Guingona booted out of DFA for opposing Balikatan
Conflicts between Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice-President Teofisto Guingona Jr. once more came to the fore when Guingona announced on July 2 that he was finally resigning as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) effective July 15. Guingona did not deny that he was being made to resign because of his continued opposition to the Macapagal-Arroyo regime�s policies that advocate US military intervention and violate Philippine sovereignty, including Balikatan and the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA).
Prior to this, Guingona was already against distorting the provisions of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to rationalize the long-term presence of American troops in the country. He also opposed a provision in the trilateral "anti-terrorist agreement" among the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia on May 7 because it broadly defined "terrorism" to include "threats to the stability, territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty of independent states". Guingona said that this encompassed even revolutionary groups and would obstruct the peace talks with them. He asked how peace talks could be pursued if the other party were considered "terrorist". Macapagal-Arroyo, however, insisted on approving the accord and ordered DILG Sec. Jose Lina to sign it because Guingona refused to do so.
Guingona�s conflicts with Macapagal-Arroyo deepened when he likewise opposed the MLSA. The latter allows the US to set up facilities in the Philippines to store weapons and other military equipment and supplies. The MLSA was secretly signed by Macapagal- Arroyo and US Pres. George Bush last year; they now plan to formalize the agreement.
Sen. Blas Ople has accepted Macapagal-Arroyo�s offer for him to replace Guingona at the DFA.
Ople and Macapagal-Arroyo have a history of collaboration in pushing pro-imperialist "globalization". When they were both senators, they co-authored the law approving the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that resulted in the Philippines� membership in the World Trade Organization and the country�s subjection to its policies that favor foreign interests. Although Ople was the main author, it was Macapagal-Arroyo who took over and led in pushing GATT when Ople fell ill. In turn, Macapagal-Arroyo avidly supported Ople in his proposed ratification of the VFA.
Macapagal-Arroyo�s other objective in giving the DFA portfolio to Ople, a member of the opposition, is to deprive the opposition of a crucial vote in the Senate. Ople has pretensions of not being an opportunist and has said that he would be voting with the opposition when the Senate resumes its sessions. But immediately afterwards, he would be transferring to the DFA and the Macapagal-Arroyo camp would resume control of the majority in the senate.
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