“When Camp O’ Donnel was built, they drove away the Aetas. Now they (US and Philippine military) are expanding, and they are once again driving away Aetas.” – Edwin Danan, Central Luzon Aeta Association
Balikatan wargames expose us to constant dangers from live ammunition, unexploded ordnances, toxic by-products and from being targeted in war by US enemies.
Military trainings to develop interoperability are crucial for the US, especially when it is about to drag an ally to start or join its war. Also, military exercises such as Balikatan plays a role in US sales of arms.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Relying on US as treaty “partner” has not helped the Philippines to develop its own military capability; it is also not expected to be of help in engaging China militarily.
Sidebar: Opposition mounts as US increases military aid, sends nuclear submarine to Subic
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
The US-Philippines Balikatan exercises are also a bane against the environment.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Deceptions and misnomers cover the arrival, stay and conduct of US troops in the Philippines, as noted by progressive and patriotic groups who questioned, too, the very pretexts being used to expand US military presence in the country and in the region.
By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com See Also: Soldiers maul protesters of US-RP military exercises Euphemisms increase with US military expansion MANILA -- ‘Hypocrite,’ ‘shameless,’ ‘treacherous,’ ‘puppet.’ These are just some of the descriptions hurled at Philippine...
By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA – Members of progressive youth groups Anakbayan and Gabriela Youth were assaulted in Maguindanao by unidentified military elements on Friday, April 13, during their protest at Camp Siongco where the 6th Infantry Division of the...
Daybreak rally, protest caravans greet US-RP Balikatan exercises (Photo by Maybelle Gormate)
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star In the past two days, I attended two similar but distinct commemorations, at UP Diliman on Tuesday and at Club Filipino yesterday. The events celebrated the 20th anniversary of the historic act by the...
By RONALYN V. OLEA
“No matter how US Ambassador Harry Thomas tries to sugarcoat the Balikatan exercises, it is nothing but massive counterinsurgency operations by US troops in Philippine soil.” – League of Filipino Students
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Farmers groups said the presence of more military forces in the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, which the farmers are claiming, will result in more human-rights violations against civilians. They also said that farmers will be facing renewed threats of eviction.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
After experiencing heavy deployment of AFP troops, the peasants of Hacienda Luisita are bracing for the entry of US troops who would be conducting 'trainings' inside the hacienda.
By GERMELINA LACORTE / Davao Today
Cardeno’s unexplained death while working for the US troops in February and the death of the Philippine Army officer a month later have renewed calls among militant groups to junk the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the US and the Philippines.
Various progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan on Friday staged a torch march in Davao City to demand justice for Gregan Cardeño, a Filipino interpreter who was found dead inside US troops’ barracks in Marawi City. The group also demanded for the immediate pull-out of the US troops in the country.
By JOAN GARCIA
The claim of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that it has achieved victory in the Ilocos provinces did not make the human rights situation there any better.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye’s statement last week calling on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s opponents and critics to refrain from making a political issue out of the Subic rape case misses the whole point — that the rape of a Filipina by visiting U.S. troops...
By RONALYN V. OLEA
The Supreme Court’s (SC) recent resolution upholding with finality the constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) sends a wrong message to victims of US atrocities, warned a Mindanao coalition.
News Release March 3, 2010 The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and the Junk VFA Movement today warned that controversies will continue to hound the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement despite the final ruling of the Supreme Court upholding its...
By ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
The Ilocos Region, particularly the two Ilocos provinces, is the main focus of a “humanitarian assistance” operation and this year’s upcoming Balikatan military exercises between US and Philippine troops.
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