PESANTE NEWS

Sept. 15, 2009



US involved in anti-NPA operations in Mindanao and elsewhere--Ka Oris/NDF MIndanao

September 14, 2009

Los Angeles--The Pesante News gathered today from news sources that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is deceiving the Filipino people when it claims that US soldiers based in the Philippines are not engaged in operations against the New People's Army (NPA). NDF-Mindanao spokesperson Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos said this in reaction to a statement by AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Jr. denying US troops' involvement in anti-NPA operations.

Pesante News said that Ka. Oris, NDF-Mindanao spokesoerson said that "Brawner is a flunky of the US military. He is an apologist for US military intervention. Just like his superiors in the AFP and the Arroyo regime, he praises the US military for permanently stationing its troops in the Philippines even if it violates Philippine sovereignty,"

Madlos further said that US soldiers have been involved in operations against the NPA for several years now. The 600-strong Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) under the US Pacific Command has been stationed in the Philippines since 2002 and is involved in "counterinsurgency" operations.

The NDF stated that fearing charges of violating its own constitution, Philippine government officials have repeatedly lied and insisted that US soldiers are not engaged in combat operations.

War by Proxy

Madlos explained that "The real aim of US military intervention in the Philippines is to wage counterrevolutionary war against the patriotic and revolutionary forces. The strategic objective is to defeat the Filipino people's revolutionary armed forces by using the AFP as proxy."

Madlos revealed that in May last year, at least four American soldiers set up their own office inside a tactical command post run by the AFP's 1003rd Brigade in Barangay Ngan, Compostela, Compostela Valley during a massive anti-NPA operation covering the entire province.

He added that American soldiers participating in Balikatan joint military exercises in Bicol last April were embedded in Philippine Army units engaged in counter-guerrilla operations. On April 15, an American soldier embedded in a unit of the AFP's 9th Infantry Division was wounded in an encountered with an NPA unit in Barangay Baras, Esperanza, Masbate. Seven days later, at least two US troopers were embedded in a platoon of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion that fought with an NPA unit in Barangay Lourdes, Barcelona, Sorsogon.

US troops have repeatedly encroached into guerrilla fronts in Ilocos-Cordillera, Central Luzon, Quezon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Panay and elsewhere, using the Balikatan exercises and so-called humanitarian missions as camouflage. They set up electronic surveillance equipment, deploy troops and fly remote-controlled drones to carry out social and terrain mapping and establish a foothold in these areas.

"The NDF-Mindanao joins the Filipino people in condemning US military intervention and permanent basing in the Philippines," said Madlos. "We urge all patriots to exert all possible efforts to expose US military interventionism and expel American troops from Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines."

Reference:

Information Bureau

NDF Mindanao