Press Release from Senate of the Philippines 14th Congress
January 11, 2009
Opposition Senator Chiz Escudero today cautioned the government to stick to humanitarian missions alone of the 2009 RP-US Balikatan military exercises in the Bicol provinces in April this year.
The Balikatan exercises have been arranged for engineering and medical missions in the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon.
While Escudero, Senate Committee Chairman of Justice and Human Rights said the aim of the Balikatan exercises would benefit many locals, especially those who have been severely affected by disasters in previous years, he remains wary of other agenda that may be concealed from the public.
“Our government better make sure that this exercise will adhere to the terms it has been devoted to and not use it as front for other endeavors that may antagonize and stir indifference from various sectors.”
Escudero, for one refers to the insurgency problem in the Bicol region with New People’s Army on the other end of the government concerns.
While the senator admits that the insurgency problem in Bicol still persists and needs to be addressed in all fronts, he said the government should keep external forces out of this matter.
“The Balikatan should avoid at all cost any intervention that may straddle in our internal affairs. The insurgency issue in Bicol, and in any part of the country for that matter, remains the national government’s concern and responsibility. Any outside force touching it meddles with our sovereignty”.
The senator also cautioned US soldiers joining the exercises to conduct themselves in the true manner of an officer and a gentleman and adhere to the laws governing the country and its people.
“The Balikatan should not leave any single Filipino disadvantaged in any form or manner. Both sides should make sure that they finish the exercises without any untoward incidents”.
Escudero, who is a Bicolano himself also appealed to all locals and the armed sectors of the province to let the military humanitarian mission proceed peacefully.
“Let no one antagonize any one. If this mission is really for medical and engineering endeavors, let us not get in the way of helping our fellowmen who have suffered from the devastation of previous disasters.”###
This is a good measure to address the insurgency problem in Bicol.
ReplyDeleteComment on Romeo Leo's post:
ReplyDeleteHindi naman po talaga lingid sa ating kaalaman na balatkayo lamang ang pagpapalabas na "humanitarian mission" ang US-RP 09 Balikatan. Pero, paano po naging 'good measure to address the insurgency problem' ito?
Base sa karanasan sa Mindanao at kahit sa ibang bansa, kakambal lagi ng Balikatan exercises o kahit anong counter-insurgency campaigns ang Human Rights Violatins. Tiyak madadagdagan nanaman ang bilang ng mga biktima, na hanggang nga sa kasalukuyan ay hindi pa mabigyan ng justice.
Mas lalo rin itong magpapataas sa prostitusyon sa Bicol. Hindi pa nga nabibigyan ng justice si Nicole, baka magkaroon ng next Nicole dito sa atin.
Sa tingin ko, nagbibigay sila ng maling solusyon sa problema. Bakit nga ba talaga may insurgency, bakit may NPA? Kapag hindi na-address ang root cause ng problema, hindi maaalis sa prob.
At siguro wala namang a-'aray' kung walang nasasaktan. Wala naman sigurong magrereklamo kung wala namang dapat na i-reklamo. At wala rin naman sigurong mag-aarmas ng sarili, lalaban sa gobyerno at mag-aalay ng buhay kung hindi nakakaranas ng matinding oppression at kahirapan talaga.
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ReplyDeleteComment on Romeo Leo's post:
ReplyDeleteTo agree that Balikatan in Bicol is a good measure to address the insurgency problem is a manifestation that you yourself strongly believe that the US-RP Balikatan will not just do engineering and medical missions rather they will intervene in the insurgency problem of the region.
Alam mo sa sarili mo Mr. Romeo Leo na hindi lamang mapagpanggap na kawang gawa ang ibibigay ng US-RP 09 BALIKATAN. Nalalaman mo na kaakibat ng mga 'humanitarian missions' ay makikialam ang US sa internal na problema ng bansa. Hindi ba't dapat ka pang mabahala dahil sa ito'y isang manipestasyon na walang kakayahan ang ating gobyerno na ayusin ang mga internal na problema ng ating bansa, na hindi nito kayang tugunan ang pangangailangan natin!
Ang Balikatan ay usapin na maraming sakop,
hindi lamang ito umiikot sa usapin ng insurhensya... bagkos, nagmumula ito sa mga karanasan ng bawat tao, bawat lugar na nakaranas ng BALIKATAN. Karamihan sa mga lugar na napaglunsaran ng BALIKATAN ay tumaas ang bilang ng "Human Rights Violation". Tama si Anne Gomez ng sabihin niyang tataas ang bilang ng prostitusyon sa Bicol dahil sa Balikatan,at kakabit din nito ang pagkakaroon ng mga "sexually transmitted disease" kagaya ng AIDS, STD, SIPHILIS at iba pa. Walang kasiguraduhan na hindi mauulit sa isa sa ating kababayan na Bicolana ang panggagahasang nangyari kay nicole lalo't walang kasiguraduhan na walang malalabag na karapatan ng kahit isa man sa atin ang US-RP 09 BALIKATAN. Ang existensya ng Balikatan ay isa ng paglabag sa ating soberanya.
Alamin at Usisain mo pa sana ang tunay na mga 'dahilan' ng US-RP 09 BALIKATAN sa Bicol'.