Bulatlat.com

U.S. Plane Shot at by Angry Kalinga Villagers

The New People’s Army-Kalinga command revealed that the ground fire that hit a United States warplane on Jan. 31 came from residents of an irate upland community in Kalinga province, more than 400 kilometers north of Manila.

By BULATLAT.COM

TABUK, KALINGA — Ka Tipun, spokesman of the Lejo Cawilihan Command, said in a recent interview with selected newsmen that residents of a Kalinga village noticed the plane flying over their village every night for two weeks between 7 to 8 p.m. The strange plane was allegedly “almost soundless” and flying “very, very low.”

Thinking that mining corporations were using it for land survey, some of the residents reportedly decided to fire at the plane. They apparently oppose the entry of big mining firms in their area.

Ka Tipun refused to identify the village.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on Feb. 2 that a U.S. Airforce cargo plane bearing two bullet holes in its belly landed at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Philippine Airforce Haribon Complex of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, part of the former U.S. Clark Air Base. It quoted an unidentified U.S. military official as saying the plane was flying “up north of Clark” on a training mission flight when hit. It was one of the seven U.S. planes being used for the joint RP-U.S. military exercise held in Luzon called Balance Piston.

The official said it was flying at a speed of 220 knots, 2,000 feet above the ground. The bullet holes it sustained were allegedly made by bullets used in M14 rifles, the most likely type of weapon used.

Although it was the first time a U.S. warplane was fired at since the RP-U.S. training exercises began, a Lt. Pete Soledad said that it was not the first time a military plane was shot at in the country. He said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) fighter planes in combat missions have been shot at before in Cordillera and Cagayan Valey. He cited incidents in the early 1990s when four planes were seriously damaged during counter-insurgency operations in Marag Valley.

Ready for U.S. troops

Although Ka Tipun’s statement erased speculations that the NPA shot the plane, he also stated that the NPA is ready to face U.S. troops if the government decides to bring them to the Cordillera.

The NPA leader also scored the Arroyo government for allowing the U.S. troops to use the Abu Sayyaf issue and participate in combat operations, violating its own Constitution. He said NPA-Kalinga will follow the directives of the NPA national leadership. The anniversary statement of the NPA last March 29 confirmed the earlier position of the CPP that U.S. troops are valid military targets.

Cordillera however is no stranger to U.S. troops. American military advisers had accompanied Filipino troops in combat operations during the Marcos dictatorship.

Militarization

Ka Tipun described Kalinga as over-militarized. He said there are more than 30 detachments in the province maintained by two regular army battalions, a special forces battalion, two Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) battalions and the local police forces. He said they are abusive and commit human rights violations against civilians, citing various incidents of harassment, detention and killing of civilians. Bulatlat.com

We want to know what you think of this article.