No reason to celebrate phony ‘Independence’ under Duterte’s puppet regime — LFS

No reason to celebrate phony ‘Independence’ under Duterte’s puppet regime — LFS

The League of Filipino Students decries the Duterte government’s antics of celebrating Philippine Independence Day tomorrow, despite its outright puppetry to foreign plunderers and terrorists such as the US ad Chinese government.

“Under the Duterte administration, the Filipino people have moved farther from the quest for genuine independence and national sovereignty. In his three years as president, our country has become a very potential target for foreign incursions, militarization. Trump and Xi Jin Ping’s governments have preyed on our people through lopsided treaties, labor export policies, and intensified aggressions”, League of Filipino Students national spokesperson Kara Taggaoa said.

“There is no reason to rejoice on June 12 for we have long been living under a tokenistic, badge of independence. Various administrations all had their fair share of ultimate puppetry to the US government by entering into uneven foreign economic and military policies”, Taggaoa added.

For the longest time, the Philippine government, composed of landed elites and oligarchs, have permitted and submitted into the long-time parasitic relationship with the US through the Visiting Forces Agreement (signed on 1999) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (signed on 2014). Currently, the Duterte administration has continued to allow the installment of US military bases in our communities. Under Duterte’s reign, the Chinese government has also been empowered to invade the West Philippine Sea with its naval forces, while intimidating and taking away the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk.

“Duterte is that two-timer traitor, loyal to no one but US and China. In his eagerness to put up his Marcosian-style of government, he has become a blind follower of foreign imperialist dictates, even at the expense of his own people. He has done nothing to alleviate the Filipinos from foreign exploitation”, Taggaoa added.

With his rubber stamp senators and supermajority in Congress, Duterte is set to fast-track anti-youth and anti-Filipino policies such as Mandatory ROTC and CHED MEMO 20 (removal of Filipino and Panitikan as core subjects in college).

“With these policies, the government is keen on generating youth mercenaries who will serve as foot soldiers for his senseless wars such as Martial Law and Oplan Kapayapaan. Under the Duterte regime, the youth are coerced to believe in a false sense of nationalism, devoid of the socio-economic turmoil experienced by our fellowmen”, Taggaoa said.
“The Filipino youth, unlike Duterte and his cohorts, are real nation-loving citizens. History has proven that the youth has always been ready to take up the fight against foreign compulsions. Real freedom and independence rest within our painstaking struggle to fight”, Taggaoa ended.

(PRESS RELEASE)