Gabriela assails Aquino's Ultra-subservience AFP Modernization Fund Covers Unconstitutional Return of US Military Bases in Subic

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan assailed today plans to make use of the Subic Bay International Airport in joint operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States forces.

“Let’s call a spade a spade and stop pretending otherwise. By all indications, an airport in the Philippines that will be used and occupied by US troops, planes, warships and materiel is a US military base. President Aquino and the AFP should stop trying to cloak this renewed US military intrusion into our national territory and security affairs behind joint military agreements that are in inequitable and unconstitutional in the first place.”

The Gabriela solon further said that with the presence of US military contractor Huntington Ingalls servicing US warships in Subic and the planned utilization of the airport all make for a carefully planned return of US military bases in Subic. “We are back to where we were twenty years ago.”

Ilagan further said that plans to make use of the AFP’s 75B modernization budget for the improvement of the Subic port and air terminal renders the 2013 budget subservient to US dictates and blatantly unconstitutional.

“Masyado naman silang sinuswerte. Pera ng taumbayan ang gagamitin para itayo ang pasilidad nila gayong hindi nga natin sila dapat pinapapasok sa PIlipinas. We will question this even as the House of Representatives gears to get the 2013 budget approved next week,” said Ilagan.

Department of National Defense spokesperson Paul Galvez earlier admitted in a statement that part of the modernization budget covers the use of the Subic port and air terminals. “President Aquino’s display of subservience to US military interests renders him a most obliging puppet that compromises Philippine national sovereignty and security.”#