U.S. Military Build Up In Minsupala for Military Exercises and Medical Mission?

By: Dr. Erick San Juan

There is a flurry of activities by the U.S. armed and naval forces in Minsupala especially in Mindanao and Sulo. The military exercises which benefits the Americans more than the Filipino soldier’s counterpart seems to be a whole year round activity since they have never left. After the military exercises, their “medical and engineering units” are deployed to allegedly help the locals and the government in their needs in the communities where they sometimes put their temporary barracks.

The U.S. naval presence in the South China Sea is questionable, since their U.S. warships never left the area where a big oil reserve of Armand Hammer is believed to be developed soon. The other week, US Vandergrift warship arrived at the port of Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro City. Most of the people of Cagayan de Oro City are suspicious of the activities going on. The arrival of the warship is reportedly part of its “Goodwill” visit. What worries the people from Mindanao is that the U.S. Vandergrift is a guided missile frigate and it’s the flagship of the Commander of the Seventh Fleet. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer report dated March 31, 2008, the ship played a crucial role as a logistics support for the U.S. Military wars in the Persian Gulf.

The Philippine government should be wary about these covert/overt activities specially now that the issue of Spratly is being exposed and people are agitated. We could go to war again, not of our liking. Beware of Maggi bearing gifts.