Editorial:
Macapagal-Arroyo�s puppetry intensifies

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

The Macapagal-Arroyo regime has already begun stepping up the next measures to expand and raise the level of military intervention by the US and tighten the latter�s control over the country�s economy and politics. The US-Macapagal-Arroyo regime is now scrambling to immediately implement changes in Philippine laws and policies to further serve imperialist interests in the country.

The US pushed for the approval of the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) even before the termination of Balikatan 02-1 to ensure the permanent presence of American troops in the country.

US State Secretary Colin Powell is set to make a stopover in the Philippines on August 2 to ratify the MLSA and draft new plans for the deployment of American troops in the Philippines and the extension of military support to the Macapagal-Arroyo regime. To make sure the agreement is signed, Macapagal-Arroyo booted out Vice President Teofi sto Guingona as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Guingona had openly opposed the MLSA as well as other policies and agreements that legalized US military intervention and blind compliance with the �anti-terrorist war� whose targets included even the revolutionary forces.

Under the MLSA, American troops will have greater liberty to enter and leave any part of the Philippines anytime they want. It will allow the US to set up facilities to store supplies, equipment and arms, including nuclear weapons. Thus, the US can more effectively use the Philippines as a staging point for military actions in the Asia-Pacific and other areas of the globe.

There are also harried efforts to implement the following points of unity in order to step up US operations and military intervention in the Philippines:

• launching joint �counter-terrorism� operations in northern, central and southern Luzon that will last nine months (from October to June 2003);
• training in Zamboanga City of up to four Light Reaction Companies from the US Pacific Command;
• continued presence of 160 American troops in Basilan beyond July 31;
• integration of US soldiers in combat operations on the company level or below;
• continuation of �civic action� ostensibly to ensure the effectivity of military cooperation between the US and the Philippines.

These points were agreed upon by Macapagal-Arroyo and US President George W. Bush themselves as far back as November 2001. Modifications and details were hammered out during the Mutual Defense Board meeting in June.

Even as US armed intervention is being stepped up in the Philippines, the US is also thoroughly pushing the complete opening of the country�s economy in the form of amendments to the reactionary constitution and the eradication of provisions on the protection of the national patrimony.

In a statement on July 15, US ambassador to the Philippines Frank Ricciardone outrightly said that it was the US� desire to dismantle whatever remaining legal protection there was for local businesses such as the 40% cap on foreign capitalization and the prohibition of foreigners from owning land.

In response, Macapagal-Arroyo shamelessly supported Ricciardone and pushed for the implementation of laws and policies to conform to his demands.

Behind macapagal-arroyo�s brazen puppetry to us imperialism is her desire to secure US support for the 2004 elections.

Such unparalleled puppetry is also behind Macapagal- Arroyo�s rapid isolation from the people and threats to her power. This early, Macapagal-Arroyo suffers continuous blows from the people�s resistance to every scheme that further oppresses the Philippine economy, tramples on the country�s sovereignty and impoverishes the Filipino people.

August 2002
English Edition

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