Reyes welcomes suit on RP-US war games

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes welcomed yesterday the filing of a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the legality of the joint military exercises being held in Mindanao between the Philippines and the United States.

"We welcome this move because this will enable us, give us the opportunity to defend before the Supreme Court the constitutionality, legality and desirability of this exercise. We don’t see any problem (on this issue)," Reyes said.

He was reacting to a petition filed by Mindanao-based lawyers Arthur Lim and Paulino Ersando who sought to stop the war games dubbed "Balikatan 02-1" in Zamboanga City and Basilan.

The petitioners accused the government of violating the Constitution and abusing its authority in allowing the controversial military exercises.

Cited as respondents in the suit were Reyes and Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo.

"As of now, the joint military exercises will go on," Reyes said.

Meanwhile, the Senate resumes tomorrow its hearing on the Balikatan, with Vice President and concurrent Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona, Re-yes and Romulo appearing at the inquiry in behalf of the government.

"All the problems besetting the RP-US Balikatan exercise will be tackled on Monday by the committee (on foreign affairs) of Senator (Blas) Ople," Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said.

Pimentel revealed that the Mindanao bloc in the Senate and the House of Representatives have held a caucus wherein they adopted a resolution welcoming the US troops in Basilan and Zamboanga City provided they do not take part in actual combat against the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

Pimentel noted that one of the advantages of the US presence in the South is the present silence of outspoken Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya.

"We never heard Sabaya in cellphone communication because the Abu Sayyaf are afraid that their communication setup will be detected by the high technology electronic devices of the Americans," Pimentel said.

He also said the hearing will enable the senators to clarify their respective positions on the war games.

The Senate’s common stand on the issue will be known after the hearing.

"So we will wait for that. We will decide accordingly," Pimentel said as he admitted that those opposing the Balikatan will be facing legal obstacles in view of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the US.

Meanwhile, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) strongly denounced the presence of US forces, numbering some 660 soldiers, in the country.

"The development clearly shows President Arroyo and her military advisers have obediently succumbed to the orders of the United States," NCCP officials said.

They claimed that the Philippine government, in utter disregard of national sovereignty, supported the "US-led war of aggression."

They said the large presence of US troops in the country was a "clear violation of the Constitution."

"The mere presence of military forces will expose the people in their areas of operations to the danger of being caught in the crossfire. Displacement of civilians and divestment of property will be a natural consequence, not to mention the other social costs to our women and children," the NCCP said. — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Sandy Araneta