News Release
January 25,
2013
Reference: Vince Casilihan
Karapatan-Bikol
"Not a day more!"
Vince Casilihan of
Karapatan-Albay has this to press for as regards the recent damaging by USS
Guardian of World Heritage Site Tubbataha Reef on January 17. "And we do
not only mean that the destructive warship has to be removed from the protected
area and its commanders punished in no time. Patriotic and
environmentally-concerned Bikolanos demand that no less than the Visiting
Forces Agreement has to go," Casilihan clarifies.
As Karapatan leads a
protest action in front of the Pinaglabanan Monument in Legazpi City today at
9am, Casilihan expresses the organization’s anxieties. He bewails that each
single moment that the government pays no heed to various sectors’ clamor to
repeal the VFA, the danger of US military equipment and machinery smashing into
Philippine territory heightens at a recurrent basis. Casilihan said, “Within just under two weeks,
Philippine sovereignty has been trampled by the US military, what with the US
Navy drone recovered in Masbate in January 6, and just recently the trespassing
of the USS Guardian in Philippine waters. Who knows what other US military
vessel or aircraft will come crashing in the next days?”
The VFA allows, among others, unhampered
mobility for US troops, and has for more than a decade served damaging to the
people’s interests. According to Casilihan, news reports, as well as accounts
from people’s organizations, have exposed far-reaching transgressions of US armed
forces. “Their Balikatan exercises and covert military operations have killed
civilians and have damaged homes and properties. They dump their waste into our
waters, clouded our skies with their drones, and have now rammed into our
protected reefs. VFA destroys not just human life but also spoils the
environment. The people have nothing to gain from this hideous VFA – at the
very least not the fishermen who persist on the ecosystem replenished by
Tubbataha Reef,” elaborates Casilihan.
Moreover, Karapatan-Bikol reiterates
PNoy’s servility to US interests. Casilihan protests PNoy’s lackluster attitude
in confronting US authorities on the latter’s violation of Philippine laws. “PNoy
the ultimate puppet salivates on the World’s No. 1 Bully’s US$ 30M military aid
that he is oblivious to the insolence of the US Navy,” Casilihan asserts. He deplores how despite warnings by Philippine
officials to USS Guardian that it has entered a restricted area, US Navy
commanders aboard were disrespectful of this and instead proceeded with
impunity. And to this, PNoy turns a blind eye.
In closing, Casilihan accentuates
the primacy of VFA’s abolition. According to him, not only US arrogance brought
about by a decade of VFA would be done away with, and the environment be
protected. “Not only would we be free from US military encroachment, but most
of all, Philippine sovereignty – our dignity as a people – shall be ennobled,”
concludes Casilihan. ###
No comments:
Post a Comment