08 Jun Northern Mindanao Region People’s March Against US Military Facility Participated by 2,500 Individuals in Cagayan de Oro
Image Source | interaksyon.com
On June 4, Saturday afternoon, Cagayan de Oro streets were flocked by an estimated 2,500 marching protesters rallying against the planned conversion of Lumbia airport into an American military facility which is under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
“This Northern Mindanao region people’s march is to manifest our condemnation for the proposed plan to use the Lumbia Airport as a United States (US) military facility under the EDCA agreement with the PNoy administration. It is a sad reality, though, because, today, we also commemorate the 116th victory of our heroes against the colonizing Americans during the Battle of Makahambus Hill, a huge insult to our fallen heroes who had shed blood in the battle field,” said Bayan-Northern Mindanao chapter’s Wildon Baron. “Instead of protecting us, this facility will only endanger our security, since we will also become a target of the enemies of the US, who are not exactly our enemies as well.”
“We at the Ecumenical Bishops Forum, which comprises not only Bishops from the Roman Catholic Church but all other churches, are unified with everyone in the call against the plan to implement EDCA not only here in Cagayan de Oro City but throughout the entire country. A few days from now, our country will celebrate Independence Day, but the presence of US military facility here in our home doesn’t allow us to claim that we have sovereignty. The facility will be a symbol of the US presence that will dominate and dictate how our country is being governed,” shared by Bishop Beamboy Labuntog of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) who represented the Ecumunical Bishops Forum/Philippine Ecumunical Peace Platform (PEPP) which is the largest ecumunical peace movement of Church leaders in the country. “They will take part in both covert and overt military operations within our land, their presence will also endanger the people living near the facility, as the place becomes a target and source of danger to our women and children, as they would also become victims of exploitation.”
Image Source | interaksyon.com
It can be recalled that Gabriela gave their statement regarding this issue. That having a US Military Base in Cagayan de Oro will only bring prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases and abandoned kids in the city.
Even the youth has their say. Kristine Cabardo of the League of Filipino Students in Northern Mindanao explained why many of the youth are in opposition with EDCA saying, “This is an added challenge to our youth and to everyone that we should stand for our own national sovereignty. We should shout louder and really should try our very best to make the majority of people understand why we are against EDCA and the perils it carries with it.”
She concluded that, “To use Lumbia airport as part of a US base is a violation of our own sovereignty as a nation. That’s why we call on the youth both in and out of school to join in our move to junk EDCA and to reject the use of Lumbia airport as a US military base, as we fear more women and the youth will become victims once US servicemen will be based here.”
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