the AFP's commander-in-chief and leader of the puppet Philippine government. The AFP will be implementing OPB from 2011 to 2016, with the objective of crushing all armed threats to the state in the first half of the pro- gram (2011-2013). OPB, in essence, is a continuation of the failed Oplan Bantay Laya (OBL) and other past ISO. Like them, OPB aims to defeat the armed re- sistance and mass struggles of the Filipino peo- ple. In accordance with Aquino's marching or- ders, the AFP has declared as its objective the decimation of the New People's Army in three years, which constitutes the first half of OPB's term. To defeat the armed resistance and mass struggles, the AFP is un- dertaking a brutal suppression campaign under OPB. As in the past, its target is not only the NPA but more so, the unarmed people and their democratic, progressive and revolution- ary organizations and movements. To obscure OPB's bru- tality, the AFP simultane- ously undertakes massive psy- war, political gimmickry and disinformation. OPB ostensibly ad- vocates the “whole- of-nation” and “people-centered” approaches. Under OPB's guidance, AFP spokespersons now mouth the catchphrases “respect for human rights” and “winning the peace” in order to de- ceive the people and cover up their brutality. The AFP derived these concepts from the US Counterinsurgency Guide. 1. What is OPB's content? What are its objec- tives? OPB’s main objective is to crush the people's armed resistance and defend the stability of the ruling state. In particular, OPB aims to use armed repression to defeat the NPA and utilize the peace talks with the NDFP to suppress it and effect its surrender. Winning the peace. OPB emphasizes the use of the word “peace” to distance itself from past ISO. In fact, OPB has been dubbed by the AFP as an “Internal Peace and Security Program.” To deflect attention from the brutal war it is waging, the AFP projects OPB's objec- tive as “winning the peace” and claims that this in itself shows that its ap- proach is a digression from the old dom- inantly militarist solution. Whole-of-nation approach. It stresses the “whole-of-nation” approach where the AFP aims to mobilize the various agencies of government, NGOs and “civil society” organizations for counterrevolu- tionary purposes and create the illusion that government is resolving socio-economic is- sues by launching token programs. The AFP thus arrogates unto itself the civilian government's role of directing these agencies. Respect for hu- man rights. The Primer: Oplan Bayanihan: Antipeople program of the Aquino regime Information Bureau Communist Party of the Philippines 2 ANG BAYAN March 5, 2011 AFP keeps on prating about “respect for human rights” but only for the purpose of chang- ing what it claims to be a mere perception that soldiers are in- volved in human rights viola- tions. To do this, the AFP stands ready to undertake showcase programs such as set- ting up human rights offices, in addition to other gimmicks. Strategic concepts. OPB has four strategic concepts for the achievement of its objectives. These are to “contribute to the permanent and peaceful closure of all armed conflict,” “conduct focused military operations,” “support community-based peace and development efforts” and “carry out security sector reform.” Nonetheless, the AFP has not set aside its main emphasis on waging a brutal war of sup- pression. According to the OPB, “the military's main role is to address the armed capability of groups who threaten the secu- rity and safety of the state.” At the same time, it declares that “there shall be no diminution in the importance of combat military operations in address- ing the challenges posed by armed threat groups....” According to 3rd ID com- mander Maj. Gen. Vicente Por- to, “The AFP may enhance its civil-miltary work under its new six-year campaign plan, but will not lessen military operations against armed groups. The intensity of com- bat operations will continue.” 2. How will OPB address the armed revolutionary move- ment? In accordance with OPB, the AFP will be using the fol- lowing methods to fight the armed revolutionary move- ment: (a) combat operations against the New People's Army; (b) operations against the mass base of the revolu- tionary movement; and (c) dis- information and psywar opera- tions and mobilization of so- called stakeholders or sectors presumed to be interested in the defeat of the revolutionary movement. Combat operations. Said the OPB: “The AFP shall continue using legitimate force and con- ducting combat operations with even greater vigor but only against armed insurgents. Mili- tary combat operations shall be deliberate, accurate and pre- cise.... Intensfied and relent- less pursuit of the NPA is in- tended to exhaust their armed capabilities and diminish their will to fight.” OPB continues to