Leftists say Miriam’s conspiracy theory on bolder martial law is 80 percent correct

By TC Concepcion and Gerry Albert Corpuz

Manila, Philippines-Leftwing activists belonging to the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday said the conspiracy theory invoked by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on an alleged plot to bring about a “bolder Martial Law” beyond the province of Maguindanao is 80 percent correct.

According to Sen. Santiago, the four suspects behind the purported plot for bolder Martial Law were the powerful Ampatuan clan believed to be responsible for the Nov.23 massacre of 57 persons, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a cabal supported by a group of military officials including defense and interior secretaries and a new Reformed the Armed Forces Movement that mounted a series of coup attempts against the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino.

“The missing link is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who constitutes the other 20 percent of the equation. The four layers of suspects identified by Senator Santiago represent the majority 80 percent of the Martial Law equation. The new RAM however will represent a segment of the reactionary AFP allied with or pampered by the Arroyo government,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

But Hicap lauded Santiago for coming out with a brave statement and courageous analysis despite removing President Arroyo from the Martial Law equation. “We will give Senator Santiago the well deserved credit for rising above the occasion to tell the Filipino people that this Martial Law animal in Maguindanao is not meant to give justice to victims of the Ampatuan massacre but to use the victims’ names to justify the imposition of military dictatorship,” added Hicap.

The Pamalakaya leader agreed with Santiago the objective of the alleged conspiracy was to seize power and preempt the holding of national elections next year.

“The installation of a military junta to spoil the 2010 general elections and the across-the-nation declaration of Martial Law is the principal objective of the ruling political syndicate in Malacanang. President Arroyo and her most trusted national security operator—Defense secretary Norberto Gonzalez have been obsessed with this scenario since the discovery of the Hello Garci tapes in 2005,” said Hicap.

Pamalakaya said it was convinced the Ampatuan massacre was the brainchild of top national security officials of the Macapagal-Arroyo government to justify the imposition of Martial Law in Maguindanao province, and that the succeeding events in Maguindanao including the ambush of military convoy and the hostage taking in Basilan and Agusan del Sur were part of the game plan to convince the public that it was time to impose Martial Law not only in Mindanao but in the entire country.

Pamalakaya believed the powerful Ampatuan clan was coaxed and motivated by national security operators of Malacanang to commit the mass murder of people to stop the rival clan from pursuing their bid to wrest the control of political power in the province, justify the imposition of Martial Law and spoil the holding of elections in 2010.

“In committing the carnage to justify the declaration of Proclamation 1959 and the failure of elections in Maguindanao, the biggest winners here are President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Ampatuans who shared the same vision of keeping their posts by all means,” it said.

“This regime led by Ms Arroyo is very much obsessed with the declaration of Martial Law. The current terrorist Manila government has been plotting Martial Law since it assumed the presidency and its rallying call is to do whatever it can do to justify martial rule. The Ampatuan massacre is part of the game plan for Martial Law,” Pamalakaya added.

“Secretary Gonzalez, the silent operator of the terrorist and national security obsessed regime has been pushing for the declaration of Martial Law in the name of President Arroyo’s political survival. Perhaps, by creating intrigues, hatred and war between the rival clans in Maguindanao, the government could achieve its objective, which is the declaration of Martial Law that could be expanded in other provinces and Philippine territories the soonest time possible ahead of the May 2010 elections,” the group explained. #

Militants slam promotion of 3 Army officers linked to Jonas abduction

Extremely horrible, says Pamalakaya
Militants slam promotion of 3 Army officers linked to Jonas abduction

“Extremely horrible”

This was the immediate reaction of the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) after learning yesterday that the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines promoted three Army officers linked to the enforced abduction of activist Jonas Burgos in Bulacan province.

“We were outraged by this latest political escapade of the defense and military officials. The partners in crime of the national security syndicate in Malacañang and retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan got their promotions for terrorizing activists, critics and the people in the communities opposed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s republic of election fraud, state terror and super corruption,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

“Where is justice here? The three stooges of Palparan—Lt. Cols. Edison Caga, Melquiades Feliciano and Noel Clement were also accused and guilty of terrorizing the coastal and farming communities all over Bulacan province were given military promotions for performing their roles to the hilt as implementers of state-sanctioned terror,” the Pamalakaya leader added.

The three promoted Army officers, according to Pamalakaya, were the point persons of Palparan in orchestrating campaigns in coastal communities accusing the militant fisherfolk group of extorting P 50,000 monthly from fishpond owners, recruiting coastal people to join the New People’s Army and sowing terror among the people in coastal areas.

“Caga, Feliciano and Clement were oriented and trained in the tradition of Palparan. Their mindset were boxed in the political context of the counter-insurgency campaign known as Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and Oplan Bantay Laya 2 and their military mission for the government is to carry out extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances against political activists, critics and opponents of the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the military establishment,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap asserted.

Pamalakaya warned members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on the serious implications that will arise from the confirmation of the three Army officers implicated in the abduction of Burgos and the number of political killings and enforced disappearances in the province over the last five to six years.

“Definitely there would be a major backlash if the CA will confirm the appointments of these killers, abductors and torturers in military uniform. It will entertain a major political showdown inside the parliament, in the streets and in the court of public opinion. We ask the members of the appointing and approving authority to quash the promotions of these extrajudicial killers and political kidnapping animals,” the militant group said.

Likewise leaders of Pamalakaya took turns in berating Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos for defending the promotions of three Army officers.

“The promotions of the three stooges of the National Security Council and Palparan will further embolden members of Malacañang’s death squad to commit more political killings and enforced disappearances to clinch promotions from the extrajudicial killing republic of President Arroyo. That’s the objective and logical conclusion of this horrible act,” said Pamalakaya. #