“They [children] are harassed, threatened, forced as guides, displaced, maimed, raped or killed and later on branded as child soldiers as an excuse of the AFP for the violations they have done.
Joint forces of the Philippine Army and the PNP have reportedly tried to dismantle the barricade in serving the TRO against the local leaders, but they have been foiled by “the strong and organized resistance of the people.”
No one in the country can expect much difference in the next election. It should be more “exciting” as there will be more at stake, and the battle will be “winner take all”, but for the mass of people, even an economic trickle will not appear despite the likelihood of continued “growth” from which the ruling class and its political agents will continue to benefit, reaping the rewards of aggressive worker/peasant repression and unbelievable exploitation.
By GILL H. BOEHRINGER Bulatlat.com Read also: Part 1 and Part 3 of this report. Late developments Under pressure from many quarters, Comelec’s stubborn Chair, election lawyer Sixto Brillantes, has finally admitted that there were flaws in the election. This is front-page news of course, e.g. in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 29th, “Poll discrepancies…
The NPA said their “active counter-intelligence and subsequent operations” were meant to punish AFP units, especially the Civil Military Operations Battalion headed by Maj. Jake Obligado, for continuing to “encroach, settle and conduct psychological warfare and intelligence operations” in the villages of Paquibato District.