rely on the AFP's conduct of Triad Opera- tions characterized by the si- multaneous waging of combat, intelligence and civil-miltary operations (CMO). In conduct- ing combat operations, the AFP will continue to utilize and de- velop the counterguerrilla methods of operation it has used these past years. (See AB's special issue dated June 11, 2010 on Oplan Bantay Laya) The AFP is targeting the en- hancement of its maneuverabil- ity, firepower, communications and intelligence capability. Operations against the mass base. Under OPB, the old spe- cial operations teams (SOT) or Reengineered SOT (RSOT) will be renamed Community Peace and Development Teams (CPDT). The change in name is geared towards banishing from the people's minds the bloody record of such operations in the past ten years. Nonethe- less, there has been no essen- tial change in the tasks of the CPDT compared to those of the RSOT. Disinformation operations to divide the people. OPB empha- sizes the mobilization of so- called stakeholders. Through disinformation and psywar, the AFP wants to isolate the revo- lutionary forces and project OPB as a war waged by the en- tire country against the revolu- tionary movement. The pretense of advocating human rights is designed to deodorize its image before the people, since according to the AFP, it is “the continued per- ception of human rights viola- tions allegedly committed by military personnel” that is the “greatest hindrance” to “stronger civilian-military co- operation.” The AFP has been giving allout attention to influencing the mass media. It has assem- bled a huge number of spokespersons and scrambles to make its presence felt in the media whenever an inci- dent involving its soldiers arises in order to influence news development in its fa- vor. In accordance with OPB, the AFP will be stepping up its psywar operations in schools to distance the youth from the revolution. Within and outside campus- es, the AFP launches fora that it uses to spread lies against the revolutionary movement. It maligns even progressive mass organiza- tions, insinuating links with the armed movement. 3ANG BAYAN March 5, 2011 Under OPB, the AFP has ar- rogated unto itself the role of leading cooperative efforts among various government agencies and NGOs for psywar purposes. The AFP will be uti- lizing the “Peace and Order Councils” to organize govern- ment activities and projects to deliver services to the people and gloss over the fundamental socio-economic problems of the masses such as landlessness which lie at the roots of their poverty and suffering. 3. What is COPD? Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) is what OPB calls AFP military operations focused mainly on unarmed people suspected of constituting the mass base of the revolutionary movement. COPD operations closely com- bine psywar tactics and repres- sion. Under OPB, the old SOT or RSOT is transformed into Com- munity Peace and Development Teams (CPDT). Through this new monicker, the AFP wants to project COPD as distinct from RSOT operations which had ac- quired notoriety for their bru- tality under OBL. The AFP describes COPD op- erations as “winning the peo- ple's hearts and minds.” It will try to use the “soft” approach in dealing with the masses in order to win their minds, de- flect attention from their fun- damental problems and crush their determination to fight and wage revolution. Another objective is to camouflage what in essence is its “hard” ap- proach of silencing and sup- pressing the masses and their resistance. The “soft” approach will be used to project the military as a force “not only for war” but one that “delivers services to the people.” Public relations gimmicks will be launched such What is the US Counterinsurgency Guide? The US Counterinsurgency Guide is a document issued by theUS State Department in January 2009. It lays down the for- mula for a so-called new “counterinsurgency” doctrine that in- volves none other than launching massive psywar operations alongside brutal armed suppression. In accordance with this document, US imperialism will be directly involved in the “counterinsurgency” campaigns of various countries, depend- ing on the level of intervention necessary. Emphasis on “politics”. The US Counterinsurgency Guide states that the key to fighing armed revolutions is “politics.” In particular, it wants the ruling political system to be credi- ble and acceptable to the people ostensibly to win them back to the folds of government and away from supporting revolu- tions. Thus, Benigno Aquino III's ascension to power is favor- able to the US design because he has been projected as an ad- vocate of change. For the US Counterinsurgency Guide, the acceptability of the ruling political system is extremely important in order to render the armed annihilation of the revolutionary forces