Fight for free and safe Covid-19 vaccines - Ang Bayan
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Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas
ANG Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo
English Edition
Vol. LII No. 2
January 21, 2021
www.cpp.ph
EDITORIAL
Fight for free and safe Covid-19 vaccines
T he grave delay and lack of supply of Covid-19 vaccines is the most re-
cent of an apparent endless failures, neglect and corruption of the
Duterte regime in facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has been a month since mass part of the deals. Local govern-
ted, who recently announced that a
contract with the Chinese Sinovac
company has been sealed, even if
the price and efficacy of the vaccine
is not yet clear. Duterte and his of-
vaccination started in various parts ments without funds are sure to be ficials are believed to have pocketed
of the world, but the Duterte re- last to get vaccines. large amounts of kickbacks. Sinovac
gime has yet to take steps to ensure Planned vaccine purchases are is globally known for bribing
that a large part of the Philippine grossly insufficient. A mere 42 mil- government officials.
population is protected from Covid- lion is said to have been contracted According to Duterte's officials,
19. by the national government (Sino- the earliest vaccines will arrive by
In fact, the Duterte government vac), and by LGUs and private com- the end of February. But even be-
has no plans to lead a mass vaccin- panies (AstraZeneca). Even if all fore this, people close to Duterte,
ation program. In its 2021 budget, these are distributed, only 21 mil- including his personal soldier
it alloted a mere 2.7% of the estim- lion or 19% of the 110 Filipinos will guards, have already been inocu-
ated ₱72 billion needed to vaccinate be covered, far from the recom- lated, to the displeasure of health
60% of the population. The rest will mended 60%. Several million vac- workers who were supposed to be
be borrowed from the World Bank cines are also set to be sold by first in line. It has been reported
and the Asian Development Bank. Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer. that Chinese vaccines have already
It is also now requiring big cap- Vaccine purchases stink with been smuggled in to vaccinate
italists to "donate" half of the vac- corruption. As early as September, 100,000 Chinese POGO workers.
cines they will purchase. Duterte Duterte had expressly favored buy- In the Philippines and the entire
declared that he does not care if ing vaccines from China and Russia. world, monopoly capitalist control
local government units buy vaccines Secret negotiations have been going of vaccine development is now be-
on their own from pharmaceutical on for months. Duterte's officials ing put to focus. Vaccines are de-
companies, but obliges them to were securing deals for themselves veloped and manufactured not for
have the national government be until a "vaccine czar" was appoin- the benefit of humanity but forprofits. The Covid-19 is being ex- vaccines or other important medi- Iran and others have developed
ploited by giant pharmaceutical cine, except paracetamol. Under their own vaccines and are set on
companies who are now racing to Duterte, funding for research has distributing these for free.
control the market. Instead of co- further been cut. Thus, when it The Party encourages all Filipi-
operation, there is secrecy and comes to Covid-19 vaccines, the nos to have themselves vaccinated
competition between these com- monopoly capitalists and foreign against Covid-19. This is for the
panies. They keep their vaccine re- governments hold Filipinos by the health of every individual and the
searches and knowledge under neck. They are in partnership with whole society. Widespread vaccin-
wraps. Negotiations for sales are local big capitalists and in conniv- ation of the population is one of the
also done secretly to sell these at ance with the bureaucrat capitalist key measures to stop the spread of
the highest price. government. the Covid-19. At the same time, the
The Philippines has no capacity In the face of the Covid-19 decision of individuals not to have
to develop or manufacture its own pandemic that has infected half a themselves vaccinated for their be-
million Filipinos, and more liefs must be respected.
than 95 million people glob- All revolutionary forces must
ally, and caused the death of carry out efforts to disseminate in-
more than 2 million, various formation to raise the people's
countries are exerting efforts knowledge of vaccines to allay their
to carry out a program for fears and misbeliefs. Help everyone
widespread vaccination. understand the importance of vac-
Capitalist countries such as cines.
the United Kingdom, United People must demand that re-
States, Japan, China, search and development of Covid-
Canada, New Zealand, Aus- 19 vaccines be made public. This is
tralia, Singapore and in order for people to have a firm
others have taken basis for deciding which vaccine
lead. Even less de- they will allow themselves to be in-
veloped countries as jected with.
