Philippines - NDF lauds Duterte’s anti-US tirade, urges junking of US-PH unequal agreements

07/09/2016

Press Statement

 National Democratic Front of the Philippines

 Southern Mindanao Región

The National Democratic Front in Southern Mindanao commends GPH Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte for his unprecedented statements against US imperialist intervention in the Philippines. No other Philippine president has ever publicly censured and taken US imperialism to task for its atrocious crimes against sovereign nations and peoples of the world.

Accustomed to high regard as a colonial master, US imperialism has had nothing but blind kowtowing from previous Philippine puppet regimes. Now at this critical time of its decisive hegemonic pivot to Asia and China’s challenge to its regional dominance, US imperialism’s sham “concern for human rights” is being challenged with open hostility by a government it considers its reliable lackey. The US government should be reminded and brought to justice for the millions of deaths in its hands, perpetrated in the name of consolidating its imperialist power over other sovereign states.

Indeed, US imperialism is worried about the present developments unraveling in the Philippines—the prospect of peace based on social justice. It can lose its control of the country if the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF should translate to the socio-economic and sovereign interest of the Filipino people. Hence, it is in its best interest to exploit anti-Duterte forces to sabotage the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDFP and preempt any substantial talks with Moro revolutionary groups by fomenting anti-Moro sentiments with US-backed bombings and other terrorist attacks.

Calling out US imperialism as the two-faced terrorist is a fundamental step, but it must also translate to junking colonial agreements. For the benefit of the Filipino people, GPH Pres. Duterte and his government must abrogate the Mutual Defense Treaty and junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement—policies that continue to position the Philippines as a willing pawn for US imperialism’s wars of aggression.

Duterte must persevere with his anti-imperialist stance in the course of the Asean Summit in Laos, chart an independent international policy by repudiating US intervention and neoliberal policies and enjoin other member-nations to do the same.

Furthermore, Duterte must seriously consider the central components of the proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms under the GPH-NDF peace negotiations which aim to unchain the economy from the fetters of neoliberalism by advancing genuine land reform and national industrialization.

(Sgd) RUBI DEL MUNDO

Spokesperson

NDF-SMR