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Vol. IV,  No. 36                                October 10 - 16, 2004                       Quezon City, Philippines


 





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Davao Execs, Residents Call U.S. Consulate a Spy Post

If the U.S. government were to assess what happened last Oct. 6 in Davao City, the conclusion will be obvious: The U.S. is not welcome there.

By JETTY AYOP-OHAYLAN
Bulatlat

DAVAO CITY – Visiting this city to launch the U.S. Virtual Consulate at the Marco Polo Hotel last Oct. 6, U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone was greeted with protest action by some 1,000 activists. Led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance), the protesters were joined by local government officials and city residents.

Jepiie Ramada, spokesperson of Bayan-Davao, said the Virtual Consulate “is just one of the strategies of the United States to push its economic and political interest in the island of Mindanao.” Citing the experience of the former Soviet Union during the Cold War, he said that the consulate could be used as intelligence post by the U.S.

But Ricciardone debunked the claim of the militants, saying that the consulate was “only a tool for better communication.” He added that the opening of the virtual consulate in Davao “means someone will be paying specific attention to Davao City.”

Cold welcome for the U.S. troops

A number of city executives supported the militants’ call to resist U.S. intervention in Mindanao.

During the protest, Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad gave a solidarity message while Councilor Jimmy Dureza read the resolution of the Davao City Council opposing the continued joint U.S.-R.P. war exercises known as Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder).

The Manifesto for Peace, signed by all members of the Association of Barangay Captains in the city, was also read. Although still in Malaysia, City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte sent his all-out support to the protest action. Bulatlat

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