Cuba, India, Vietnam, The Filipino people must fight
for free Covid-19 vaccination. They
must assert the state's obligation to
ANG Contents ensure that free and safe vaccines
are available to everyone who
Editorial: Fight for freeand safe Covid-19 chooses to be inoculated. Expose
Vol. LII No. 2 | January 21, 2021 and denounce the lack of budget
vaccines! 1
and the corruption of government
Data on vaccines 3
Ang Ang Bayan is published officials in secret negotiations for
in Pilipino, Bisaya, Iloko, Protest vs abbrogation of UP-DND Accord 3 vaccine sales.
Hiligaynon, Waray and English. Economic cha-cha, treasonous maneuver 4 At the same time, they must
Ang Bayan welcomes demand free testing and free
Ambush by NPA-Abra 5
contributions in the form treatment for Covid-19. The people
of articles and news items. NPA sniper AFP helicopter 5 must continue to demand the
Readers are encouraged Recruitment campaign in Bicol 6 strengthening of the public health
to send feedback and system. There must be increased
Vegetable supply shortage 6
recommendations allocations for improving public
for improving our newspaper. Skyrocketing price of pork 7 hospitals, hiring more nurses and
Refusal to turn over cadaver of unionist 8 medical workers and for raising
their salaries.
instagram.com/prwcnewsroom In brief 9
Vaccination is an important as-
@prwc_info Heightened political crisis in the US 10 pect in controlling the spread of in-
fectious diseases. Many diseases
cppinformationbureau@gmail.com
have been eliminated or controlled
through vaccines. This is one of the
important scientific weapons of
Ang Bayan is published fortnightly by the Central Committee
humanity.
of the Communist Party of the Philippines
2 January 21, 2021 ANG BAYANData on vaccines LEGEND:
to be used in the Philippines
Company/Institution Efficacy
Storage Temperature Price
AS OF JANUARY 18, approximately 42.2 billion doses
have been administered in 51 countries with an average
CoronaVac (China)
Sinovac Life Sciences
rate of 2.43 million doses per day. The biggest capitalist
countries have reserved 8.33 billion doses. The Philip- 50.4%-91.25%
pines is among the countries which still have to wait 2-8°C
until next to meet the local demand for vaccines. ₱680-₱1,487.5
Presently, information about the efficacy of these
vaccines is limited. On the one hand, this can be attrib-
uted to the competition and secrecy among monopolistic
pharmaceutical companies. On the other hand, it can
AZD1222 (UK)
also be attributed to the urgency that these vaccines AstraZeneca-University of Oxford
had to be developed at the soonest possible time. In the 70%
past, around three years are spent on researching and 2-8°C
developing vaccines before these are allowed to be used ₱305
by the general public. The Covid-19 vaccines just un-
derwent six months of clinical tests.
The spokesperson of the regime announced on
January 18 that it was already able to secure 25 millions
BNT162b2 (US)
of doses from Sinovac, 17 million doses from As- Pfizer and BioNTech
traZeneca, 10 million from Moderna, and 30 million from 95%
Covovax. It remains unclear where funds for these -70°C
purchases will come from, as well as when these will ₱1,180
arrive in the Philippines.
Latest reports indicate that at least 21 big cities in
the Philippines have expressed their plans to allocate
funds to inoculate their contituents.
mRNA-1273 (US)
Moderna and US National
Institutes of Health
94.1%
Protest against the abrogation 2-8°C
of the UP-DND Accord ₱1,952-₱2,252
MORE THAN 200 individuals converged at the University
of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, Quezon City on January
19 to denounce the unilateral termination of the UP-De- Sputnik V (Russia)
partment of National Defense (DND) accord by DND Sec. Gamaleya Research Institute of
Delfin Lorenzana. The said accord prohibits the entry of Epidemiology and Microbiology
police and military forces in the campus without due per- 92%
mission from university administrators. 2-8°C
The maneuver aims to allow the military to intervene
₱560
in UP which has long drawn the ire of the regime. This
violates academic freedom and shrinks the democratic
space in the campus. Soldiers can now freely roam
around campuses empty of students with the imple- Covovax (US)
mentation of the online learning system. Novavax
In a show of force, the military brazenly entered UP 2-8°C
Diliman the next day. Duterte's minions in congress now ₱183
aim to also abrogate a similar agreement between the
DND and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
To oppose these attacks, students must bravely de-
NOTE: Majority of the prices were based on data by the
fend the universities by holding assemblies in campuses World Health Organization and Center for Disease
to manifest their resistance. Control of the US. Prices vary from what were presented
during the first Senate hearing on vaccines.
