NEWS AT A GLANCE

Support to U.S. war on Iraq: 
‘Peacekeeping forces’ tantamount to military support, solon says

Contrary to the Macapagal-Arroyo government's claim that it will only send Philippine troops to augment a "peace-keeping force" in the Middle East, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo described such move as a military support for the U.S.-led war on Iraq.

Ocampo said that “sending Filipino troops to Iraq either as medical and humanitarian support forces is still tantamount to open support for an unjustified war.”

“Filipino soldiers would still serve as auxiliaries to U.S. military forces," he said.

The activist solon assailed the Macapagal-Arroyo administration for attempting to "disarm the Filipino public" by substituting the term peacekeeping with what still amounts to indirect military support.  "The term 'peacekeeping' is a misnomer. Philippine troops will only serve as gofers and peons for the Americans," he said.

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On the entry of Green Berets: 
‘Abu Sayyaf today, NPA and MILF tomorrow’

The planned deployment to the Philippines of the Green Berets indicates heightened U.S. involvement in government's anti-insurgency campaign, political party Bayan Muna claimed.

Robert de Castro, deputy secretary general of Bayan Muna, said that the U.S., in continuous collusion with the Arroyo government, has been slowly inching its way into the country by using the Abu Sayyaf as a ruse before proceeding to hunt down bigger targets, the New People's Army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. 

"This is a foreboding sign of things to come," de Castro said.  "The pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming into place - the Abu Sayyaf today, the NPA and the MILF tomorrow."

The Green Berets’ notoriety reached international status during the Vietnam War, conducting assassinations and "special operations."  De Castro feared that the entry of these U.S. special forces into the country could similarly result in the escalation of the armed conflict, and could erupt into a full-scale civil war.

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CPP gave Kintanar a chance – Ka Roger

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) recently revealed that Romulo Kintanar was given a chance “to show genuine remorse and willingness to make amends for the wrongs (he has done).”

Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, CPP spokesman, explained that the CPP and the revolutionary movement uphold the policy of giving consideration and granting amnesty to individuals who show genuine remorse and willingness to make adequate amends despite the seriousness of the errors they have committed.

However, Rosal said that when Kintanar's case was reviewed and finally decided by the special people’s court in 2002, “new pieces of evidence presented show that Kintanar persisted and became further engrossed in his criminal and counter-revolutionary activities.”

"Even worse than his criminal activities," Rosal emphasized, “was his direct integration into the structure of the AFP, PNP, NBI and other government intelligence agencies as consultant, intelligence agent and special operative of the military and police.”

At the time Kintanar was assassinated by a special NPA unit last month, Malacañang and officials of the AFP and PNP confirmed that he was a “military intelligence agent.”

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Bohol farmers arrested, detained

Buenavista, Bohol—Four farmers were arrested reportedly without warrant and charged with murder here, some kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

Antonio Sanchez, Ruben Busalanan, Edwin Lofranco and Rodrigo Mejias, members of a local farmers organization  Hugpong sa mga Ma-uumang Bol-anon – Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (HUMABOL-KMP), were arrested Feb. 5 in two separate incidents by elements of the 15^th Infantry Battalion.   

They were accused of killing the barangay captain of Bgy. Nueva Montana and a councilor.  

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MCPA condemns the bombing of Pikit, Maguindanao 
on the eve of Edi’l Adha

The Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA) condemned the bombing of Pikit, Maguindanao and the massive deployment of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops in Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) areas on the eve of the Eid’l Adha, a religious Muslim celebration.

 “The dogs of war are at it again in Mindanao.  Defense Chief General Angelo Reyes is planning another all-out war in Mindanao,” said Amirah Ali Lidasan, secretary-general of the MCPA, reacting to the reported bombing in Pikit town of Maguindanao which caused displacement of more than five barangays.

 “This is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s heightened scheme of former President Estrada’s all-out war,” said Lidasan citing the presence of some 3,000 troops, a brigade of marines, 20 tanks, six fighter jets and six helicopter gunships.

 “General Angelo Reyes’s justification that they are out to overrun MILF camps to seize lawless elements coddled allegedly by the MILF is overused and won’t fool anyone, ” said Lidasan.

Bulatlat.com

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