Fr. Santiago “Ka Sanny” Salas, Spokesperson
NDFP Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
12 May 2017
The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today called for the ending of the Balikatan annual joint military exercises of US and Philippine troops, currently in Eastern Visayas, as well as the mercenary tradition of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “The Balikatan does not live up to its name of ‘shoulder to shoulder’ when it should be called ‘under the US,’” said NDF-EV spokesperson Fr. Santiago “Ka Sanny” Salas. “The Filipino troops pay lip service to their country but are in reality subordinated to the US in indocrination, training, equipment and disposition. Their divided loyalties reflect the mercenary tradition of the AFP dating back to the Macabebes and Philippine Scouts that were used by the US to brutally colonize the Philippines.”
Fr. Salas said the Balikatan and the slew of unequal military treaties such as the VFA and EDCA continue to legitimize a foreign aggressor, the US, within the Philippines. “US imperialism relies on the AFP as its most effective instrument to retain control over the Philippines since nominal independence in 1946. The AFP troops are taught to have an unreasoning hatred for “communist terrorists” and to preserve the status quo by suppressing the people’s struggle for national sovereignty and social justice. The US has used the AFP not only against the revolutionary struggles of Filipinos but also abroad in its wars of aggression in Korea, Vietnam and other countries. The US also maintains extra-territorial rights over its military bases and installations formally under the AFP but where even a Filipino general has no genuine say.”
The NDF-EV spokesperson also slammed the pervasive US influence over the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and condemned the appointment of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año as interior secretary, and his predecessor retired Gen. Roy Cimatu, as environment secretary. “The US watches out for its interests through its vast influence in the fascization of the civilian government, not to mention the direct use of the AFP for regime change when necessary as shown in 1986. Patriotic Filipinos are once again aghast at the militarism firmly entrenched in the civilian government since the Marcos dictatorship, with the continuing appointment of Amboy generals from the military to civilian posts. This has come to the fore with the appointment of AFP chief Año as interior and local government secretary and in control of the Philippine National Police, a civilian force. Earlier, another ex-AFP chief, Roy Cimatu, was also appointed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“It goes to show the top AFP officials are also the majordomos of the US who do their master’s bidding to ensure the continuing servility of the Philippine government and ‘business as usual’ for US big business and military suppliers. Moreover, Gen. Año along with Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon have consistently pushed US interests in the Duterte regime and do their utmost to sabotage the NDFP-GRP peace talks.”
Fr. Salas called on the Filipino people as well as patriotic elements in the military to demand the ending of the Balikatan and the mercenary tradition of the AFP. “It is the patriotic duty of the Filipino people to assert national sovereignty and demand the end of the Balikatan and the abrogation of all unequal military treaties with the US. The officers and troops in the AFP should also seriously question their orientation and current conditions, reject their mercenary status and move over to the side of the people. Even while it is impossible to assume the entire AFP will be motivated to make such an about-face, those who do so will surely help hasten the victory of the national democratic struggle of the Filipino people.”
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/statements/20170512-end-the-balikatan-and-the-mercenary-tradition-of-the-afp
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