ANG BAYAN January 21, 2021 3Economic cha-cha, a treasonous
maneuver amid the pandemic
D uterte's minions in the Senate and Congress are once again attempting
to railroad the charter change (cha-cha) scheme which seeks to change
the 1987 Constitution at the start of 2021.
nomic provisions of the constitu-
tion. In December 2020, two of his
henchmen senators have already
filed a resolution for Congress to
In the Lower House, the com- individuals in order to stimulate the convene as a constituent assembly
mittee on constitutional amend- economy. to introduce "limited ammend-
ments has started discussing the Foreign capitalists aim to accu- ments."
Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 on mulate superprofit in the Philippines The Party denounced the push
January 13 on the instigation of and not to develop the economy. for economic cha-cha. It said that
House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. According to the Ibon Foundation, economic-only cha-cha does not
Velasco is the author of the said the inflow of foreign capital since make cha-cha less evil than previ-
proposal known as the "one-line the 1980s is uninterrupted and ous ones which mainly focused on
cha-cha." This pertains to the inclu- continues to increase despite con- political ammendments. It pointed
sion of the phrase "unless otherwise stitutional restrictions. From an av- out that its declared aim of giving
provided by law” in various sections erage of inflow of $187 million in foreign capitalists the right to fully
of the constitution which limits for- the 1980s, it has increased to $6.3 own land, natural resources and
eign ownership of land, natural re- billion in 2015-2019. business operations is equivalent to
sources, public utilities, educational Foreign companies have only complete economic subjugation.
institutions, media and advertising. depleted the country's resources House Speaker Velasco and his co-
Should this be implemented, Con- and benefited from the cheap labor horts are acting as traitors in
gress may change or remove the of Filipinos in order to accumulate pushing for the complete coloniza-
said provisions in the law through superprofits. Foreign capital has tion of the Philippines by multina-
legislation. This targets to ammend failed to improve the economy and tional corporations, in connivance
the sections which promote eco- enable it to stand on its own feet. with local big bourgeois comprador
nomic and national patrimony; edu- The pandemic has highlighted the companies.
cation, science and technology, country's inability to manufacture Not one regime has not at-
arts, culture and sports; as well as basic medical needs. Filipinos and temped to ammend the 1987 consti-
general provisions. It primarily aims workers depend on the supply of tution to completely remove all re-
to fully liberalize the economy in or- equipment and medicines from for- maining protections to the economy.
der to allow 100% foreign ownership eign companies and are left at their Attracting foreign direct investment
of land and essential enterprises mercy. They have no say on how through liberalization has always
which are currently exclusive to these should be priced. They cannot been the centerpiece program of
Filipinos. do anything but wait for these vac- successive bureaucrat capitalist
Velasco asserts that this cha- cines. governments which serve as agents
cha aims to help the economy re- In the Senate, Sen. Vicente of big bourgeois compradors.
cover from the pandemic by attact- Sotto III disclosed that Duterte Duterte's minions last attemp-
racting foreign investment. Studies, talked to him on November 2020 to ted to railroad cha-cha in congress
however, indicate that what the revive the push for charter change in December 2018 through former
country needs is not foreign invest- to kick progressive parties out of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-
ment but adequate allocation to Congress by dismantling the party- Arroyo but has failed to hurdle the
subsidize distressed enterprises and list system, and amend the eco- Senate.
4 January 21, 2021 ANG BAYANNPA-Abra ambushes butcher soldiers
THE NEW PEOPLE'S Army (NPA)-Abra (Agustin Begnalen Command) am-
bushed the abusive and butcher soldiers of the 24th IB and 72nd Division
Reconnaissance Company (DRC) on January 4 in Barangay Pacgued, Malib-
cong, Abra. Nine soldiers were killed, including platoon leader 2Lt. Zaldy D.
Lapis, Jr.
