Dr. Carol P. Araullo, chair of the progressive multisectoral alliance Bayan, has this to say about the issue of renewed US military presence in the country, an issue which rightly comes out as the world marks the 7th anniversary of 9/11:

It all sounds clean and aboveboard: the US oozes with altruism for a long-time ally and the Philippines is the lucky beneficiary of this no-strings-attached, we’re-just-doing-our-bit-for-world-peace mission of the lone Superpower and Global Policeman. However, in the light of historical and current world events such as the US-instigated wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is much too good to be true.

Carol urges everyone to re-examine the issue and check whether US military presence has served Phiilppine interests, and rightly so because there’s such a thing as a constitutional ban on foreign military presence in the country. To be specific, the Constitution states in Section 25 Article 18 that:

After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning military bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.

What the Arroyo administration brandishes to justify continued US military presence is the Visiting Forces Agreement which governs the so-called military exercises between Filipino and US troops. But it seems that US military presence has become a mainstay in the country, abetted by the Arroyo administration’s rank opportunism (to lick Uncle Sam’s ass just to keep good graces with Washington) and its congenital refusal to abide by and respect the Constitution. Right now, no one in the Arroyo government knows exactly how many US troops are the in the country and where exactly they are visiting or holding camp.

A former Navy colonel has been critical to US military presence and explained it in detail here and here.

What is dangerous now is that Filipinos have reported sightings of US troops in conflict areas in Mindanao.

Whether renewed US military presence in the form of “war games” and concrete presence in Mindanao have contributed to gaining peace and security or to better equipping the Philippine military is an issue that we all have to confront, and is for the Senate to assess. The country has been asked to give up its sovereignty and territorial integrity to let these foreign troops in, but all we’ve got in return is the rape of “Nicole” and being branded as part of “the second front in the war on terror”.

The only difference between now and pre-1991 Philippines is that in the latter we could see actual US military bases. Now, there are no more such installations because the US military has for a base the minds and hearts of our colonial government.