THE PREDATOR'S CLAW
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
Editorial of The Fourth Estate, July-August 1998
The year 1998 should be remembered as the Centennial of American Occupation. Looking back at our country's history, on June 12, 1898, the first dictatorial government was established. We were declared independent only from Spain, but not a real independent country, not an independent Republic of the Philippines, but only a protectorate, a colonial state, a daughter country of America. What they have declared a hundred years ago was Declaration of Dependence (instead of Independence). In the Acta de Independencia, what was written is that we were freed from Spain "under the protection of the Mighty and Humane North American Nation". Therefore, we were freed from Spain, only to be brought under the control of the United States. A mere transition of colonial power. Spain transferred their colony in the hands of their colonialist competitor, the US. The US paid the sum of $20M to buy the Philippines. In 1899, the Filipino-American War started. The Filipinos fight a great battle for freedom and sovereignty.
In 1942, Japanese forces occupied the Philippines. It made the US retreat from our country. Only to return after Filipino forces won very battle in the country. The Filipinos fight a great battle for freedom and sovereignty. The Americans snatched the victory from the Filipinos. In 1946, the United States "declared" our independence, but they still control our economy, politics, military and culture. On September 16, 1991, twelve senators made history when they voted against the retention of the United States military bases in the country. The Philippine Senate junked the 1947 Military Bases Agreement (MBA), which resulted in the dismantling of the US Bases. Filipinos yelled in victory after a long, bitter struggle against the US bases. For many Filipinos, the US colonialist rule has ended. The eagle, they said, flew away never to come back. But the predator has returned. If we will not be on-guard, the predator will still prey on his victims.
We are right. The predator is still here. And they are already in our shore waiting to prey its victims. US officials are convincing our Senate to ratify a new treaty which will give them a free hand to rule once more. They call it the Visiting Forces Agreement or VFA.
The VFA clearly states that Americans were given more power and control over the Philippines, while disregarding our right as a sovereign nation. Americans will display again their sophisticated equipment, superior firepower, and fighting prowess with the Filipino soldiers. We should remember that during the Vietnam War, American technological advancement has no match to the fighting skills of the Vietnamese farmers. Yes, farmers. We should also not forget our experiences when the military bases were still here, before our Senate junk the military bases agreement in 1991. Many GI Joes were guilty of raping Filipinas and shooting our countrymen like dogs.
There are some special privileges which the American government will enjoy as stipulated under Article VI and VII, both the Philippine and American government are spared in any claims pertaining to exemplary damages. This is a cruel hoax, this agreement will be implemented in the Philippine soil, therefore all cases should be attunes to any form of damages. How come the Philippine government is not entitled to such lawful claims?!
The 1947 MBA is much better compared to the VFA, because American troops are only limited to their military base and vacation places such as Clark, Subic and Camp John Hay. Under the VFA, the US is free to use the 22 seaports and airports in the country.
The places were they can gain "access" are the following (in alphabetical order): (1) Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; (2) Batangas City, Batangas; (3) Baybay, Leyte; (4) Cagayan de Oro; (5) Calbayog, Samar; (6) Cebu City; (7) Cubi Point, Olongapo; (8) Davao City; (9) Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; (10) Iloilo City; (11) Laoag, Ilocos Norte; (12) Legaspi City, Albay; (13) Lingayen, Pangasinan; (14) Manila; (15) Masbate, Masbate; (16) Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; (17) Romblon, Romblon; (18) Roxas City, Capiz; (19) San Fernando, La Union; (20) Tacloban, Leyte; (21) Tagbilaran, Bohol; and (22) Zamboanga City.
More than freely roaming the country, the US troops can also conduct "military exercises". According to Foreign Affairs Sec. Siazon, we need the VFA so that the Mutual Defense Treaty became more effective. The United States are not even banned in carrying any types of weapons, such as tomahawk missiles, with nuclear warheads.
