LFS protests continued US intervention in the Philippines

Members of the militant youth group League of Filipino Students held a lightning rally in front of the US Embassy in Manila in protest of the continued US intervention in the Philippines in part of the commemoration of the 32^nd anniversary of the founding of the LFS last Sept. 11.

Terry Ridon, secretary general of LFS, said that the presence of US troops in the Philippines undermines the supposed sovereignty and independence of the country, even more so if that presence is permanent.

Ridon added that the continued implementation of the Visiting Forces of Agreement (VFA) and other unequal treaties with the US has taken away the victories of decade’s worth of Filipino struggle against US intervention such as the dismantling of US Bases in 1991.

The RP-US VFA is a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and United States. It is consists of two separate agreement documents: the VFA-1 and VFA-2 or the Counterpart Agreement. These documents became effective last May 27, 1999, upon ratification by the Philippine Senate. The US government regards these documents as Executive Agreements not requiring approval by the US Senate. The term VFA is usually used in the Philippines to refer specifically to just the first of these two documents, which has been subject of increasing controversy in the Philippines.

The primary effect of the Agreement is that it allows the US government to retain jurisdiction over US military personnel accused of committing crimes in the Philippines, unless the crimes are of particular importance to the Philippines. This means that for crimes without this significance, the US can refuse to detain or arrest personnel, or may instead prosecute them under US jurisdiction. The Agreement also exempts US military personnel from visa and passport regulations in the Philippines.

The US has at least twice used the Agreement to keep accused military personnel under US jurisdiction. This most recently occurred on January 18, 2006, when the US refused to hand over custody four soldiers accused of rape during the period of their trial in Filipino courts. This has led to unrest amongst many in the Philippines, who believe that the Agreement is one-sided, prejudicial to Filipinos, and a fetter of the sovereignty of the Philippines. The Agreement is seen by some Filipinos as granting immunity from prosecution to US military personnel who commit crimes against Filipinos, and is seen by some as treating Filipinos as seconds class citizens in their own country.

As a result of these issues, the Philippine government has consideres terminating the VFA.

Ridon added that that the people’s battle cry in the anti-bases struggle was down with the US Imperialism and that remains appropriate, if not even more so today.

“After a decade since it was ratified, we ask what the people has gotten out of VFA. The supposed aid that is being given by the US troops in Mindanao service nothing but smokescreen to their intervention in the country. It is nothing if it costs our freedom,” Ridon said.

“As foreign investors continue to crash, they take along with them the livelihood of Filipino workers here and abroad. The recent closure of Intel in Cavite alone has left 1,800 workers without a job and a means to bring food on the table and despite the assurances of the Arroyo government, we know that the worse of the crisis is yet to come,” added Ridon.

Silva affirms LPCRTODA fare hike

Silva affirmed the increase of fare of the tricycle operators of Loreland-Pines City Royale from 12 to 14 pesos beginning Monday, Aug. 17.

"Eh sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, nagdesisyon ang toda na taasan ang presyo ng pamasahe mula sa dose pesos magiging katorse pesos na,” Rene Silva, president of LPCRTODA said. Then he added, “nagcome up kami sa ganito kasi nahihirapan na ang mga drayber.”

This statement of Silva was supported by Sammy Beliver, one of the tricycle operators of LPCRTODA. He said that they don’t have in their hands the decision of the increase of oil price in the market, so as to avoid insolvency, the management must parallel the situation of the service fare to that of the oil price. He also said that it will benefit them more because it will guarantee them further earnings than before.

Meanwhile, a passenger, student as well as a resident of Loreland-Pines City Royale, Ruth de Leon, oppose the decision of the management. She said that her allotted allowance for a day will suffer at this situation because it is only enough for her everyday expenses.

Moment of Truth

Here we are,

in the best years of our lives.

With no way of knowing,

when the wheel'll stop spinning

cause we don'tknow where we're going...

and, here we are, on the best day of our lives.

And it's a go, lets make it last,

so cheers you all to that,

'cause this moment's never comin' back

I used to know her brother,

but I never knew I loved her,

'till the day she laid her eyes on me.

Now I'm jumpin' up and down,

she's the only one around,

and she means every little thing to me

I've got your picture in my wallet,

and your Phone number to call it,

and I miss you more,

Whenever I think about you,.

I've got your mixed tape in my Walkman,

been so long since we've been talkin'

and in a few more days,

we'll both hook up,

forever and ever

And here I am,

on the west coast of America

and I've been tryin' to think for weeks

of all the ways to ask you,

And now, I've brought you to the place,

Where I've poured my heart out,

a million times, for a million reasons,

To offer it to you

I used to know her brother,

but I never knew I loved her,

'till the day she laid hereyes on me.

Now I'm jumpin' up and down,

she's the only one around,

and she means every little thing to me

I've got your picture in my wallet,

and your Phone number to call it,

and I miss you more,

Whenever I think about you,.

I've got your mixed tape in my Walkman,

been so long since we've been talkin'

and in a few more days,

we'll both hook up,

forever and ever

I used to know her brother,

but I never knew I loved her,

'till the day she laid her eyes on me.

Now I'm jumpin' up and down,

she's the only one around,

and she means every little thing to me

I've got your picture in my wallet,

and your Phone number to call it,

and I miss you more,

Whenever I think about you,.

I've got your mixed tape in my Walkman,

been so long since we've been talkin'

and in a few more days,

we'll both hook up,

forever and ever....