News Release
10 September 2012
Ilagan: Aquino consents to unhampered US military, nuclear presence
Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan assails President Aquino’s continued consent to the unhampered port calls of US high powered military warships and submarines.
“We are back to where we were over twenty years ago,” she said, adding that, “President Aquino’s refusal to stand against US military presence in the Philippines brings us back to a scenario of militarism, of women’s vulnerability to sexual abuse and war.”
Ilagan pointed out that the approval of the US government’s insolence and disrespect towards the Philippine Constitution makes President Aquino just as culpable for the violation.
The Gabriela solon explains that the presence of US nuclear attack submarines violates Article II Section 8, of the Philippine Constitution which states that the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.
Ilagan further said that President Aquino has yet to deliver his promise to put into intensive scrutiny and review the Visiting Forces Agreement which has led to US troop involvement in military operations, cases of rape and sexual abuse committed by US soldiers and various human rights violations.
“Clearly, President Aquino is putting into jeopardy the security, welfare and interest of the Filipino people as he unconditionally submits to US dictates and demands,” she said.
Over the weekend, USS Hawaii, a nuclear attack submarine docked at the Subic Bay for routine port calls. The USS Hawaii is the third submarine to visit the country in four months. The USS North Carolina docked at Subic last May 13 while the USS Louisville another nuclear powered attack submarine arrived last June 25.
For Reference:
REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0917-4049119