The MBA has a limited time period, while the VFA has none. Article IX, Duration and Termination, states only the effectivity of the agreement, while the termination is unclearly defined. There's also no limitation on until when and how many US troops can "visit" the country in a specified time. According to Sanlakas, "If this provision is unclear, then we might have one or one to ten million 'visitors' in one to 365 days, or one year!"
Sec. Siazon and Defense Sec. Orly Mercado admitted that national defense is our only gain in the VFA. This argument is so acute because there's no real security threat in our country. The question is to whom and what kind of security is this and why we need this kind of security guard.
Instead of gaining from this security, the VFA might only be a burden to the Philippines. Siazon only has crazy advices such as "trust the ally" or Mercado's "against the terrorists" theory. America has many enemies in the world, and is the prime target of international terrorism. One observer commented, "the VFA is an open invitation for international terrorists". Who looks for the real security measure and looking for a probable ally in the US's military adventurism in the Asia-Pacific? The Americans themselves! Not us. They are the only one who can gain from the VFA, not the Filipinos. But who are the real terrorists? US bombed Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, which displaces more than a hundred breadwinners of most Sudanese families, without proper investigation. The US CIA even published manuals on how to torture prisoners.
Let us think again. 1998 should be remembered as the Centennial of American Occupation of the Philippines, not Philippine Independence, because this was just a mere changing of colonial master, from the Spaniards to the Americans. What the Americans really want is to occupy again our country to make their dreams come true: to have a base in Southeast Asia as part of their expansionist campaign, of building their global empire, of controlling the global market, and of being a global police. Ratifying the VFA means two things: Victory For America, and Victimizing Filipinos Again. Today, the Filipino people, more importantly the Senate, face another crucial decision. Reject the VFA or reject our freedom. Ratifying the VFA means helping America in colonizing us again.
(Sources: Sanlakas' newspaper Maypagasa, BMP's Tambuli, TODAY, Inquirer, Green Left Weekly, reading materials from FLAG and NFPC)
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
Editorial of The Fourth Estate, July-August 1998
The year 1998 should be remembered as the Centennial of American Occupation. Looking back at our country's history, on June 12, 1898, the first dictatorial government was established. We were declared independent only from Spain, but not a real independent country, not an independent Republic of the Philippines, but only a protectorate, a colonial state, a daughter country of America. What they have declared a hundred years ago was Declaration of Dependence (instead of Independence). In the Acta de Independencia, what was written is that we were freed from Spain "under the protection of the Mighty and Humane North American Nation". Therefore, we were freed from Spain, only to be brought under the control of the United States. A mere transition of colonial power. Spain transferred their colony in the hands of their colonialist competitor, the US. The US paid the sum of $20M to buy the Philippines. In 1899, the Filipino-American War started. The Filipinos fight a great battle for freedom and sovereignty.
In 1942, Japanese forces occupied the Philippines. It made the US retreat from our country. Only to return after Filipino forces won very battle in the country. The Filipinos fight a great battle for freedom and sovereignty. The Americans snatched the victory from the Filipinos. In 1946, the United States "declared" our independence, but they still control our economy, politics, military and culture. On September 16, 1991, twelve senators made history when they voted against the retention of the United States military bases in the country. The Philippine Senate junked the 1947 Military Bases Agreement (MBA), which resulted in the dismantling of the US Bases. Filipinos yelled in victory after a long, bitter struggle against the US bases. For many Filipinos, the US colonialist rule has ended. The eagle, they said, flew away never to come back. But the predator has returned. If we will not be on-guard, the predator will still prey on his victims.
We are right. The predator is still here. And they are already in our shore waiting to prey its victims. US officials are convincing our Senate to ratify a new treaty which will give them a free hand to rule once more. They call it the Visiting Forces Agreement or VFA.
