CPDF-CPP-NPA hold anniv with Mt Prov folks

By Gina Dizon

SOMEWHERE IN MOUNTAIN PROVINCE – The Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army- Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-CPDF) celebrated their 50 years anniversary here last week attended by

civilians mostly youth, women and farmers sectors.

Themed “Paregtaen ti tignay masa, rambakan dagiti balligi ti PKP iti 50^th anniversaryo, pairtengen ti gubat ti umili,” the CPDF and the NPA’s Leonardo Pacsi Command-Mountain Province in statements, recognized “the work of martyrs and comrades in the Party and the NPA, who gave their lives for the national democratic revolution.”

                CPDF spokesperson Ka Filiw Naogsan from Mountain Province “enjoined the people of Cordillera to be one with the Filipino people in celebrating the 50 years of relentless struggle and shining victory. Let us celebrate the victory of the CPP in leading the Filipino people to the road towards genuine freedom, lasting peace and justice, including us Igorots in our struggle for self-determination and democracy.”

The CPDF statement added: “CPP is at the forefront guiding and implementing agrarian revolution to solve the multiple forms of feudal and semi-feudal exploitation of the peasant masses who comprise the majority of the Filipino people. Through collective action, the masses are able to fight the increasing number of destructive and rapacious companies attempting to conduct operations in the region which  include mining, dams and geothermal energy projects.                     The people are fighting  the continuing denial of the state to their access and use of the natural resources through oppressive laws such as PD 705 or the Revised Forestry Code, Mining Act of 1995, EPIRA, Renewable Energy Act and  Small Scale Mining  Act among others.”

Naogsan said “the Igorots are more united to develop and increase their production. With the onslaught of super typhoon Ompong followed by Rosita, a vast area of agricultural land, infrastructures and properties are heavily damaged. The complete rehabilitation of these damages can only be attained through the collective action of the masses to fight for due services from the government.”

               Ka Magno Udyao of the LPC gave “respect to elders, chieftains, leaders and the masses who devoted their lives to the struggle for self-determination and democracy under the national democratic revolution.”

Udyao said, “we salute the indomitable commitment, high spirit   for sacrifice and perseverance of the cadres and members of the Party, Red commanders and fighters, leaders and mass membership of  all revolutionary organizations.”

The LPC statement said, “the Party guided the laying and spreading of the people’s war in the Cordillera and the forming of the Red political power of the Igorot people. At the height of Martial Law during the US-Marcos dictatorship from 1971 to 1982, the guerrilla zone of Mt. Province was opened from Ifugao’s expansion, along with the expansion in Benguet, Abra, Kalinga and Apayao.The militant people’s struggle against the Chico Dam, the Cellophil Resources Corp.  and fascist US-Marcos regime  heightened through the armed struggle in 1983 to 1985 that ended such anti-people projects.  

“Battalions of people’s militia multiplied and strengthened the company forces of the NPA. In this struggle, the Party clearly imparted to the national minority of Cordillera that the revolutionary armed struggle is decisive in fighting the imperialist plunder of the ancestral domain’s wealth, state fascism and neglect.” 

Udyao said “ever since the struggle of the people of  Bontoc, Sadanga and Kalinga against the Chico Dam and that of the Tingguians against Cellophil, the Party and the NPA has worked with the Igorots to attain greater unity to defeat a common enemy. Through these struggles, the people realized the correctness of taking up arms against the greedy, and that only through the national democratic armed struggle can the Igorots truly defend their ancestral land and fight for their right to self-determination.

“In the following decades, exploitation, oppression and militarization has intensified in Cordillera under different puppet regimes, pushing the people  to take part in the armed revolution. This year only, units of the NPA under the Chadli Molintas Command  has launched tactical offensives that frustrated the delusion of the US-Duterte regime to wipe out the NPA by 2018, “  Udyao said. 

Ka Filiw said “in this 50th year of our Party, let us strengthen our resolve in advancing the national democratic revolution towards victory  and onwards to socialist revolution”.