North Cotabato wants ‘Balikatan’

American soldiers may find themselves holding war games in North Cotabato instead of the inhospitable jungles of Sulu.

North Cotabato could host the Balikatan joint Philippines-US military exercises if President Arroyo heeds the appeal of Gov. Emmanuel Piñol.

The governor has asked Mrs. Arroyo and Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to consider holding this year’s Balikatan in his province.

Piñol said the North Cotabato provincial board had already passed a resolution affirming his request.

He said the development projects undertaken in Basilan during last year’s Balikatan could be replicated in North Cotabato.

"If we have to fast-track the development of the area, we have to have space for it," Piñol said in a telephone interview from his province. "What we need is to clear the province of Cotabato for development programs to be implemented for the people."

Reyes said he has asked defense department and Armed Forces officials to study the proposal of Piñol, whose action is encouraging for the government.

"We still have to study everything," he said. "But it’s encouraging to have governors like Governor Piñol volunteering to host Balikatan. We are discussing it already, and I have asked my people in the DND and the AFP to study it. (Balikatan) is negotiated. We have to discuss it with the US."

Earlier, Reyes said apart from Sulu, other venues are being considered for the Balikatan 03-1.

Piñol also defended Reyes over the military’s capture of the Buliok complex, the sprawling camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in North Cotabato.

"Secretary Reyes should not be blamed for the Buliok offensive," he said.

"It was part of a series of activities in the area and the action of the defense department. Actually, it was in response to the demands of the local leadership in the province of Cotabato and the local leadership in the neighboring areas, that the threat of armed groups like the MILF and the Pentagon be addressed."

Piñol said senators should take caution in any investigation of the Buliok incident.

"I am appealing to the senators to go slow on this investigation and not (prejudge) the case," he said.

"I think the massacre of Secretary Reyes is uncalled for. We in the province of Cotabato would like to defend his actions. It was based on our request for government intervention so that peace and security be assured in our area." — With Marichu Villanueva