We don’t want to meddle in affairs of US government — Ople

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople sought yesterday to dissociate the government from comments made by Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. who strongly criticized Washington’s "first strike" stance on terrorism.

"We don’t want to meddle in the affairs of the American government, just like we don’t want them to meddle in our affairs," Ople told reporters. "So I have no comment on that."

In his first press conference after quitting the Arroyo Cabinet as foreign affairs secretary, Guingona said US President George W. Bush was unnecessarily endangering world peace with his global campaign against terrorism.

"Might does not make right," Guingona said.

He said Bush’s "pre-emptive first-strike policy may negate the gains and goodwill already generated from friends and foes alike."

Guingona also said the main premise of Bush’s policy was to make the world a safer place, but many feared it can only generate the opposite and breed animosity between nations.

He warned that innocent civilians including women and children living in the area of attack would become unnecessary and helpless victims.

At the same time, Ople clarified that the US military aid has nothing to do with Philippine ratification of the Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court (ICC) which was snubbed by the US.

Guingona said the Philippines may not get the projected $30-million military aid from the US if the Senate ratified the Rome Statute, adding that the Philippines is not included in the US list of exempted countries that will benefit from the supplemental budget despite being a signatory or party to the ICC.

The Vice President pointed out that under a US House bill, the Philippines stands to get $30 million out of $387 million earmarked for foreign military financing.

The $30 million was earmarked as an emergency requirement as defined by the amended Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

The measure, Guingona noted, stated that no US military assistance may be granted to a country that was a member of the ICC.

Included in the list of exempted countries were Japan, Jordan, Argentina, Korea, New Zealand and Taiwan.

"There is no connection between the ICC ratification and the American military assistance offered to the Arroyo government," Ople said.

"There are several countries that already ratified the ICC and the Philippines is not yet one of them. The ICC is still under debate in the Cabinet committee on internal security," he added.

Ople also said he may personally recommend ratification of the ICC.

The Philippines signed the Rome Statute during the time of former President Fidel Ramos, but the Senate has yet to ratify the document.

US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone also denied Guingona’s allegations, saying the policy cited by Guingona was not included in the House bill.

"As far as I know, there is no such policy included in the House bill. The premise of that is totally wrong," Ricciardone said.

The ICC was formally created following ratification of the Rome Statute by 60 nations. It will have jurisdiction over cases of genocide and war crimes, as well as offenses that threaten world peace and security, the well-being of humankind, and acts of terrorism and aggression.

Some 120 countries including the Philippines, voted in favor of the Rome Statute, seven voted against it while 21 others abstained.

The US objected to the treaty claiming any American tried by the ICC would be denied procedural protection.

The US also alleged that any member of the multinational peacekeeping force operating in a country that has joined the treaty can be exposed to the ICC jurisdiction even if the respondent’s government is not a party to the ICC.