PRESS STATEMENT
February 13, 2008


BAYAN foresees whitewash in the AFP-led investigation on the
massacre in Maimbung, Sulu; holds US forces accountable


The Armed Forces of the Philippines-led probe in the massacre of eight
(8) civilians, which includes three children, in Maimbung, Sulu will
only produce implausible results aimed to absolve Philippine troops
and downplay US role in that barbaric crime. The suspension of fifty
(50) rank and file soldiers who were implicated in the massacre
appears like a shoddy "press release" of the Western Mindanao Command
that seeks to diffuse public outrage brought about by the terror
instigated by US and Philippine forces. These perpetrators will
continue to wreak havoc in communities with impunity.

United States forces have been training our troops under the Terms of
Reference of the Visiting Forces Agreement for more or less a decade
now. With the promise of enhancing Filipino troops' capability to
combat terrorism, the national government hastily approved the VFA
amidst public opposition. Under the US-RP Balikatan Program, the
government had only created a nightmare that the Filipino people
continued to live on. The massacre in Sulu brutally carried out by US
and Philippine forces is just one of human rights violations' cases
that haven't been resolved until now. Thus, we enumerate some of the
cases of gross violations of people's rights instigated directly or
indirectly by US forces:

•       Year 2000: two children died in Atlas, Toledo after an undiffused
bomb used by US forces in their military exercises suddenly exploded.
•       From January to July of year 2002, more or less 200 Moro civilians
were locked up in jail in preparation to Balikatan exercises
•       In June of 2004, a 19 year old Moro student, Arseed Baharun, was
accidentally hit by a stray bullet coming from US ammunitions in a
gunnery range in Zamboanga City
•       An M203 shrapnels hit Bizma Juhan of Indanan, Sulu after a test fire
mission was conducted by the US military in Brgy. Tagbak of the said
municipality.
•       Last September 2007, residents of Malungon in Sarangani Province
reported about US forces bringing high-powered guns in a restaurant,
which has terrorized people.

Apart from the cases mentioned above, there are other instances of
human rights' violations that were not recorded because the
complainants were bribed to sign "settlement papers" and declined to
file legal actions. Like other cases, perpetrators of these crimes
continue to enjoy the protection of the state - a glaring picture on
how our souls have been sold to the whims and caprices of the United
States.


US Forces Should be Held Accountable in the Sulu Massacre

The role of US Special Operations Forces in the massacre in Maimbung,
Sulu should not be put into the sideline and instead, should be given
emphasis in the course of an independent investigation. The DND and
the AFP's investigation, in their effort to cover up the incident, is
highly dubious since they never mentioned of investigating US forces
who were seen by the wife of Cpl. Idno Wahid, one of the fatalities in
the massacre, in the place of the crime together with Filipino troops.
Like previous cases of US involvement in combat operations, the
Philippine government, in collaboration with the US embassy, will
simply deny these allegations, downplay it in the media and divert it
into other angle until the issue is totally forgotten.

Enough of US Atrocities!

The US forces are conducting humanitarian missions in the provinces of
Lanao and Maguindanao. While giving "aspirin", which is even
criticized for giving it without a doctor's prescription, in depressed
areas, they are also instigating blood bath in various communities,
which is much of the price that we should pay for the "bogus aid"
they've extended to us. Thus, we call on:

•       Congress, both the House of Representatives and Senate, to hold
parallel investigation on the massacre perpetrated by our local troops
and the US involvement in this barbaric act.
•       Various organizations, which come from different persuasions, to
unite and act against US renewed attacks against the Filipino people
•       The people to join mass actions during the opening ceremony of
Balikatan exercises in Lanao del Sur as our expression of outrage
against US atrocities

At the height of US arrogance and its continued disrespect to people's
rights, it is also high time for us to reiterate our calls:


NO TO US INTERVENTION!
US TROOPS OUT NOW!
SCRAP VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT NOW!
JUSTICE TO ALL VICTIMS OF US ATROCITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES!



For reference:

JEPPIE RAMADA
Regional Secretary-General
0921.823.7489