Bulatlatan
Written by: Dorisse Mae
Published: Bulatlatan, February 28, 2010;
Source: Bulatlatan snapshot at the Internet Archive;
Markup: Simoun Magsalin.
Finally, Ang Bayan, the official organ of our Party on its February 21, 2010 issue came out with an editorial clarifying the Party’s revolutionary stand in relation to reactionary elitist elections in general and the forthcoming May 2010 elections.
Never has it been more clearly stated that, “Elections under the rotten ruling reactionary state and system are bogus” and are actually “concentrated competitions” between “rival elitist factions” in semi-feudal, semi-colonial Philippine society.
Under such situation, the “exercise of suffrage is used as an adornment” to create the semblance of a “democratic” process, when in reality results are determined by the use of fraud and terrorism, perpetrated by the of the ruling elites’ guns, goons and gold.
The Party emphasized, it is the “duty of the revolutionary forces to closely guide the people” in confronting this political event on May 2010.
The Party calls on the revolutionary movement to apply revolutionary “dual tactics” by engaging in activities that “expose the inutility of reactionary elections” while giving stress on “armed struggle as the guaranteed and primary means of seizing political power to achieve fundamental and thoroughgoing social change.”
This specifically means that it is our duty to hold political education among the masses through demonstrations, symposia, community meetings that explicitly expose the true character of bourgeois elections and the deceptive platforms and programs of the reactionary elitist candidates and parties.
On the other hand, we do not lose sight of the primary role of armed struggle by intensifying guerilla tactical offensives “with particular emphasis given to targeting fascist and terrorist leaders.” The revolutionary armed forces in the countrysides should likewise “strive to protect the vast revolutionary areas that gain prominence and are visited by politicians.” During elections, “it is important to stress even more the launching of tactical offensives against the most rabidly reactionary politicians.”
This means that “permits to campaign” could only be issued to friendly and progressive candidates and will not be issued out to elitist candidates who merely practice demagoguery and deceive the masses with empty promises. Such permits will not be offered in exchange for money, but rather it is granted with goodwill in exchange for political support and cooperation from the deserving candidates. Some regions and guerilla fronts who wrongly charge “permits to campaign” as a form of revolutionary tax even from rabid reactionary parties and candidates should be immediately stopped and rectified.
Provided that there is a favorable situation, wherein a progressive political party decides to run against the elitist reactionaries, the revolutionary party directly or indirectly “unites with candidates and parties that are ready to advance the democratic and patriotic interests and welfare of the people.”
Participation and cooperation with political parties are thus tolerable under the condition that the candidates and the political parties are truly progressive and nationalists. Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and Makabayan could be considered as progressives and deserves the support of revolutionaries.
On the other hand, to coalesce with reactionary elitist parties is definitely undesirable and condemnable. The parties of Gibo, Villar-Marcos, Noynoy-Roxas, Erap-Binay and Gordon-Bayani, are the major reactionary parties and only deserve to be lambasted and exposed before the masses in the process of the present national elections. Progressive parties and candidates who coalesce with them will be guilty of class collaboration and treason and should be strongly criticized in public or denied electoral support if they are unrepentant.
This should serve as a fair warning to the principal candidates of progressive parties and overseas self-exiled comrades who negotiated cooperation with almost all the major reactionary parties and who now promote the deceptive platform and program of governance of a leading corrupt politician accused of plunder in the reactionary senate. Under such situation, there is no clear distinction between progressive politics and reactionary traditional politics and the masses could be misled to believe that social change could be achieved by an absurd coalition between progressives and traditional politicians.
Comrades, our revolutionary policy is at hand. Let us use it as a guide to action as we lead the masses through this May 2010 elections. Let us criticize the grave violations already committed by other comrades who connived with the reactionaries at the national and local levels. Let history judge them all in the end!