Former House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Executive Vice President Carlos Zarate today issued a strong condemnation of the unprovoked US bombing of Iran, warning that this “reckless act risks escalating the ongoing conflict” in the Middle East, which was instigated by Israel’s aggressive policies.
Zarate said that this “unwarranted military aggression will not only destabilize the region further but also have severe repercussions for the Philippines, particularly in driving up global oil prices and exacerbating economic hardships for ordinary Filipinos.”
Zarate denounced the US airstrikes as a “dangerous provocation that could spiral into a wider regional war, further entangling global powers in a conflict with catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The US action, he said, “undermines on diplomatic solutions and violate international law.”
The bombing threatens to disrupt oil supplies from the Middle East, leading to skyrocketing fuel prices, Zarate warned. “This would burden Filipino consumers already struggling with inflation, increasing transportation costs, and the prices of basic goods.”
Zarate also criticized the US for its double standards, condemning its “history of military interventions under the guise of counterterrorism while ignoring the root causes of instability, including Israel’s occupation and aggression in the region, particularly in Palestine.”
“With this clearly wag-the-dog move, the Trump administration is placing humanity’s future in clear and present danger,” Zarate said.
He urged the Philippine government to take a “firm, independent stance against foreign military aggression and to prioritize diplomatic solutions through the United Nations.”
Zarate also called on the Marcos, Jr. administration to “prioritize now the putting in place of economic safeguards that will mitigate the impact of rising oil prices on vulnerable sectors, like reversing the government’s largely pro-importation policy and fully develop our local industries.”
“We need a global and collective resistance against militarism as clearly these wars are driven by foreign powers and only bring suffering to civilians while enriching arms manufacturers and corporate interests,” Zarate said. #
