By Communist Party of the Philippines
Benigno Aquino III is clinging to power like a leech in refusing to heed mounting calls for his resignation, removal or ouster from power. Aquino’s adamance in remaining in Malacañang is reminiscent of Gloria Arroyo’s stubborness amid mounting protests from 2005 onwards.
Over the past several weeks, the corruption and rottenness of the Aquino regime continue to be exposed.
Aquino’s insistence that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of realigning billions of pesos as “savings” for priority projects is a measure for economic development has been thoroughly exposed as a big lie. The list of projects and its proponents under DAP recently made public clearly shows that DAP funds were released mainly to Aquino’s political allies, especially key officers of the Liberal Party as a form of pork barrel to perpetuate the system of political patronage. Among the biggest DAP recipients are Sec. Jun Abaya, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Sec. Francis Pangilinan, all LP stalwarts.
It has been disclosed, in particular, that large amounts of funds were disproportionately allocated to Rep. Henedina Abad for her “beautifacation and greening projects” in their small province of Batanes. Congresswoman Abad is the wife of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, who has been the subject of angry protests for having been the chief architect, implementor and defender of the DAP.
Over the past few days, Aquino’s police chief, Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima, a close personal aide and stooge since their Central Luzon days, has been under fire for having accumulated properties way beyond his salary as a police officer, including vast tracts of land and a mansion with a swimming pool. He has also reportedly received millions of pesos in “contributions” and enjoyed several million pesos in “discounts” for the purchase of his personal vehicle.
There are overwhelming calls for General Purisima’s removal. This is amplified by the people’s anger over his failure to clean up the Philippine National Police whose officers have been involved in high-profile crimes.
Despite being caught lying through his teeth in his testimonies before the Senate and under questioning by the media, General Purisima still enjoys the unwavering support of Aquino who sees no reason to remove him nor carry out an investigation into the PNP. This is the same kind of total support that Aquino has given Secretary Abad.
Amid numerous allegations of graft and corruption, Aquino insists that his regime continues to be the model of “good governance” and hews to the “righteous path”.
In a desperate attempt to make it appear that there is popular support for Aquino, his Yellow Army operatives of PR specialists paid for a full-page ad last week in daily broadsheets calling for another term for Aquino. This is after failing to generate a clamor in social media websites. Over the past month, Aquino’s “one-more-term” facebook page could only garner around 15 new fans per day.
Contrary to all-out efforts by Aquino’s political operatives and the scenario being conjured by Malacañang, there is no widespread clamor nor sizeable campaign calling for an extension of Aquino’s term. Still, Aquino’s spokespersons continue to stubbornly insist otherwise, asserting that Aquino is still listening to his “bosses” and will remain open to a term extension.
The Aquino regime is utterly isolated from the Filipino people who suffer from the overarching socio-economic crisis that has resulted in unprecedented numbers of unemployed and underemployed workers, worsening oppression and bigger numbers of people in the quagmire of poverty. It has shamelessly surrendered Philippine sovereignty in paving the way for US military basing through the signing of the EDCA. It has carried out a campaign of military suppression behind the curtain of “peace and human rights”.
A growing number of sectors are demanding an end to Aquino’s rule. The most vocal and assertive are the workers, peasants, students and other democratic sectors that are the most oppressed by Aquino’s corruption, mendacity, brutality and acquiescence to foreign dictates. Recently, religious groups led by Catholic archbishops and bishops openly called for Aquino’s resignation. They have added their voices to the growing ranks of Filipinos disatissfied with the Aquino regime who have been seeking its immediate ouster.
Judging by Aquino’s statements and actions, he is bound to exert all-out effort to cling to power beyond 2016. He is set on perpetuating his rule either through the election of a proxy or by seeking a second or extended term.
To realize their aspiration to oust the Aquino regime, the Filipino people must take immediate political action. They must build their strength to force Aquino out of power by organizing in big numbers in their factories, communities, offices and university campuses. They must strengthen their determination by carrying out political education to firmly grasp the tasks of waging political mass actions to oust the Aquino regime.