Nationalist groups expressed outrage against surveillance activities by the United States (US) on Philippine soil, demanding that the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government explain the extent of ongoing intelligence actions by a foreign power in local territory.
Following the crash of a US spy plane in Maguindanao del Sur earlier this week, the group P1NAS asked if the Americans are still waging their so-called ‘war on terror’ in the Philippines and who are they targeting.
“Are they monitoring Filipino organizations and communities that resist U.S. imperialist control?”P1NAS spokesperson and ACT Teachers’ Partylist nominee Antonio Tinio asked.
“We demand full transparency on this incident and a halt to all U.S. military operations on Philippine soil,” Tinio added.
The US Indo-Pacific Command announced on its Facebook page a U.S. Department of Defense spy-craft crashed in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur last February 6.
“The aircraft was providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of our Philippine allies. The incident occurred during a routine mission in support of U.S.-Philippine security cooperation activities,” said.
The command added that four personnel on board were killed, including one U.S. military service member and mercenaries.
A carabao was killed when the spy plane crashed on rice fields adjacent to a community.
The Philippine National Police said the remains of those killed have already been taken by a “chinook” helicopter presumably operated by the mercenary group contracted by the US military.
Probe US espionage presence
Former Bayan Muna Congressman Carlos Isagani Zarate called for an immediate and thorough investigation of the crash, raising serious concerns about unauthorized American surveillance operations and the presence of mercenaries in Philippine territory.
“We demand a congressional inquiry into this incident. Why is there active US intelligence surveillance in our country, particularly in Mindanao, involving so-called ‘defense contractors’ who are essentially mercenaries?” Zarate questioned.
Zarate pointed out the alarming pattern of foreign military presence in Philippine territory.
“First, we have supposed Chinese spies, and now we have American mercenaries. China and the US are clearly making the Philippines the primary theater of their war games in the region. If the Marcos government, investigated the supposed Chinese spies, then they should probe this all the more,” he said.
“This incident raises serious questions about our sovereignty and the true nature of US military activities in our country. Are they operating US bases in Mindanao? Are these bases violating the constitutional ban on foreign troops, bases and facilities absent a treaty? We need answers, and we need them now,” Zarate asked.
Meanwhile, House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas also denounced US military surveillance operations, calling it a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty.
“The crash incident has exposed the alarming truth about unauthorized US military surveillance activities in Mindanao. These operations, along with the presence of military contractors, represent a serious breach of our national sovereignty. Panghihimasok ito ng US sa ating internal affairs,” Brosas said.
She pointed out that these operations are being conducted under the guise of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which have effectively turned parts of Mindanao into unofficial US military outposts.
“We demand full transparency about these surveillance operations and call for an immediate congressional inquiry. Hindi dapat payagan ng gobyerno ang mga dayuhang pwersa na mag-surveillance sa ating teritoryo,” Brosas said.
“These military agreements have only served to strengthen US military presence in the Philippines while undermining our national sovereignty,” the Makabayan Coalition Senate aspirant asserted.
Brosas said they will be filing a House Resolution calling for an investigation on these unauthorized US surveillance operations and the presence of military contractors in Mindanao.
“Hindi pwedeng hayaan na lang natin ang ganitong lantarang panghihimasok sa ating teritoryo,” she said. | via kodao.org
This article Nationalists demand probe on US espionage after spy-plane crash was first originally published in kodao.org.
