Swim-Against-a-US Warship protest barred by Coastguards

April 11, 2008

A huge US warship was surrounded yesterday with local militant group members riding their own make-shift sea crafts with some actually diving into the waters just to show their protest against the presence of the same US Navy’s vessel which docked Tuesday at the Macabalan wharf.

Some 50 members of the US Troops Out Now! Mindanao and Bayan joined what they dubbed as a ““Fluvial Parade and Swim Against the US Warship” that kicked off around 10:00 a.m. yesterday.

They rode their motorized bancas which were decorated with anti-US placards and streamers, and headed towards the southern side of the city’s pier where the USS Vandegrift was docked under orders of US Navy and commanding officer of the USS Vandergrift Commander Dean Rawls.

“Festive yet militant ang essence sa atong form of protest,” said Atty. Beverly Musni, chairperson for Karapatan and an active local leader for the US Troops Out Now! Mindanao in this region.

Asked as to whether they had some permit to stage their “boating and swimming protest,’ this lawyer replied, “Wala kita’y permit kay we are exercising our right to swim against the troops who dropped-in from nowhere with nary a notice nor permission from the Filipino citizens in Cagayan de Oro city.”

Church leaders Iglesia Filipina Independente (IFI) Bishop Felixberto Calang and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Pastor Jurie Jayme separately voiced their support on this entire Anti-US endeavor.

Musni and Bayan’s deputy secretary general Kristine Lim disclosed called on Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino Jaraula to explain to the residents the legal basis of his act in welcoming the US warship here in the city.

This as the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Visiting Forces Agreement mandates the US government to provide, in advance, the Philippine government with a list of areas where their soldiers will be visiting.

“The City of Cagayan de Oro is nowhere in the list! City residents were just shocked to discover that a US military warship had already docket on its city port,” Musni said.

The USS Vandegrift carries at the very least two SH-60 Sea Hawk (Lamps 3) helicopters and armed with one Mk 75 76mm/62 caliber rapid firing gun, MK 32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts) and one Phalanx CIWS.

In a statement, City Mayor Constantino Jaraula announced that the visit of the USS Vandergrift “will boost the city’s reputation as a safe place in Mindanao where foreign guests can visit for tourism or investment purposes.”

Also, he said the visit of the US Navy escort ship is part of the highlights of the recent inauguration of the MacArthur Memorial Marker at the Macabalan Port Area, which established the significant role of Cagayan de Oro in Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s escape to Australia, and put the city in the map of world history.

“With the inauguration of the MacArthur Memorial Marker, the city government successfully strengthened its diplomatic ties with the US Government and its people even as a sisterhood relationship is now being forged between Cagayan de Oro and Norfolk City, Virginia, USA.,” the mayor said.

He added that the US warship will only be around for the next three days and its US Navy officers will be doing a number of humanitarian works such as visiting a local orphanage and interact with the orphans as well as turn over materials to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its Project Handclasp.

But the militant groups rebuffed Jaraula’s statement saying these humanitarian missions are merely a “ploy for social acceptance for the local resident to welcome and become familiar with the presence of US soldiers here in Mindanao.”

The group pointed out that US troops involvement in a military operation in Maimbung, Sulu that killed eight Moro people including two children and a pregnant woman, betrays Jaraula’s words.

“US troops do not just prey upon our women and expose us to be targets of their enemies but their soldiers are killing machines, not protectors of the people,” the group said. (By Lizanilla J. Amarga)

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Written by Lizanilla Amarga · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro