Since 2001, the U.S. has manipulated the Arroyo regime to maintain its hegemony and strategic economic-political dominance in Southeast Asia with a predominantly Muslim population. Recently, U.S. Intelligence head John Negroponte met with Arroyo advisers Eduardo Ermita and Norberto Gonzales to implement U.S. directives. Hundreds of U.S. Special Forces operate in Mindanao, Sulu, and other regions of the Philippines to counter insurgents of the Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the NPA guerillas, under the guise of rooting out the CIA-begotten terrorist group, the Abu Sayyaf.

After President George W. Bush’s visit in October 2003, the Philippines was declared a “model for Iraq,” a “sovereign” country open any time to U.S. political and military intervention. One result of this regular infringement of Philippine sovereignty is the gang rape of a 22-year old woman by six U.S. soldiers last November 2005. Hundreds of such cases occurred periodically, without a single court indictment, when the U.S. military bases in Clark Field and Subic Bay functioned from 1946 to 1992.

Under all accepted norms of republican democratic states today, Pinpin and the other Tagaytay political prisoners are presumed innocent until proven guilty. When constitutionally mandated due process and other civil liberties are denied the citizens of the Republic, then a fascist authoritarian order has usurped power. It is the right of all citizens to overthrow such an illegitimate government and replace it with one truly representative of the common welfare and the consent of the governed.

We are petitioning the United Nations and the World Court of Justice to condemn the intolerable violations of human rights in the Philippines being committed daily by the Arroyo regime. U.S. citizens should demand cutting off military and other assistance to the tyrannical Arroyo regime. Citizens of other countries should pressure their governments to terminate normal relations with the illegitimate and corrupt Arroyo regime.

The officers and staff of PCSC protest the unjust torture and imprisonment of the Tagaytay 5, Crispin Beltran, and other political prisoners. We demand their immediate release and indemnification. JUSTICE TO ALL VICTIMS OF MILITARY VIOLENCE AND STATE OPPRESSION!

THE PHILIPPINES CULTURAL STUDIES CENTER (PCSC)
Dr. E. San Juan, Jr., Director
Alegria Concepcion, Staff Coordinator
Storrs, CT, USA

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