The VFA clearly states that Americans were given more power and control over the Philippines, while disregarding our right as a sovereign nation. Americans will display again their sophisticated equipment, superior firepower, and fighting prowess with the Filipino soldiers. We should remember that during the Vietnam War, American technological advancement has no match to the fighting skills of the Vietnamese farmers. Yes, farmers. We should also not forget our experiences when the military bases were still here, before our Senate junk the military bases agreement in 1991. Many GI Joes were guilty of raping Filipinas and shooting our countrymen like dogs.
There are some special privileges which the American government will enjoy as stipulated under Article VI and VII, both the Philippine and American government are spared in any claims pertaining to exemplary damages. This is a cruel hoax, this agreement will be implemented in the Philippine soil, therefore all cases should be attunes to any form of damages. How come the Philippine government is not entitled to such lawful claims?!
The 1947 MBA is much better compared to the VFA, because American troops are only limited to their military base and vacation places such as Clark, Subic and Camp John Hay. Under the VFA, the US is free to use the 22 seaports and airports in the country.
The places were they can gain "access" are the following (in alphabetical order): (1) Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; (2) Batangas City, Batangas; (3) Baybay, Leyte; (4) Cagayan de Oro; (5) Calbayog, Samar; (6) Cebu City; (7) Cubi Point, Olongapo; (8) Davao City; (9) Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; (10) Iloilo City; (11) Laoag, Ilocos Norte; (12) Legaspi City, Albay; (13) Lingayen, Pangasinan; (14) Manila; (15) Masbate, Masbate; (16) Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; (17) Romblon, Romblon; (18) Roxas City, Capiz; (19) San Fernando, La Union; (20) Tacloban, Leyte; (21) Tagbilaran, Bohol; and (22) Zamboanga City.
More than freely roaming the country, the US troops can also conduct "military exercises". According to Foreign Affairs Sec. Siazon, we need the VFA so that the Mutual Defense Treaty became more effective. The United States are not even banned in carrying any types of weapons, such as tomahawk missiles, with nuclear warheads.
The MBA has a limited time period, while the VFA has none. Article IX, Duration and Termination, states only the effectivity of the agreement, while the termination is unclearly defined. There's also no limitation on until when and how many US troops can "visit" the country in a specified time. According to Sanlakas, "If this provision is unclear, then we might have one or one to ten million 'visitors' in one to 365 days, or one year!"
Sec. Siazon and Defense Sec. Orly Mercado admitted that national defense is our only gain in the VFA. This argument is so acute because there's no real security threat in our country. The question is to whom and what kind of security is this and why we need this kind of security guard.
Instead of gaining from this security, the VFA might only be a burden to the Philippines. Siazon only has crazy advices such as "trust the ally" or Mercado's "against the terrorists" theory. America has many enemies in the world, and is the prime target of international terrorism. One observer commented, "the VFA is an open invitation for international terrorists". Who looks for the real security measure and looking for a probable ally in the US's military adventurism in the Asia-Pacific? The Americans themselves! Not us. They are the only one who can gain from the VFA, not the Filipinos. But who are the real terrorists? US bombed Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, which displaces more than a hundred breadwinners of most Sudanese families, without proper investigation. The US CIA even published manuals on how to torture prisoners.
Let us think again. 1998 should be remembered as the Centennial of American Occupation of the Philippines, not Philippine Independence, because this was just a mere changing of colonial master, from the Spaniards to the Americans. What the Americans really want is to occupy again our country to make their dreams come true: to have a base in Southeast Asia as part of their expansionist campaign, of building their global empire, of controlling the global market, and of being a global police. Ratifying the VFA means two things: Victory For America, and Victimizing Filipinos Again. Today, the Filipino people, more importantly the Senate, face another crucial decision. Reject the VFA or reject our freedom. Ratifying the VFA means helping America in colonizing us again.
(Sources: Sanlakas' newspaper Maypagasa, BMP's Tambuli, TODAY, Inquirer, Green Left Weekly, reading materials from FLAG and NFPC)
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