The World Socialist Web Site is publishing messages of support for Dr. Joseph Scalice from throughout the world. Dr. Scalice who has come under attack from the Philippine Stalinists for his powerful lecture, “First as Tragedy, Second as Farce: Marcos, Duterte and the Communist Parties of the Philippines,” which examined the support given by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the various organizations that follow its political line, to authoritarian Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.

Acutely sensitive to the criticism of the CPP, its founder Jose Maria Sison, without a shred of evidence, has denounced Dr. Scalice as a paid CIA agent and an informer for Duterte. Dr. Scalice, through the establishment of the historical record about the betrayals of the CPP, has done a service to the working class in the Philippines and internationally.

We urge our readers to come to the defence of Dr. Scalice, including by sending statements of support to the WSWS opposing the slanderous attack on him by the CPP and sharing his lecture widely.

S. Bandara, a cartoonist

I express my opposition to baseless slanders by Jose Maria Sison and the Communist Party of the Philippines against the exposure of the CPP by Dr. Joseph Scalice.

I had the opportunity to view Scalice’s lecture through the World Socialist Web Site. The lecture was able to engage me through its approach of exposing historical information with evidence.

As a cartoonist, I believe that knowledge on the world history is essential in order to grasp the current political reality. In that sense, Scalice’s lecture was particularly important to me as it helped me to understand how the historically counterrevolutionary role of Stalinism had impacted on the present situation.

During the lecture, I began to know how Stalinists and Maoists in the Philippines worked to subordinate the working class to bourgeois leaders like Marcos and Duterte. Because of this political disorientation, thousands of Filipinos had to pay the price with their lives.

This reminded me of the disorientation caused by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, which emerged as a Maoist movement in Sri Lanka. Their activities paved the way for the governments to massacre youth whom the JVP politically disarmed in the face of state repression.

In the present period, the role of pseudo-left to disorient the working class is similarly criminal. Therefore, I think that Scalice’s lecture facilitates a wider understanding of the political basis and activities of the pseudo-left groups.

As Scalice’s lecture outlines, workers are disoriented due to the lack of a genuine revolutionary leadership. In this vein, Stalinism played a vital role. In a period where the working class rallying behind a genuine revolutionary leadership is decisive, Scalice’s exposure has a huge contemporary relevance.

I also invite you all to line up with the International Committee of the Fourth International, which provides the necessary revolutionary leadership against the betrayals of every kind including those of Stalinism.

A Malalagama, a young professional

I denounce the slanders unleashed by the Communist Party of the Philippines against historian Dr. Joseph Scalice. I enthusiastically express my support for the campaign waged by World Socialist Web Site to defend Dr. Scalice.

I listened to Dr. Scalice’s lecture which exposed the counterrevolutionary role of the Maoist CPP. I also studied the articles on the issue published on the WSWS. I have a clear knowledge about the dictatorial moves by Philippine’s fascistic President Duterte and Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the current president in Sri Lanka. I am also familiar with the past lessons of the class collaborationist politics of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which started with Maoist policies, as does the CPP.

Having been convinced of the critical character of the Trotskyist party amid the class struggles that lie ahead, I extend my utmost support to the international campaign for defending Dr. Scalice.

L. P. Udaya, a political cartoonist

Historian Dr. Joseph Scalice’s lecture “First as a tragedy, second as a farce, Marcos, Duterte and the Communist Parties of the Philippines” has exposed the reactionary role of the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines.

I followed the lecture as a person having experienced the reactionary politics of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in Sri Lanka. It gave a wider understanding of Maoism. Jose Maria Sison, the leader of CPP, was completely unable to respond to this lecture which contained a written record of credible information. Instead, Sison has resorted to slandering the lecturer with baseless accusations, disregarding his exposures.

I vehemently denounce Sison’s baseless obscurantist action. At the same time, I join with the struggle waged by World Socialist Web Site to defend the intellectual intervention of Dr. Scalice.

Also, I strongly believe that anyone who is interested in knowing historical truth will oppose the cynical attempts of Sison.

P . Chathuranga, a science teacher

Based on clear factual evidence, Dr. Joseph Scalice has exposed the criminal opportunist betrayals of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). In order to prevent this exposure, CPP leader Jose Maria Sison has unleashed vicious slanders at Dr. Scalice. Denouncing these slanders, I stand with Joseph Scalice who is committed to historical truth.