The surprise NPA attack against has relentlessly initimidated and
the soldiers was carried out swiftly. threatened the members and lead-
The said military units have been ers of Kakailian Salakniban Tay
conducting focused operations and Amin a Nagtaudan, local chapter of
occupied the said community for a the Cordillera People's Alliance in
month. The NPA also sniped at a Abra. 17 in Barangay Banquerohan,
helicopter which responded to the Negros. Thirteen soldiers of the Legazpi City. Three soldiers were
scene and which was used to indis- 62nd IB were killed in an ambush by slain.
criminately strafe the area. From the NPA-Central Negros on January Rizal. The NPA-Rizal mounted
January 5 to 7, the military de- 10. Red fighters blasted the soldiers two ambushes against a platoon
ployed a Super Tucano bomber at Sitio Batong-buang, Barangay comprised of elements of the 80th
plane and droped 23 bombs which Trinidad, Guihulngan, Negros Ori- IB and Philippine National Police-
ravaged farmlands and forests. ental. Rizal at Sitio Dapis, Barangay
The 24th IB and 72nd DRC are The 62nd IB operated in the Puray, Rodriguez on January 4. A
notorious for perpetrating fascist community for more than a week. soldier was killed and many others
crimes against Abreños. These in- Ka JB Regalado, spokesman of the were wounded.
clude the strafing of six young fish- said NPA unit, belied the military's Panay. Red fighters launched
erfolk in Barangay Lan-ag, Lacub in claim that another encounter took three armed offensives against
February 2020. The victims survived place in the afternoon of the same state forces in December 2020. Two
the attack but the residents were day. "That was a misencounter ambushes were mounted by the
traumatized. The victims include between 62nd IB and CAFGU," he NPA-Capiz against operating troops
the chairman of the Sangguniang pointed out. The offensive is a of the 12th IB in Barangay Buri,
Kabataan in the barangay. The sol- counteroffensive to the attacks and Tapaz, Capiz on December 9, 2020.
diers made it appear that the vic- suppression campaign of the On December 16, 2020, the NPA-
tims are members of the NPA. On Duterte regime against Negrenses. Iloilo blasted a police mobile in
top of this, the unit is also notorious Albay. The NPA-Albay (Santos Barangay Balicuas, Tubungan,
for theft and ransacking the houses Binamera Command) was able to Iloilo. A soldier was killed and eight
of civilians. seize three short firearms in an am- others were wounded in the said
From 2018 to 2019, the 24th IB bush against the 31st IB on January offensives.
NPA-Mindoro snipes Solcom helicopter
A UNIT OF the New People's Army (NPA)-Mindoro (Lucio de Guzman the AFP crashed at Sitio Nahigit,
Command) sniped at a S70i BlackHawk helicopter of the Armed Forces of the Barangay Bulonay, Impasug-ong,
Philippines (AFP) and prevented it from landing in San Jose, Occidental Bukidnon on January 16. The
Mindoro on January 9. helicopter was sighted six times
conducting reconnaissance and
The helicopter was about to land Jr., were set to facilitate the forced delivering supplies to operating
at Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monte surrender of residents in the area. troopers in the boundaries of
Claro to transport officers of the AFP Parlade was left with no other Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur
Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) choice but to walk to the next barrio and Bukidnon. Due to the incident,
when the incident took place. The said while surrounded by a phalanx of the Departmet of National Defense
officers, which include AFP Solcom soldiers to escape the area. ordered a temporary stop to the use
commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Meanwhile, a Huey (UH-1H) of of Huey helicopters.
ANG BAYAN January 21, 2021 5Recruitment campaign in Bicol Impending vegetable
shortage
T
AMID SKYROCKETING veget-
he dedication of members of the Party branch in Barangay Higos in Bicol
able prices, the Department of
was key to their successful recruitment campaign last year.
Agriculture (DA) has no plans
to improve local production.
To reach the target of contrib- tions, the targets are given a course
The department itself an-
uting at least 10 new recruits, each on the basic military regulations of
nounced that the country may
Party member was tasked to recom- the people's army. They are also
experience a 79-day food
mend individuals whom they recom- educated on the significance of
shortage this year. The veget-
mend to join the people's army, es- serving full-time in the army and
able supply deficit is projected
pecially the youth. In the readiness to be deployed wherever
to reach 434,841 metric tons
recruitment process, they take into it is needed.
