For Anti-VFA Groups in Bikol, It's an Extended Honeymoon for Barack Obama

NAGA CITY--They came and burned US flags but something was eerily missing amid the fiery speeches and loud protestations calling for the scrapping of the Visiting Forces agreement, the effigy of the commander in chief of the military troops they would not welcome-— Barack Obama.
Thousands of protesters from all over Bikol Region had joined last week’s anti-VFA caravan, which culminated in a big rally in Legazpi City. But lost amid the rally was the littlest mention of Obama, even as the loudspeakers blurted out anti-American sentiments.
In the site of the old public market of Legazpi City, anti-VFA demonstrators carried with them banners and placards bearing slogans slamming the Balikatan Exercises in Bikol. There were torches and clenched fists. And the stage backdrop showed a caricature of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo along with an iconic Uncle Sam depicted as a white man. Still, there was no sign of Obama.
“It does not necessarily mean that we are also swept by Obama mania by not mentioning him in the rallies, it’s just that we are still waiting for what would be his stand on this issue,” said Vince Casilihan of Karapatan-Bikol.
“Now, his foreign policies are not yet clear, He is cautious. He is letting Hillary Clinton do the job of relating with Asian countries. His actions are more subtle than that of George W. Bush, though we are expecting him to be more like his predecessor in the coming days.”
He said Obama has just been in office for more than a month and that his group was still hoping that he would be a different kind of president compared to his predecessors, although they are now criticizing him for expressing support to Israel in its war against Palestine troops.
“Certainly, there’s no Obama mania involved.”
Bayan Muna Secretary General for Camarines Sur said the reason why there was no mention of Obama in the anti-VFA rallies was because their call for the scrapping of the VFA was in general and there was no need to mention Obama.
“But I believe Obama is silent on the issue of VFA because he is wary about US-RP relations.” Vida said his group was also cautious about Obama because they knew that Democrats like Obama favor non-interventionist policies. “They are anti-war and aggression.”
“But we are challenging Obama to reverse the policies of Bush which breaches the sovereignty of our country,” said Tessa Lopez, spokesperson of Bayan in Bikol.
“We want him to cut the military aid of the US government to the Philippine government, considering the bad human rights record of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”
She also said that the task of scrapping the VFA lies heavily in the hand of the Philippine government and not that of US “given the one-sided nature of the agreement.”
Bayan Muna representative Teodoro Casiño said the reason why Obama was not yet very well-mentioned in Anti-VFA issues was because most of the policies involved were still those of his predecessor.
“It’s just fair that he is not yet much mentioned in the anti-VFA issues. He is just new in office.” But the lawmaker said he does not agree with Obama on the issue of Balikatan Exercises, which the latter seems to favor.