ac- ceptable to the people. As in the past, it is the violent sup- pression of the people's revolutionary armed resistance that is at the core of the US' counterrevolutionary strategy. US war, US guidance. The US has constantly guided the drafting of internal security operations (ISO). US military ad- visers serve as mentors and guides of the AFP in coming up with ISO. In the past, the AFP used the US' “anti-terrorism” doctrine in drafting Oplan Bantay Laya. Oplan Bayanihan, on the other hand, was drafted in accordance with the US Coun- terinsurgency Guide. The AFP's war is actually the US war to suppress anti-imperialist forces in the country. The US is the main supplier of weapons and war materiel to the AFP through the US Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defense Articles. US imperialism has expanded and strengthened military assis- tance to the Aquino government and the AFP in the form of modern weapons and equipment and intelligence and combat training. ~ as “medical mssions” in part- nership with the Department of Health, “livelihood projects” including the Conditional Cash Transfer program (or Sagip Pamilyang Pilipino) of the De- partment of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), literacy programs in partnership with the Department of Education as well as other “peace and devel- opment outreach programs.” It will be using civic organiza- tions such as the Rotary Club of the Philippines and reformist organizaions like Akbayan for this purpose. It will also be launching psywar gimmicks such as “sur- renders” and “balik-baril” (re- turn of firearms) programs. It will sow black propaganda against the revolutionary movement and spread intrigues among the masses to destroy their unity. The “soft” approach will lose effect once it is conducted 4 ANG BAYAN March 5, 2011 alongside the “hard” approach. Launching armed operations in villages suspected of being part of the revolutionary move- ment's mass base sows fear among the people and aims to reestablish the authority of the reactionary state. This “hard” approach involves outright vio- lence and suppression of the people's fundamental human and civil rights. Following are some examples: a) Forcing people to sign documents stating that they have returned to the fold of the government. This is usually done after villagers are coerced into attending mass meetings. b) “Inviting” suspected mass leaders or supporters of the revolutionary movement to go to military camps or head- quarters to undergo interroga- tion that is often accompanied by torture. Anyone who de- clines the “invitation” is auto- matically branded a “rebel” or “enemy” by the military. c) Witchhunting or identi- fying members and sympathiz- ers of the revolutionary move- ment. This is done through the conduct of a census. Another tactic is to control the villagers' movements. In its severest form, this involves setting up checkpoints in the barrio where the names of everyone who comes in or goes out is listed, along with their purpose and length of their stay. The amount of food and supplies being bought per family is like- wise monitored. d) Activists, mass leaders or sympathizers of the revolution- ary movement who have been identified are targeted for in- timidation, pressure, beatings, interrogation and torture, in- carceration or execution. If the people are not de- ceived by the military's gim- mickry, their courage will shine through and they will continue to stand up to assert their ba- sic demands for genuine land reform and other fundamental democratic changes. We can ex- pect the AFP to eventually dis- card its put-on benign image, reveal its true violent nature and use force to suppress the people's resistance. 4. How is OPB related to the peace talks? For the AFP and OPB, the peace talks are an instrument for pacification and surrender. In accordance with OPB, the AFP must intensify its military operations to thoroughly weak- en and render the NPA inconse- quential in order to show the revolutionary forces the “futili- ty” of armed struggle and thereby “convince” them to just engage in peace negotiations with the ruling state. While the regime engages in peace talks, the AFP views its role as that of “ensuring that the entity the government is talking to will not use violence or the threat of violence as an advantage in negotiating.” The AFP does not view the peace talks as an opportunity to resolve the political, social and economic issues that are at the roots of the civil war in the Philippines. In the AFP's eyes, the revolutionary forces must first lay down their arms before negotiating with the government. As far as the AFP is con- cerned, if the NPA does not s i l ence its arms, there is no sense in negotiating. Such is the AFP's narrow definition of “peace”: the de- feat of the people's resistance in order to