DAVAO CITY – The National Democratic Front of the Philippines in Southern Mindanao lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s “unprecedented” statement against the United States and urged him to junk agreements.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 7, NDF-Southern Mindanao region spokesperson Rubi del Mundo described Duterte as “no other Philippine president has ever publicly ensured and taken US imperialism to task for its atrocious crimes against sovereign nations and peoples of the world.”
“Accustomed to high regard as a colonial master, US imperialism has had nothing but blind kowtowing from previous Philippine puppet regimes,” said del Mundo.
“Now at this critical time of its decisive hegemonic pivot to Asia and China’s challenge to its regional dominance, US imperialism’s sham ‘concern for human rights’ is being challenged with open hostility by a government it considers its reliable lackey,” del Mundo said.
In a press conference here on the eve of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit Monday, September 5, Duterte released strong statements against US President Barack Obama if he will be asked on the issue of extra judicial killings in the country at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.
The NDF also said that the US government “should be reminded and brought to justice for the millions of deaths in its hands, perpetrated in the name of consolidating its imperialist power over other sovereign states.”
“Indeed, US imperialism is worried about the present developments unraveling in the Philippines—the prospect of peace based on social justice. It can lose its control of the country if the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF should translate to the socio-economic and sovereign interest of the Filipino people,” said del Mundo.
The NDF also urged Duterte to junk agreements that the government previously signed with the US.
“For the benefit of the Filipino people, GRP Pres. Duterte and his government must abrogate the Mutual Defense Treaty and junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement—policies that continue to position the Philippines as a willing pawn for US imperialism’s wars of aggression,” del Mundo said.
Del Mundo also urged Duterte to “persevere with his anti-imperialist stance” in the course of the ASEAN Summit.
Del Mundo said Duterte must “chart an independent international policy by repudiating US intervention and neoliberal policies and enjoin other member-nations to do the same.” (davaotoday.com)
