Sans South, Sans Sovereignty

Sans South, Sans Sovereignty
By Erick San Juan


The truth behind the saga on the anomalies in the Armed Forces of the Philippines seems to be nowhere in sight as some of the people allegedly involved are being attacked by hypertension and selective amnesia. As we all wait and see as to what could be the end to this storytelling-a-lie, the nine-month old administration of PNoy should be on the look out on what is developing in the south.

This writer never stopped reminding our people especially our government (through writing: www.ericksanjuan.blogspot.com and our daily radio show at DWSS 1494khz AM @ 4:30pm) that MinTSuPala – Mindanao, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Palawan, is where our riches are and should be protected from foreign interventions. If there's foreign interests, we should get what's due us.

The country’s past administrations’ mistakes in letting our military to be dependent on US support should be corrected as soon as possible. Or else, it would be too late for we will all be drawn into a war and possibly be a battleground for a regional conflict. And, all our resources will disappear in the process.

Let me cite some crucial events here: The global war on terror myth was launched through the 'Operation Enduring Freedom', the name applied to the Central Asian campaign in which the Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF-P) was created here in the Philippines. The task force — without engaging in direct combat — has "advised and assisted" the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This so called task force has been in our territory through a virtual military base stationed in Camp Navarro since 2002. Over the years, the JSOTF-P has conducted activities here in the guise as humanitarian purposes. That’s what they kept on saying since then.

Based on the research of Focus on the Global South in 2007 titled, "Unconventional Warfare: Are US Special Forces Engaged in an `Offensive' War in the Philippines?"
(http://www.focusweb.org/index.php/).

It said, it had "gathered pronouncements by US troops themselves who have gone on record to say that their mission in (Mindanao) is `unconventional warfare' – a US military term that encompasses combat operations."

"With the Philippine government not giving a definite exit date, and with US officials stating that this unit – composed of between 100 to 500 troops depending on the season – will stay on as long as they are allowed by the government, it is presumed that it will continue to be based in the Philippines for an indefinite period," the statement read.

"Beyond being involved in the war, Focus draws attention to this unit having effectively established a new kind of basing in the Philippines," it said.

Since the previous administration did allow the stay of this special task force, it went further with its additional task of helping the Coast Watch South. The Coast Watch South project’s aim is “To provide centralized maritime surveillance and response in the waters of the Southern Philippines in order to facilitate the movement of desirable people and goods and prevent the entry and exit of dangerous goods and other lawless elements.”

According to reports, Coast Watch South entails sustained maritime surveillance and maritime patrols involving ships and planes on known routes being used by terrorist groups in going in and out of the country.

Areas covered by the Coast Watch South are the long shorelines and vast sea-lanes of Davao, Sarangani, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

This effort is presently being undertaken under the Fleet-Marine concept with direct participation of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marines as well as the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Also (like the VFA) with the US Pacific Command, this US funded project plus the assistance from the Australian government, will guard the southern backdoor used by alleged international terrorist groups. Specifically, they are going to assist us in putting up radar stations in the Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi archipelago and the eastern part of Mindanao.

What was omitted here are Palawan and the Balabac island which are both strategically located. Balabac island is in the same geographic region in the Sulu Seas and that the island is astride the Palawan Passage to the South China Sea where China has various listening posts in the Spratly islands chain and the Paracel islands.

That is why the military operations in Balabac are meant to be a prelude to the ramping of a jointly-run military installation or listening post with the US in the Sulu Sea and guarding the gateway to the South China Sea in the Palawan Passage. (from luwaran.net)

The efforts taken by the Arroyo government that implemented Coast Watch South with full support of the Pentagon, with Australian and British government on the side, the vast wealth in MinTSuPala is very much secured…. by our “foreign friends”. This is the real reason behind this US-funded program.

Coast Watch South is reportedly guarding our wealth and rest assured that they are doing their best.

C’mon, wake up Pinoy! And PNoy(President Noy)! Are we going to allow another chubibo(circus)? We never learned from our VFA experience. Remember, without the MinTSuPala, there is no sovereignty for the rest of the archipelago. Beware: Balkanization is still on.