PRESS RELEASE Information Bureau Communist Party of the Philippines CPP congratulates anti-Arroyo forces for big demonstration yesterday February 16, 2008 The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today congratulated the broad united front of anti-Arroyo forces for successfully launching a big protest action yesterday that was able to draw around 15,000 people in Makati demanding the resignation and ouster of Gloria Arroyo from Malacaņang. CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said "the big protest rally was successfully staged despite all out efforts of the Arroyo government to thwart it by intimidating people and preventing them from joining the demonstrations." "In the face of the people's outrage over the corruption and rotteness of the ruling regime, particularly over the $130 million bribery-laden NBN/ZTE deal, the clamor for Gloria Arroyo's ouster will ultimately redound in the streets in a spiral of mass protest actions," said Rosal. He added: "If Arroyo and her fascist cohorts want to stop people from joining demonstrations, it is clear that they will need to do more than just setting up checkpoints and concocting so-called intelligence reports of supposed NPA infiltration of rallies," said Rosal. "Not even yesterday's arrogant display of an Army company in full battle gear aboard armored personnel carriers taunting people at EDSA failed to intimidate and dissuade the people from joining the Makati protests." "Yesterday's protest action is a portent of bigger demonstrations in the coming days and weeks," said Rosal. "The CPP urges the Filipino people to unite and continue demonstrating in the streets and other venues of protest until they could muster millions to force the rotten rulers out of Malacaņang." "The CPP will continue to support the broad united front in their efforts to launch mass protest actions with the objective of forcing the removal Arroyo from Malacaņang," said Rosal. The CPP spokesperson expressed support for the planned assemblies, prayer meetings and street demonstrations scheduled in the next few days and weeks. "The revolutionary forces in the countryside are in full solidarity with the demonstrations in Metro Manila and other major cities across the Philippines," said Rosal. "Units of the New People's Army (NPA) are poised to carry out big and small tactical offensives against the most rabid fascist and pro-Arroyo military units in the countryside order to help weaken the fascist pillars that are propping up the regime." "Every shot fired by NPA Red fighters will amplify the people's outrage and clamor to put an end to the corrupt and brutal Arroyo regime," Rosal added. "The revolutionary forces are also ready and willing to secure personalities being persecuted by the fascist machinery of the Arroyo regime," said Rosal. "They can be provided safe haven within the guerrilla fronts where the revolutionary masses and the people's army and militias will serve as their impregnable fortress." Arroyo assassination plot, hogwash Meanwhile, Rosal dismissed as "hogwash" claims by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that it has discovered an NPA assassination plot against Arroyo. "There is absolutely no truth to the statements by police officials claiming that the NPA is planning to assassinate Arroyo," said Rosal. "It is clear that this so-called intelligence report was publicized in order to justify Arroyo's non-appearance before the alumni homecoming at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio in order to avoid a repeat of the jeers that she received last year." "Furthermore, this so-called intelligence report was obviously concocted by Arroyo's police and military officials to justify the mobilization of thousands of Army troops to serve as a suppression force against the protest demonstrations." "What the Filipino people want is to remove Gloria Arroyo from Malacaņang and have her arrested, tried and punished for her crimes of plunder and state terror," said Rosal. Reference: Marco Valbuena Media Officer Cellphone Numbers: 09179776392 :: 09282242061 E-mail:cppmedia@gmail.com