[Philippine's human rights violations] Martial Law Diaries, and other papers [corruption in the Philippines] #9/218

To continue in the service means complying with orders and instructions of a dictatorship that has buried democracy in our country deeper in its grave.

10 JAN

FM and Romulo have stressed need for national security measures in light of probable end of Vietnam war, according to the papers. The trouble with the chief representatives of the ruling class — like FM and Romulo — is that they are so fond of using the term “national” in such phrases as “national security,” “national interest,” “national objectives,” etc.

When they mouth the term “national security,” what they actually mean is security of the privileged ruling class and its American masters in this country. When they say “national interests,” they actually mean the vested interests of the ruling class and its alien masters. When they say “national objectives,” they actually mean the goals of business and agrarian overlordsto further entrench and consolidate their economic and political hold (“stranglehold” seems to be more descriptive) on the people’s livelihood and economic servitude.

In a nutshell, one must consider such excellent “patriotic” rhetoric in terms of class interest. “National security” should read “ruling class security,” “national interests” should read “ruling class interests,” “national objectives” should read “ruling class objectives,” etc., etc., ad nauseam.

11 JAN

More on national security:

The people’s consciousness needs to be awakened. The broad masses should realize that, together with members of the AFP, they are all vie-

tims of what is known in the vernacular as “ sariling mantika. ”

Let us analyze:

The ruling class needs security in order to maintain its dominance and exploitation of the masses. Hence the existence of the AFP. The rank-and-file of the AFP come from the masses and is expected to side or at least sympathize with it. Factually, such is not the case. Why?

Because the ruling class sees to it that special compensation (above what is being received by the ordinary citizen), special privileges, favors, rewards, benefits, etc. are given to the men in uniform. Thus, the development of the AFP into a vested-interest organization. It becomes the protector and “private army” of the ruling class. Members of the AFP, acting out of self-interest, will treasure and defend such vested interests and the status quowhich, in the final analysis, is the principal and perpetual objective of the ruling class.