(MT), or equivalent to the
consideration the age of their tar- As a result of their endeavor,
consumption requirement of
gets, their organizational member- Baryo Higos was able to produce
Filipinos for two and a half
ship, parental and family back- seven full-time Red fighters last year,
months.
ground, and readiness to join the while several other youth joined part-
Since last year, consumers
people's army. time. "We have another platoon of
have been complaining about
Party cadres tirelessly educated militia which can serve as a source of
high vegetable prices due to
those who expressed their interest new recruits,” added the comrade.
shortages. The prices of ve-
to join. Cadres visited them almost The Pary branch regularly
getables increased by an av-
daily in their houses and simultan- checks on them and boosts their
erage of 60% since November.
eously convinced their families. The morale even after they joined the
Prices of some vegetables
Party branch also help residents in people’s army. The Party branch
more than doubled.
their production activities. Through also attends to the needs of the
Instead of addressing the
these, they are able to educate their families of Red fighters.
local supply deficit, the regime
targets about the root causes of Those who are recruited were
has chosen to prioritize
their daily hardships. "We explain also motivated by the outstanding
boosting the production of ex-
to them that there is no other solu- example of Party branch members.
port crops. It allocated ₱360
tion to the crisis but their united "If we aim to recruit full-time Red
million to the Productivity En-
resistance, and that its armed form fighters, we must also work full-
hancement Project, a program
is the most correct and appropri- time in our barrio. We have learned
which aims to improve the
ate," said Ka Mario, a Party branch to dedicate a time each day to pay
production of cash crops and
member. attention to the problems, interests
agricultural produce such as
Aside from regular educational and needs of the barriofolk," Ka
bananas, bamboos, mangoes
discussions given to mass organiza- Mario concluded.
and onions. The highest
allocation (₱220 million) will
go to banana production. Only
big producers who are re-
gistered with the Security and
Exchange Commission can
avail of this benefit and not
small farmers. On the other
hand, 900,000 distressed
farmers will only receive a
one-time ₱3,000-cash aid and
₱2,000-food aid for the entire
year. This is equivalent to a
measly ₱8/day subsidy.
6 January 21, 2021 ANG BAYANSkyrocketing pork prices
M any Filipinos are alarmed about the continuously increasing prices of
food commodities, especially pork, in Luzon since December 2020. A
recent report by the Department of Agriculture (DA) indicates that the price
200,000 pigs have been delivered to
Luzon from Visayas (Cebu) and
Mindanao (Gen. Santos City) to ad-
of pork belly in Metro Manila is already at ₱380 to ₱420 per kilo, while pork dress the pork shortage in the is-
tenderloin is at ₱320 to ₱380. The aforementioned prices are way higher than land.
the suggested retail prices set at ₱290 and ₱260 a kilo respectively. Instead of boosting local pro-
duction, the DA announced on
The average price of pork may allocated enough funds to aid af- January 8 its plan to just continue
reach ₱400 in the coming weeks fected farmers, especially small with the local importation of pork
with the impending stop of local im- farmers who raise pigs in their from other parts of the country to
portation to Luzon from Visayas. backyards. Luzon. This will not address the
This is almost equivalent to the The DA has only implemented a supply shortage and may even lead
daily minimum wage. program to produce test kits for to price increases in areas where
This has a huge impact on the ASF two years after the onslaught huge volumes are imported.
nation given that pork is the most of the pandemic. It alloted ₱10 mil- Worse, the department is using
consumed typed of meat by Filipi- lion to produce test kits which cost the shortage as pretext to fully lib-
nos. On average, every Filipino con- ₱45 each. It was also only now that eralize not only pork importation,
sumes 15.6 kilos of pork every year, the department has allocated a but also of other meat products
higher than the 14.2-kilo global av- measly ₱400 million budget for the such as chicken and beef. Last year,
erage. Meanwhile, Filipinos also repopulation of hogs. the government has imported 895
consume 12.8 kilos of chicken meat As of now, around 431,000 pigs million kilos of meat products from
and 3.1 kilos of beef. have been killed in the Philippines other countries, mostly (45%)
Due to skyrocketing pork prices, since the ASF pandemic the country chicken. Compared to 2019, the
many Filipinos are now forced to in 2019. Luzon hog raisers are the volume of imported chicken in 2020
just consume other meat products. most affected, with around 4 to 5 is higher by 18%. The volume of im-
The surge in prices and the drop in million pigs (53%-67% of the total) ported beef and carabao meat also
local supply is primarily attributed culled. In recent months, around increased by 45% and 10% respect-
to the African Swine ively. Imported meat are mostly
Fever (ASF) pandemic used by local food manufactures
in the country. ASF is who produce processed foods such
a virus which infects as canned goods, hotdogs and
pigs. There is no vac- corned beef among others. Demand
cine for ASF, and all for the said products increased sig-
pigs that are infected nificantly during the pandemic. The
with it die. To prevent highest volume of Philippine meat
the spread of the dis- imports is from the US.
