Word: huk
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Military Initiative. The most conspicuous of the Philippines' difficulties are caused by the Communist-led Huks, peasant insurgents who are trying to overthrow the government. Philippine army intelligence says it has definitely identified only 6,000 armed Huks and another 4,000 who serve as reinforcements, propagandists and supply troops. More ominous is an official estimate that 60% to 70% of the peasants in Huk areas are supporting the rebels, who now operate in 18 of the 24 provinces of Luzon as well as on a few of the smaller islands...
...beat down the rebellion, the government has about 37,000 men in its combined armed services. On Luzon the constabulary, traditional internal security force, was integrated into the armed forces in April, and overall charge of anti-Huk operations was given to the armed forces' chief of staff, lantern-jawed Major General Mariano Castaneda. The integration was a step in the right direction, but almost nobody believes that military force can suppress the rebellion unless the government can at the same time win back the confidence of the people...
Most prominent of the extreme nationalists is Jose Laurel, Quirino's chief opponent in the last election and head of the Nationalist Party. Laurel had Huk support during the election. If he chose, popular Jose Laurel could be useful in an anti-Communist front against the Huks, but he refuses to cooperate unless Quirino's Liberal Party publicly admits that it cannot handle the job alone and publicly asks the help of the Nationalists...
...situation was even more intoxicating in the Philippines. Before the war, Coca-Cola had sold a modest 5,000,000 bottles a year in the islands. Last year, Filipinos tossed off a dizzying 193 million, which meant twelve bottles of Coke for every Filipino, including babes in arms and Huk rebels in the mountains. Filipinos were crying for more. Manilans tell the story of an ex-bootblack who makes a living hanging around Coke machines and selling 10-centavo pieces (the only coins that fit the machines) for 15 centavos to thirsty people who are too eager...
Many Filipinos, still dazed by Senator David's story of the Good Friday massacre and Governor Lingad's admission of Huk gains, began to wonder if the Huks were the greatest danger in the Philippines. Said a Manila storekeeper: "It's a labulabu, a national free-for-all." President Quirino wanted a chance to put his country's affairs in order. Said he: "I want to have the opportunity to clean my own house. If I fail. Congress can impeach me for non-compliance with my duty under the constitution...