Bayan: Anti-VFA campaign will intensify
Fishers protesting Obama backing for pact
By Erika Tapalla
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:43:00 03/15/2009
Filed Under: Foreign affairs & international relations, Military,Treaties & International Organisations, Protest
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan, New Patriotic Alliance) vowed to step up its campaign against the Visiting Force Agreement, a day after US President Barack Obama called up President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, supposedly to affirm his country’s commitment to the controversial pact.
Bayan secretary general chided Arroyo who, he said, “missed a rare opportunity to speak out for national interest. She did not even raise the issue of rape victim Nicole and the custody of convicted rapist Daniel Smith. The interest of justice was again set aside in favor of upholding unequal ties with the US.”
Reyes was referring to the continuing controversy over the detention of Smith, a rape convict, at the US embassy instead of a Philippine jail.
Bayan also accused Obama for continuing the policies of his predecessor George W. Bush.
“Mr. Obama’s call to Arroyo does not show any departure from the Bush policy of US intervention in other countries through military agreements like the VFA. This is not the change that people expect from the Obama administration. He’s giving us more of the same Bush ‘war on terror’ rhetoric,” Reyes said.
“Obama, who is also a lawyer, seems to be unaware the that the VFA was not even ratified by the US Senate and is not even enforceable in the US given the US Supreme Court decision in Medellin vs. Texas,” Reyes added.
Bayan said Obama’s support for the controversial agreement will “challenge oppositors to further expose the real US agenda in the VFA.”
Bayan’s US chapter and Gabriela USA are conducting a petition campaign addressed to Obama, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Senate Foreign Relations chairman John Kerry, House Foreign Affairs chairman Howard Berman and House Appropriations chair Barbara Lee.
The US petition started last week and is part of an international campaign to pressure the US government to scrap the VFA, pull out American troops stationed in the Philippines, terminate military aid and turn over Smith to Philippine authorities.
In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Reyes said "We plan to take it to Capitol Hill and the White House."
A protest action in the Philippines is set on March 21, the anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, where protesters will be calling on the US to pull out its troops from Iraq and the Philippines.
On Monday, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya, National Forces of the Fishers' Movement of the Philippines) will take its protest against Obama’s support for the VFA to the seas off the Bicol region, where Philippine and US troops will be holding joint military exercises.
In a statement issued Sunday, Pamalakaya information officer said their regional affiliate Lakas ng Mangingisda ng Bicol (Lambat-Bicol, Forces of the Bicol Fishers), the Ban Balikatan and Bayan-Bicol chapter will launch the fluvial protest, participated in by 30 boats, from San Roque town Albay, around 8 a.m., and sail to the Legazpi City pier where a rally will be held against the VFA and Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises..
Similar fluvial protests have been scheduled in Sorsogon and Masbate, Pamalakaya said.
Salvador France, Lambat-chairperson and Pamalakaya vice chairman for Luzon, said they were disappointed by Obama’s assurance to Arroyo that the US would stand by the VFA and praising the Philippines’ counterterrorism efforts.
“This is [a] plain and simple case of same dog, new collar syndrome,” France said.
“This region wide Bangkaan laban sa Balikatan exercises (Boats against the Balikatan exercises) will be the Bicolano fisherfolk’s expression of outrage against this undeniable intervention and war of aggression by US military troops under the camouflage of Balikatan exercises,” Corpuz said.
I myself is against the Visiting forces Agreement, Why did you ask? First of all I am a Filipino citizen I mean who wants his/her home to be invaded by outsiders who has no idea of the country’s national interest. I believe that VFA is a way of invading a state’s sovereignty. I understand that Pres. Arroyo had to choose between risking the country’s security and giving strangers the permission to invade our home and the hope of economic development by siding the Hegemond. I observed that Pres. Arroyo was an economist so in some way her decision may be right but I believe that as the article above mentioned that it was out of our country’s national interest. My fear was if she refused we may be like Iraq. I hate to admit it but the US has great power to interfere in conflicts.
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