Former Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate strongly denounced the reported plan of the United States to construct an ammunition manufacturing and storage facility at the former US Naval Base in Subic, warning that “such a move would not only trample on Philippine sovereignty but would also dangerously turn the country into a potential military target in the escalating geopolitical rivalry in the region.”
“Allowing the US to build an ammunition factory and depot in Subic is a direct affront to our national sovereignty and independence. It will not serve the interest of Filipinos, but will rather make our country a pawn and a battleground for superpower conflicts,” Zarate said.
“Hindi ito para sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino. Ang pagtatayo ng ammunition facility ng US sa ating bansa ay maglalagay sa Pilipinas sa bingit ng kapahamakan—magiging target tayo ng mga kalaban ng Amerika. Ginagawang target at base militar ang Pilipinas, na para bang wala tayong sariling desisyon at dignidad bilang isang bansa,” Zarate stressed.
Zarate noted that the Philippines already has its own Government Arsenal in Bataan. “The Marcos Jr. government should not allow the US even the use or access to this Bataan facility; the country does not need a foreign power to dictate or control its defense capabilities,” he added.
“What the US wants is not to help us, but to use our land as a forward operating base for its own imperial interests in the region,” he explained.
“We challenge the Marcos, Jr. administration to truly assert an independent foreign policy and not once again bow down to US dictates at the expense of our people’s security and sovereignty. The betrayal of the 1991 historic Senate vote that kicked out the US bases from our soil should be stopped, ” Zarate added.
He further warned: “The presence of such an ammo facility will make Subic—and the Philippines as a whole—an active target in any future conflict that the US is involved, especially under the unilateralist and hegemonic foreign policy of the Trump administration. We will be dragged into a dangerous game that will bring nothing but destruction and suffering to our people.”
“Ang kailangan natin ay tunay na soberanya, hindi dagdag na panghihimasok ng dayuhan sa ating bayan. Dapat tutulan ng taumbayan, lalo na ng mga taga Subic at Bataan, ang planong ito. Ipaglaban natin ang ating kalayaan at kapayapaan!” Zarate concluded.#
