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Protest greets Xi Jinping visit

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Various groups held a mass action at the Chinese consulate in Makati City last Tuesday (November 20) to denounce the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping as they expressed outrage against the Rodrigo Duterte government for its subservience to the Chinese government.

The Pilipinong Nagkakaisa Para sa Soberanya o P1NAS called Duterte a traitor to the Pilipino people as it pointed out that his government is virtually surrendering Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea to China.

Even after losing in an international tribunal that determined the disputed areas are part of the Philippine exclusive economic zone three years ago, China refuses to recognize the decision  proceeded to militarize some islands.

China’s presence in the area includes so-called “ joint development” schemes with the Duterte government seen as a  weakening of the Philippine claims.

In the said rally, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) expressed concern that Duterte’s economic deals with China may push the Philippines under deeper debt.

In his visit to the Philippines, Xi took home 29 agreements, including an understanding on joint oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea and the construction of mega dams, including the Chico River Pump Irrigation, the New Centennial  Water Source Kaliwa Project, and the Agus-Pulangi Mega Dam project.

Indigenous peoples earlier raised fears that the China-ODA projects will cause their displacement from their lands and livelihood.

“Pawning our lands to an imperialist country like China is a serious crime that may lead to ethnocide,” Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas said. # (Joseph Cuevas)

Activists slam lack of Philippine independence on HINDIpendence event

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Activists braved strong rains to gather at Liwasang Bonifacio to slam the Rodrigo Duterte government’s failure to assert Philippine independence and sovereignty against foreign powers.

Saying the Duterte government is all too willing to offer parts of Philippine territory, the protesters added it is up to the Filipino people to continue the fight for genuine independence.

Speakers from various groups and organizations also presented a litany of Duterte’s crimes against the Filipino people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDJsBM2E6WE

Activists protest RP-US military exercises

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Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other groups, together with Central Luzon organizations, held protest actions against the 34th Balikatan exercises in Clark and Basa air bases last May 8.

The protesters said it is a violation of Philippine sovereignty that foreign military forces continue to exercise power in the country through agreements such as the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

They also demanded that the US military clean up toxic wastes left in their former military bases in Central Luzon.

Activists storm US embassy on 119th Independence Day

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Activist groups from all over the country marched to the United States embassy in Manila on the 119th Philippine Independence Day celebrations to demand for the pull out of foreign soldiers.

Groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said there is no genuine independence in the Philippines as long as foreign intervention is present in the country.

The activists also scored US military presence in the ongoing battle in Marawi City between government troops and ISIS-supported Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups. (Videography by Ivan Dexter Tolentino, Jola Mamangun and Esther Anne Cabrillas / Editing by Jo Maline D. Mamangun) Read more

US intervention in Marawi violates Philippine sovereignty–CPP

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THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today denounced American military presence and “armed interference” in the ongoing operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Marawi City against the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups.

As the battle in Marawi enters its 21st day and as the country commemorates the 119th anniversary of the declaration of independence from Spanish colonialism, the CPP said Philippine independence remains false with American military intervention. Read more

Bayan protest at US Embassy supports Duterte’s ‘independent foreign policy’

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PROGRESSIVE groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) marched to the US Embassy last September 16 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Philippine Senate’s rejection of the extension of the Philippine-United States of America Military Bases Agreement and to support “President Rodrigo Duterte’s independent foreign policy.”

The protest celebrated the 1991 rejection by 12 senators of the agreement despite great pressure exerted by then President Corazon Aquino to the Senate to extend the treaty.

The activists also condemned the current Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement which they say allow American troops to treat the Philippine as their “playground.”

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr said the VFA and EDCA  signed by the US and subsequent Philippine administrations allow offending US troops to escape punishment for their criminal activities in the Philippines.

The Manila District of the Philippine National Police tried to prevent the protesters from reaching Roxas Boulevard but were outwitted when the march split in two and rushed past the hastily assembled police line.

‘No longer a colony’

Duterte had previously emphasized his government’s pursuit of an independent foreign policy from the US.

He recently called out US President Barack Obama on the latter’s reported intention to bring up the issue of human rights violations at their planned meeting in Laos last week.

Duterte also called on US troops to leave Mindanao.

He said he will not allow the US to further meddle into the country’s political and military affairs as it has yet to acknowledge and apologize for atrocities in Mindanao.

Duterte mentioned the massacres of Moros at Bud Dajo and Bud Bagsak during the US occupation of the Philippines which killed thousands of civilians.

Beyond words

Bayan challenged Duterte to take the matter of foreign policy beyond words.

“We support Duterte’s call for the withdrawal of US troops from Mindanao. However, he must go further if he truly wants to pursue an independent foreign policy,” Reyes said.

The group issued a list of demands for a Philippine independent foreign policy, namely:

  • Overturn laws and agreements allowing US troops to stay in the Philippines, specifically the EDCA signed by Benigno Aquino III;
  • End joint military exercises with the US;
  • Stop the country’s dependence on second-hand but expensive military equipment from the US;
  • Probe US’s role in the botched Mamasapano incident in 2015 that resulted in the death of 44 Filipino Special Action Force members;
  • Assert Philippine sovereignty against any US intervention; and
  • Denouncing American-led wars of intervention. # (Report by AL Ayroso / Featured image by Divine C. Miranda)

 

Activists commemorate bases treaty rejection anniversary with protest at US Embassy

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Commemorating the 1991 rejection of a U.S. bases treaty, militant mass organizations stormed the U.S. embassy in Manila on Sep. 16, 2016 to protest the continued presence of American troops under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

They expressed support to Pres. Duterte’s pursuit of an independent foreign policy, which Makabayan President Satur Ocampo said “echoes the Bandung Conference against the imperialist countries.” Read more

PH should assert sovereignty vs China and US – Ibon

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AS THE Philippines claimed victory against China over the West Philippine Sea due to a favorable decision at the arbitral court on sea disputes in The Hague, The Netherlands, research group IBON Foundation urged President Rodrigo Duterte to assert national sovereignty versus China and the United States.

IBON in their 2016 Midyear Birdtalk held at UP Diliman last Saturday said that the real conflict is between the two superpowers China and US.

Read more