Militarization In Metro Manila Increasing, Says Party List Nominee

MANILA - The militant party list group, Anakpawis, said Monday the widespread militarization in urban areas happens not only during election period but through out the year especially in areas and urban poor communities where local and foreign so-called development projects are implemented.

Anakpawis nominee Joel Maglunsod said since December last year, members of urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap have been challenging the “abnormal” presence of military personnel in various villages in Quezon City, particularly in neighborhoods with Kadamay chapters in Commonwealth, Holy Spirit, Tandang Sora and other areas.

"The militarization campaign in slum areas is characterized by supposed socio-civic projects led by the AFP in coordination with village councils.

In reality, these campaigns aim to disband organizations of poor people who oppose demolitions and uphold other economic issues such as demands for wage hikes, social services and employment which the Arroyo government cannot sufficiently provide," he said.

He said government projects and constructions in urban poor areas are always accompanied with military component. Since 2003, village intelligence units from local police and military were deployed massively in various port area communities in Manila as part of the Medium Term Port Area Privatization and Modernization Plan implemented by Malacanang through the Philippine Ports Authority."

Maglunsod said that the heightened militarization campaign is also directed at labor organizing efforts. "Military presence is high in urban areas where there are concentration of workers and poor people. More than ninety percent of Metro Manila-based workers are residing in urban poor communities and we all know that workers are actively campaigning for P125 across-the-board legislated wage hike," he said.

"The official document released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines detailing its anti-party list campaign in villages only confirmed active military presence in slum areas. In fact, it even worsened the current condition of urban militarization that has been happening for ages," Maglunsod said.