Big-time corruption by the Mafioso in Malacañang in a series of unexplained negotiated contracts with foreign powers have squandered the people’s money, and as a consequence, little is left for basic social services for our far-flung communities. It is ironic that, especially in the island of Mindanao, U.S. Special Operations Forces with a sinister agenda, have been invited by the illegal regime to do active “humanitarian work” in the form of medical, dental and other social services, including infrastructure projects in many remote communities, services which should be the function of a government, even if it is just a de facto one.
BY ROLAND G. SIMBULAN*
Senior Fellow, Center for People’s Empowerment in Governance
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 5, March 2-8, 2008
The nation in seething in volcanic outrage at the revelations of the whistleblower Mr. Rodolfo Lozada who has shaken the nation and once again exposed the illegitimate occupier in Malacañang as an “evil” Mafioso. This Mafioso is responsible for more than 800 extrajudicial killings and disappearances since 2001. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s de facto government has not only negotiated loan contracts with foreign vested interests which have squandered our people’s taxes to big-time corruption. It has also negotiated subservience to U.S. military forces which are now seen moving around in practically any part of the country, to engage in counterinsurgency and other unspecified “activities” especially in the second largest island, Mindanao.
Big-time corruption by the Mafioso in Malacañang in a series of unexplained negotiated contracts with foreign powers have squandered the people’s money, and as a consequence, little is left for basic social services for our far-flung communities. It is ironic that, especially in the island of Mindanao, U.S. Special Operations Forces with a sinister agenda, have been invited by the illegal regime to do active “humanitarian work” in the form of medical, dental and other social services, including infrastructure projects in many remote communities, services which should be the function of a government, even if it is just a de facto one.
The outrage over the negotiated sell-out and subservience to foreign military forces has widened and deepened among various sectors in Mindanao, raising the awareness even of local officials. This comes as a Philippine Army unit operating in Sulu which was advised and accompanied by several U.S. Special Operations Forces, massacred eight Moro civilians (men, women, and children ) in what the armed forces described as “collateral damage” in an encounter with the Abu Sayyaf. It also comes at a time when another 14-year-old schoolgirl was raped by a U.S. Marine in the island of Okinawa where 75 percent of U.S. military forces in Japan are deployed. Many of the U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa are the ones who participate regularly in the year-round joint Balikatan exercises in the Philippines. In fact, the U.S. Marines charged and later convicted for the rape of “Nicole” at Subic in 2005 where one was convicted by the Makati Regional Trial Court, were based in Okinawa, Japan.
The resumption of the large-scale Balikatan exercises comes after they were suspended during the past two years because of the Subic rape case, where a U.S. Marine was convicted of rape. However, the suspension of the Balikatan exercise was lifted, when Malacañang officials, with the connivance of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) sprang the convicted U.S. soldier from the Philippine judicial system’s custody and handed him over to the U.S. Embassy. The brazenness of this abduction by the Mafioso in Malacañang may appear all too familiar from the way whistleblower Mr. Rodolfo Lozada was abducted from the Manila International Airport by a group of government operatives to prevent him from testifying from the Senate hearings. The resumption of the large-scale Balikatan in 2008 is supposed to be the reward given to us by the U.S. government for the Mafioso’s surrender of our custody and sovereignty of the convicted U.S. Marine rapist to them. Six thousand U.S. troops are expected to participate in this year’s Balikatan exercises, with the Balance Piston 08 affecting many parts of Luzon, and in Mindanao the areas included for penetration by U.S. troops through “humanitarian work” are municipalities in Cagayan de Oro City, Bukidnon and Lanao provinces. Meanwhile, all year round, a detachment of what a high-ranking Pentagon official described as U.S. Special Operations Forces “a little less than 1,000” have set up and constructed military facilities in Zamboanga City, Basilan and Sulu.
All over the island of Mindanao in the past two weeks, posters (U.S. TROOPS OUT NOW!, JUNK THE VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT) have appeared in major cities, towns and highways demanding the removal of U.S. military forces which have been invited by the illegal Arroyo regime to engage in counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations through surveillance and spying , joint operations training, support and advice, other forms of “activities” which are unspecified under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). The VFA in fact, does not only allow uniformed U.S. military personnel, but also ” civilian personnel who are employed by the U.S. armed forces or who are accompanying the U.S. armed forces…” (Art I. Sec. 2, VFA Definitions)
No less than the Regional Legislative Assembly, the highest policy-making body of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has issued Resolution No. 353 adopted on Feb. 5, 2008 “Expressing the objection of the Regional Assembly to the Holding of Balikatan Whether Military, Medical or Civilian Exercises in the Province of Lanao del Sur and the Islamic City of Marawi.” Earlier, the governor of the province of Lanao del Sur expressed opposition to the planned Balikatan exercises.
The City Council (Sangguniang Panlungsod) of the Islamic City of Marawi in Lanao del Sur in Resolution No. 112, Series of 2008 dated Jan. 28, 2008, “Resolution Urging Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, to Refrain the Balikatan Exercise in the Islamic City of Marawi.” The Marawi City Council Resolution stated that, “Whereas, pre-empting of effect of the U.S. Military Exercises in the territory of the Muslims will ignite their feelings, as well as the non-Muslims for the enhancement of gambling, entail of prostitutions, alcoholism which are totally prohibited in the entire province of Lanao del Sur and the Islamic City of Marawi.” It said that the “peaceloving people of the Islamic City of Marawi as well as the Province of Lanao del Sur absolutely oppose/object to the Balikatan Exercises of the U.S. Military Forces….” Several Municipal Councils in Lanao del Sur such as the Municipality of Ditsa-an Ramain have likewise passed official resolutions (dated Jan. 30, 2008) prohibiting Balikatan exercises and U.S. military forces from their territories. Many local officials, uztadzs and prominent personalities among the Moro people have led protest rallies against the intrusion of U.S. military forces into their communities.