ease, infected pigs and As in the past, DA's response to
others that are in the same pork supply shortage is more im-
piggeries or backyard farms are portation. It aims to tripple the
culled. ASF has no known effect volume of pork imported by the
on humans. country in 2021, despite the
The regime has pre- high price of the said
dicted in early 2020 commodity in the global
that the pork produc- market.
tion will drop by at Meanwhile, fish-
least 10%. Despite erfolk and poultry
this, the DA has not owners also warned
implemented any that the prices of
program to urgently their products could
address the pandemic also surge given that many
and protect local consumers are now opting to
producers. It has not buy fish and chicken meat.
ANG BAYAN January 21, 2021 7State forces refuse to turn over
cadaver of unionist to family
Panay. On January 7, Mayor
IT TOOK MORE than three weeks before the cadaver of Vilma Roberto Palomar of Tapaz, Capiz
Salabao, a unionist who was among those massacred by the police ordered around 500 Tumandok families
and 2nd ID on December 17, 2020, was turned over to her family. to return to their communities after
evacuating last month. The Tumandoks
The victim was killed in a mango farm at Sitio Malalim, left their communities after the police
Barangay San Jose, Baras, Rizal along with Carlito Zonio, caretaker arrested and massacred their leaders
and chief security guard of the farm; cousins Jonathan and Niño last December 30, 2020. Initial reports
Alberga, security guards; and Wesley Obmerga. Obmerga was suf- indicate that 300 individuals were also
fering from tuberculosis, while Salabao had cancer. The victims are coerced by the AFP to surrender in
known as the Baras 5. Tapaz.
The Karapatan-Southern Tagalog said that the cadavers of the
victims bore marks of harsh torture. Caloocan City. Hundreds of Ca
After the brutal crime, the fascists planted evidences of firearms loocan residents were alarmed after the
and explosives to make it appear that the victims were members of DSWD announced the cancellation of
the New People's Army (NPA). The 2nd ID, through Lt. Gen. Antonio the verification process for the second
Parlade, Jr. first announced that the victims were revolutionary tax tranche of the Social Amelioration Pro
collectors of the NPA and were killed after fighting back. After a few gram sa lugar last January 13. They
weeks, Sec. Eduardo Año of the Department of Interior and Local also complained about the complicated
Government announced that the victims were partisans. Starpay online registration system im
Killing. Elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Camar- plemented by the DSWD and the lack
ines Sur killed Aldren Lagdaan Enriquez on January 6 in Barangay of clear instructions on how to receive
Sagrada, Iriga City. The victim was an active member of the Camar- aid.
ines Sur People's Organization and was accused of being a member of
the NPA. Around 30 policemen entered his house. He was shot in cold Navotas. To pave the way for the
blood in front of his two young children. reclamation in Tanza, Navotas, 30 fish
The PNP-Region 5 also killed Eddie Barcoma Belludo, a resident erfolk families were evicted from their
of Sitio Camenorial, Barangay Banquerohan, Legazpi City, on Janu- communities by personnel of the San
ary 11. He was also accused of being an NPA member and was Miguel Corp. last January 15. Resid
planted with evidences of firearms and explosives. ents complained that the site where
Harassment. A policeman based in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, they were relocated is a dangerous and
filed a trumped up murder charge against Windel Bolinget, chairman prone to flooding. They were also
of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA). He and 9 other individuals barred from fishing in nearby seas.