achieve stability for the ruling state. OPB turns a blind eye to the reasons why there is no peace and why people's war continues to rage in the country. For the AFP, “there is no direct causal link between low economic sta- tus and armed conflict.” OPB reduces the reasons behind the civil war in the Philippines to mere “perceptions of relative deprivation.” The widespread problem of landlessness is merely considered a “local problem” that is being “exploit- ed” by groups fighting the gov- ernment. OPB turns a blind eye to the fact that the people's armed re- sistance currently raging is deeply rooted in problems wrought by the existence of the ruling semicolonial and semi- feudal system: landlessness among the majority of the peasantry, massive unemploy- ment, poverty and hunger, a backward and non-industrial- ized economy, lack of genuine democracy and severe oppres- sion. Thus, it is OPB's objective to change the people's perception in the belief that this will cause their armed revolutionary resistance to subside even without funda- m e n t a l changes in their poverty- stricken, op- pressed and sub- jugated state. This is the “peace” being peddled by OPB. 5. Will OPB succeed in its objec- tives? Like previous internal security plans of the AFP, Oplan Bayanihan will also fail to defeat the armed resistance and mass struggles of the Fil- ANG BAYAN March 5, 2011 5 sis-ridden. Oplan Bayanihan will fail to suppress mass srruggles and the armed revolution. OPB will not be able to stand in the way of the people's desire to smash and replace the ruling system. Their revolutionary struggle is rapidly advancing. 6. What are our tasks in fighting OPB? The Filipino people and their revolutionary forces must resist and thwart Oplan Bayani- han. They must muster their courage and forge their unity to take allout action and fight OPB. We must raise the people's consciousness to prevent them from being deceived by OPB. Courses must be developed about OPB. We must assiduous- ly monitor and expose the workings of OPB and mobilize the masses in order to convey cases of deception and fascism nationwide. We must thorough- ly defend human rights. Mass struggles and other mass ac- tions must be launched to re- sist the AFP's brutality and fas- cism. We must expose every single case of deception, brutality and human rights violation by the AFP and let the cries of justice reverberate throughout the land. We must go allout in ad- vancing mass struggles to fight for genuine land reform and the people's other democratic de- mands, and for social justice and national liberation. We must closely link these to the calls for a just and lasting peace. Demands for fundamen- tal change must be actively ad- vanced in the peace talks. We must intensify armed struggle, thwart military opera- tions and thoroghly advance people's war. We must rapidly expand and strengthen the NPA, the mass organizations and the Party. ~ ipino people. The Aquino regime persists in implementing its antipeople and pro-imperialist programs and shows no intention of re- solving the fundamental prob- lems of the people. Instead, in perpetuating and defending the policies of privatization, liberalization, deregulation and denationalization, it continues to exacerbate the people's poverty and suffering. This merely pushes the people to tread the path of revolutionary struggle. OPB will not succeed in de- ceiving the people. The people themselves will see the differ- ence between rhetoric and ac- tual deeds. OPB will fail even as it brutalizes the people. The people's determination to stand up and fight will intensify as the AFP steps up its atrocities. The people will never sup- port OPB because it advances the interests of their oppres- sors. The system beng defended by OPB is the system that in- flicts suffering on the people. It is corrupt, moribund and cri- Defending human rights: The AFP's hollow slogan The AFP will fail to live up to the OPB slogan of respect forhuman rights. The violent suppression of civil and political rights is intrinsic to the conduct of reactionary wars. OPB is focused on defeating the armed resistance and mass struggles of the Filipino people in order to defend the ruling system. Violence is the AFP's main instrument in sup- pressing the people's cry for social justice, genuine democra- cy and national liberation and defending the interests of big foreign companies and their cohorts in the local exploiting classes. The AFP's human rights catchphrase and gimmickry are de- void of substance. Its much-vaunted “human rights offices” and the “human rights manual” that would supposedly guide its fascist soldiers will all come to nought. Despite its bloody record in the past ten years, the AFP has consistently denied that it is a violator of human rights, claiming that this is merely a public perception. Thus, it