Fisherfolk group to Duterte: Practice what you preach; rescind VFA, MDT and EDCA
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya-Pilipinas) challenges President Rodrigo Duterte to transform his words against the United States into a significant actions by abrogating the unequal military treaties like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
President Duterte said last Monday that U.S. Forces in Mindanao must go for they are the target of the terrorist groups operating in the country.
For its part, the fisherfolk group said not only in Mindanao the U.S. forces must go, but all its forces operating in different parts of the archipelago including the newly-five agreed military locations under EDCA.
“Not just the U.S. forces are the target of terror attacks but it’s a threefold blow to the ordinary Filipino civilians who always serve as collateral damage of America’s unjust and absurd war against its own-instigated terrorism. With the U.S. military presence in the country, we will always be the ground zero of Uncle Sam’s state enemies,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya Chairperson said in a statement.
Pamalakaya also reiterated its statement that U.S. is the biggest threat to the peaceful resolution with China whom we have a dispute over West Philippine Sea.
“Beijing increases its military presence in the disputed sea because they are threatened with the U.S. military presence in the region. Instead of having a peaceful conclusion with China through diplomatic and bilateral talks, White House continues to interfere, making the situation even worse,”
“We welcome President Duterte’s anti-imperialist stance but such thing should not remain a posture, he should completely cut all the one-sided economic and military ties with the U.S. and pursue a genuine independent Philippine foreign policy that will truly uphold and protect our national sovereignty and national interest,” Hicap ended. ###
