We from the Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism against Balikatan (BAN BALIKATAN) call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to investigate the corruption exposed by former Lieutenant Nancy Gadian, former officer-in- charge (OIC) of the Civil Military Operations (CMO) Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in the 2007 Balikatan Exercises in Jolo, Sulu. She accused Lt. General Eugenio Cedo, the former chief of the Westmincom of pocketing a lot of money from the exercises. She added that senior officers from all over the country are fighting over where the Balikatan exercises are to be held because they are using the Balikatan as a milking cow, while it is the junior officers who are always left on a limb.
Aside from selling our sovereignty, increasing human rights violations and demeaning our women, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) through the Balikatan exercises has added corruption as one of the reasons why it has to be scrapped. The Senate and/or Congress should immediately look into this and place Lt. Gadian under protective custody because her life is definitely in danger.
The recent Balikatan here in Bicol had the US military allot at least P20 million and the Senate should scrutinize where all this money went. It should also probe if the Philippine government spent more money for the security and accommodations of the US troops than what the US gave under their disguised “humanitarian missions”. The arguments against VFA and the Balikatan are still increasing, making it more imperative for the onerous treaty to be immediately scrapped before it causes more trouble.
Prof. Jocelyn Bisuña
Spokesperson
Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism against Balikatan
(BAN BALIKATAN)
banbalikatan_media@yahoo.com