FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 12, 2019

Reference:
Jeremias David
Malaya Movement DMV - DC Coordinator
Malaya.dmv@gmail.com

Filipino American Activists of MALAYA DMV Denounce US Military Aid Hill, Call For US
Senate Hearing and Philippine Sovereignty on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA​—On June 11th, the Malaya Movement DMV, a

group of Filipino activists, youth, community members, and allies, organized a rally in front of
Capitol Hill to defend Philippine democracy, freedom, and sovereignty.

Although the Philippines will celebrate its 121st National Independence Day on June 12th, the
Malaya Movement DMV contends that its independence exists only in name. Since 1898, U.S.
American direct military involvement, one-sided "free trade" economic policies, and diplomatic
support for fascist oligarch dynasties and land-owning bureaucrat regimes have undermined the
practice of genuine Philippine sovereignty.

In 2018 alone, the United States pledged at least $193.5 million in military aid to the Armed Forces
of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police—both of which, under the Duterte-sanctioned
and -endorsed War on Drugs and Martial Law, have killed tens of thousands of Filipinos, now
estimated to be over 30, 000.

In their speeches, Jhong Dela Cruz (Bayan DMV), Marissa Rodriguez (Malaya Movement DMV),
Chrissi Fabro (Kabataan Alliance), and Kareen Coyoca (DIWA, DC International Womxn Alliance)
specifically call attention to the millions of Congress-approved U.S. American taxpayer dollars
funneled into external U.S. military aid—funds that could be better used for public health or
education within the United States itself.
Through establishing this connection, Dela Cruz, Rodriguez, Fabro, and Coyoca demonstrate that
all U.S. Americans—Filipino or not—are stakeholders in human rights violations in the Philippines.
Dela Cruz also raised the issue of Chinese incursion into Philippine lands, seas and workforce as
another “violation of Philippine sovereignty”, while Fabro further highlighted the importance of
“youth as a vanguard” for organizing a progressive Filipino movement for sovereignty, and Coyoca
underscored the need to establish “international solidarity” with other countries affected by U.S.
American foreign policy, such as Cuba, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Palestine.

The June 11th rally is the first of many demonstrations across the United States calling for the
defense and advance of genuine Philippine sovereignty. These mobilizations are supporting the
larger Malaya Movement’s National Week of Action and its following Points of Unity: (1) advocate
to end Duterte’s War on Drugs, (2) lift Martial Law in Mindanao, (3) protect human rights, (4)
prevent the abuse of executive power, abolish political dynasties, restore the practice of democracy,
and (5) to defend Philippine sovereignty against foreign domination.

Just two months ago in Washington DC, almost 400 grassroots activists and community organizers
from across the United States, and allies from Canada and the Philippines, converged in Malaya
Movement’s National Summit for Freedom and Democracy to discuss and ratify the above “points
of unity”, among many other special-interest workshops and broad direct actions, ​the largest
gathering of anti-fascist and anti-dictatorship Filipinos since the time of the dictator of the country
for over two decades, Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

The Malaya Movement urges all Filipinos and allies to attend its July 22nd People’s State of the
Nation Address, as a counterpoint to Duterte’s State of the Nation Address, in major cities all over
the US.

For more information about its campaigns and calls, please visit ​www.malayamovement.com​. ##