Balikatan 2000:
Intensified militarization in Central Luzon

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Massive military exercises involving American troops and soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dubbed "Balikatan 2000" are being used as an excuse to further militarize Central Luzon.

The region has turned into a virtual garrison with the influx since the last week of January of 2,380 American troops from US military bases in Okinawa, Japan and the Pacific Command in Hawaii who have come to participate in the war games along with 2,383 AFP troops.

The exercises to be held until March will be conducted mainly at the former US military bases in Clark (Pampanga) and Subic (Zambales) and at an AFP camp in Fort Magsaysay, Laur, Nueva Ecija. Naval exercises will also be held in Cavite and Palawan.

Faced with the people's open and intense opposition to Balikatan, AFP officials and soldiers have been scrambling to ensure the safety of the US troops. More than a month before Balikatan was held, the AFP launched operations to "clear" the region for the war games.

A massive military operation was conducted along the Zambales-Pampanga-Bataan border from December 4 to December 23 in flagrant violation of the Christmas ceasefire declared by the Estrada regime. Led by the 7th ID, a company from the Special Action Forces (under a Major Marzan) plus troops of the 24th IB, 68th IB, 69th IB, 71st IB, Division Training Unit, 703rd Bde and the Intelligence Service of the AFP combed through the mountains and foothills of San Marcelino and San Felipe in Zambales; Dinalupihan, Bataan; and Floridablanca, Lubao and Porac in Pampanga. Part of the operation involved putting to the torch hundreds of houses and the mass arrests and mauling of Aetas.

Hunger also plagued Aetas in Sitio Palis, Baytan and Maquisquis inside the Loob Bunga resettlement area in Botolan, Zambales after a food blockade was imposed by Philippine Army troops in the last week of February. Hundreds of Aeta families were also forced to evacuate their homes in Sitio Tarukan, Barangay Sta. Ana, Capas, Tarlac because of their proximity to the Crow Valley bombing and gunnery range, which was used as a training site.

In a related incident, residents of Talisayin, San Antonio, Zambales fled their village after it was hit by a bomb when naval exercises were held nearby in February.

Meanwhile, even ordinary hawkers and consumers in the vicinity of Clark in Angeles City are being subjected to stringent measures by authorities.

The ferocity of attacks by the AFP is clearly intended to secure the safety of its imperialist masters. We must thoroughly oppose and condemn the AFP's unbridled use of fascist violence against the people and its rabid puppetry to the US.

January 2000
English Edition

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