were accused of killing Garito Tiklonay Malibato, a member of Lumad
group Karadyawan. Malibato was killed in March 2018 by Alamara Negros. More than 7,000 families
paramilitary forces. were affected by the flashfloods in the
Illegal arrest. Joint elements of the police and 201st IBde ar- towns of Talisay, Silay, Victorias and
rested Ruel Custodio and Ruben Estocado at Zone 3, Barangay Po- EB Magalona in Negros Occidental
blacion, Atimonan, Quezon on December 26. The victims are mem- last January 1 and 9. The floods resul
bers of the Coco Levy Funds Ibalik Sa Amin who were accused of ted in the destruction of properties and
being NPA members. Evidences of firearms and explosives were like- livelihoods worth ₱ 16.5 million.
wise planted to justify the arrest. They were not allowed to be visited
by their relatives. Cebu City. The military deployed
Abduction. The 62nd IB has yet to surface farmer Anselma war tanks and soldiers in the barangays
Garde, 31, who was abucted by its soldiers on January 17 at Sitio of Pasil, Sawang Calero, Suba and Er
Batong-Buang, Barangay Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. mita in Cebu City on January 15. The
On the same day, the military shelled and bombed the mountain- martiallawlike deployment terrorized
ous areas of barangays Sandayao, Trinidad, Binobohan, Imelda and residents and resulted in confusion.
Tacpao of the same town. This resulted in the forcible evacuation of The soldiers occupied the said
around 100 families. barangays for three days.
8 January 21, 2021 ANG BAYANANG BAYAN January 21, 2021 9
Heightened political crisis
on Trump’s final days
U S President Donald Trump was impeached for the second time by Con-
gress on January 12, eight days before he was set to be replaced by
Joseph Biden in the White House. Trump became the first president to be im-
steal” of the elections. Some of
them were armed and planned on
“arresting” those who Trump named
peached twice. as “enemies of democracy.”
Inside Congress, 100 repres-
In the impeachment case, immigrant, racist and fascist ad- entatives and 13 senators planned
Trump was charged with "incite- ministration. on questioning the electoral results.
ment of insurrection." He was found The US is now investigating the role
responsible of peddling disinforma- Attack on Capitol Hill Trump’s partymates played in the
tion for several weeks about the On January 6, more than 2,000 siege.
November 2020 elections and dur- Trump supporters stormed the
ing his speech in a rally on January Capitol Hill where senators and Ouster by whatever means
6 which resulted in “violent, de- representatives were holding a ce- The impeachment pushed
structive and seditious acts.” These remonial counting of electoral through after Vice President Mike
acts refer to the failed attempt of votes. The counting was the last Pence refused to remove Trump
pro-Trump groups to overrun the step to declare Joseph Biden as the from office through the Amendment
US Congress wherein five were 46th president of the US. 25 of the US Constitution. The said
killed and scores were wounded. The Capitol Hill attack took amendment allows the president to
Aside from the said speech, the place after more than two months be removed from office, with the
impeachment complaint also con- of Trump’s denial of losing the elec- help of Congress, and be replaced
tained Trump’s attempts to subvert tions. He has repeatedly declared, by the vice-president.
election results in Georgia. Trump without basis, that he won by land- According to Democrats, it is
was first impeached by Congress in slide while electoral results showed important to impeach Trump so that
December 2019 but was acquitted a wide gap between him and Biden. his case will serve as precedent and
by the Senate in January 2020. Biden was way ahead of Trump by 7 in order to ban him from running for
The impeachment is the culmin- million votes in the popular vote. He any government office in the future.
ation of the political and economic also led in the electoral votes—306 At the end of his term, officials,
crisis in the US which is character- votes to Trump’s 232. businesses and his partymates have
ized by the worst health crisis, Hours before Trump’s support- gradually distanced themselves
worsening jobs crisis and the ers overran Congress, Trump in- from Trump. Many of his cabinet
sharpening of the American people’s cited them to attack by telling them members have also resigned. More
dissatisfaction with Trump’s anti- to “march to Congress” to “stop the companies have withdrawn their
donations to the Republican Party.
Prior to this, social media com-
panies (Facebook, Twitter and In-
stragram) have suspended Trump’s
accounts which he has been using to
incite violence and sow disinforma-
tion for a long time.
In the morning of January 20,
midnight in the Philippines, Biden
took his oath as the 46th US pres-
ident and Trump’s reign came to an
end.
10 January 21, 2021 ANG BAYANYou can also read
