News Release
Reference: Vince Casilihan
Karapatan-Bikol
January 8, 2013
The recovery of a crashed US drone on the waters of Brgy. Bagahanglad, San
Jacinto, Masbate on January 6 affirms the US imperialists' continuing outright
violation of the country's sovereignty. Vince
Casilihan of Karapatan-Bikol deplores the presence of a US drone on Philippine
territory as "an incursion of the US to spy on the rich natural resources
of the country in its rampage of imperialist plunder." According to Casilihan, the said drone have
most certainly surveyed, at the very least, the lands and seas of Bicol to
provide the US valuable data on rich mineral deposits and other natural assets
of the region for prospective pillage.
Likewise, Karapatan maintains that the incident amplifies the government's
blatant disregard of the Constitution. "For one," Casilihan adds,
"drones such as the one found in Masbate are US military weaponry and are
launched from the US Navy's advanced nuclear-powered warships. The government
clearly violates the Philippine Constitution on provisions in relation to
nuclear weapons, and as regards foreign military troops and facilities."
No less than PNoy himself confirmed that he has allowed US drones to fly
over Philippine territory to conduct reconnaissance flights, telling of his
servility to US dictates on military interventionism. To this, Casilihan prompts the public of
another ominous role of US drones slyly flying Philippine airspace. “Clearly,
these drones are being used to assist in the government's counterinsurgency
campaign Oplan Bayanihan which has been ultimately formidable on the part of
the civilians," he said. "News
reports abroad abound with the ineffectiveness of drones in identifying
legitimate military targets, and PNoy's government is heedless to the
international clamor against drone-led attacks that have essentially targeted
civilians," Casilihan laments.
Moreover, with US Embassy officials quick on denying that the US Navy drone
is being used for spying, Casilihan retorts. "Whom are they fooling?
Drones are otherwise called unmanned aerial vehicles. They are remotely
controlled and have spying capabilities, and Philippine Navy officials at best
are saying that the recovered drone is largely used in reconnaissance," he
clarifies.
With these, Karapatan enjoins all patriotic Bicolanos to condemn the government's
shameless acquiescence of Philippine sovereignty to the US and oppose US
intervention that pervades the Philippine's military affairs. "We have in
the past succeeded in holding back RP-US Balikatan War Exercises in 2009, and
have astoundingly protested the recent Operation Pacific Angel of 2012. Our
continuing fight should be for the abrogation of the VFA and the Mutual Defense
Treaty that are nothing but licenses for the US to ram their guns on the
Filipino people while they despoil our country," concludes Casilihan. ###
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