Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Philippine Star
February 16, 2008 By Lino Dela Cruz
MARAWI CITY –Activists hurled stones yesterday at the convoy of vehicles of the first batch of personnel that arrived here from Cagayan de Oro City to participate in the RP-US Balikatan humanitarian mission that will start next Monday.
It was not immediately known if the convoy of several civilian cars was carrying American soldiers.
The convoy that was attacked along the national highway in Barangay Malulut was reportedly transporting medical units for the medical mission in the city.
The stoning incident damaged some vehicles in the convoy but no one was hurt. The attack forced the convoy to turn back and return to Cagayan de Oro City.
The protesters are members of the Ranao Coalition Against Balikatan Exercises (Racabe) that organized the lightning rally, said Acmad Lao, an official of the group.
Hundreds of Maranaos staged a rally last week to protest the staging of the RP-US Balikatan military exercises here because the event was planned without any consultation with local officials, the rallyists said.
The protesters also burned effigies of US soldiers during last week’s rally.
The activists threatened to put up a barricade in the city to block the participants to the Balikatan.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of this city passed last week a resolution opposing the Balikatan exercises here, while different sectors expressed their opposition to the war games, saying that this city and Lanao del Sur are peaceful and the presence of American soldiers might stir up trouble.
However, local officials said that they are not against any humanitarian mission, infrastructure and other developmental activities.
Some city officials did not join the protest rally, but some leaders said the military exercises should have been coordinated with the local government units.
“I am supporting the sentiments of the people and I am against the presence of US soldiers of the Balikatan exercises that will be held here,” said Marawi City Mayor Fahad Salic.
Philippine Army officials earlier said that the Balikatan exercises to be held here are purely humanitarian and medical in nature and that there will be no war games.
It was learned that the mission will include 47 Filipino and American doctors and engineers.
As of press time, Philippine Army officials were not available for comment on the stoning incident here.
Meanwhile, sources from the Lanao del Sur provincial peace and order council disclosed that members of the Lanao del Sur royal clan that earlier opposed the Balikatan war games have finally approved the medical and dental mission that will be conducted by the RP-US Balikatan contingent.
The ancestors of the Maranaw royal family were against the presence of foreign troops in Mindanao where the people had launched a jihad or holy war against the Spaniards, Americans and Japanese forces in the past.
The source said that members of the Maranaw sultanates and religious organizations will forge today an agreement with proponents of the RP-US Balikatan exercise in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City stating that US and Filipino soldiers would not embark on any military exercises in their communities.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr., Marawi City Mayor Salic, and another Maranaw leader, lawyer Paisalin Tago who is the incumbent Speaker of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, had earlier accused the US Embassy of ignoring local religious, political and traditional leaders in planning the RP-US joint projects without consulting them first.
The Army’s 4th Infantry Division earlier said the RP-US joint projects in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur would focus only on various medical and dental services for impoverished Maranaw villages.
Nasser Ganda, information officer of the Lanao del Sur provincial government, said influential clerics Musa Sarip, Saad Amate, Rasad Sarangani, Alawi Lucman and Jamel Pandapatan of the Ulama League of the Philippines are now in favor of the RP-US humanitarian projects in the province.
--With John Unson
February 16, 2008 By Lino Dela Cruz
MARAWI CITY –Activists hurled stones yesterday at the convoy of vehicles of the first batch of personnel that arrived here from Cagayan de Oro City to participate in the RP-US Balikatan humanitarian mission that will start next Monday.
It was not immediately known if the convoy of several civilian cars was carrying American soldiers.
The convoy that was attacked along the national highway in Barangay Malulut was reportedly transporting medical units for the medical mission in the city.
The stoning incident damaged some vehicles in the convoy but no one was hurt. The attack forced the convoy to turn back and return to Cagayan de Oro City.
The protesters are members of the Ranao Coalition Against Balikatan Exercises (Racabe) that organized the lightning rally, said Acmad Lao, an official of the group.
Hundreds of Maranaos staged a rally last week to protest the staging of the RP-US Balikatan military exercises here because the event was planned without any consultation with local officials, the rallyists said.
The protesters also burned effigies of US soldiers during last week’s rally.
The activists threatened to put up a barricade in the city to block the participants to the Balikatan.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of this city passed last week a resolution opposing the Balikatan exercises here, while different sectors expressed their opposition to the war games, saying that this city and Lanao del Sur are peaceful and the presence of American soldiers might stir up trouble.
However, local officials said that they are not against any humanitarian mission, infrastructure and other developmental activities.
Some city officials did not join the protest rally, but some leaders said the military exercises should have been coordinated with the local government units.
“I am supporting the sentiments of the people and I am against the presence of US soldiers of the Balikatan exercises that will be held here,” said Marawi City Mayor Fahad Salic.
Philippine Army officials earlier said that the Balikatan exercises to be held here are purely humanitarian and medical in nature and that there will be no war games.
It was learned that the mission will include 47 Filipino and American doctors and engineers.
As of press time, Philippine Army officials were not available for comment on the stoning incident here.
Meanwhile, sources from the Lanao del Sur provincial peace and order council disclosed that members of the Lanao del Sur royal clan that earlier opposed the Balikatan war games have finally approved the medical and dental mission that will be conducted by the RP-US Balikatan contingent.
The ancestors of the Maranaw royal family were against the presence of foreign troops in Mindanao where the people had launched a jihad or holy war against the Spaniards, Americans and Japanese forces in the past.
The source said that members of the Maranaw sultanates and religious organizations will forge today an agreement with proponents of the RP-US Balikatan exercise in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City stating that US and Filipino soldiers would not embark on any military exercises in their communities.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr., Marawi City Mayor Salic, and another Maranaw leader, lawyer Paisalin Tago who is the incumbent Speaker of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, had earlier accused the US Embassy of ignoring local religious, political and traditional leaders in planning the RP-US joint projects without consulting them first.
The Army’s 4th Infantry Division earlier said the RP-US joint projects in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur would focus only on various medical and dental services for impoverished Maranaw villages.
Nasser Ganda, information officer of the Lanao del Sur provincial government, said influential clerics Musa Sarip, Saad Amate, Rasad Sarangani, Alawi Lucman and Jamel Pandapatan of the Ulama League of the Philippines are now in favor of the RP-US humanitarian projects in the province.
--With John Unson