GMA open to holding Balikatan in North Cotabato

President Arroyo is considering the offer of North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol for his province to host the Balikatan 03-1 instead of holding it in Sulu where residents frown on the presence of American soldiers.

The President made the remark in response to the appeal of the North Cotabato provincial government asking her to consider holding Balikatan in the province.

But Vice President Teofisto Guingona, who was sacked as foreign affairs secretary for not toeing the Palace line on last year’s joint military exercise, objected and said the presence of US troops in Central Mindanao would "exacerbate" the spate of bombings and armed conflict there.

Mrs. Arroyo, however, clarified that the holding of Balikatan exercises need not be held in areas of the country where there are armed elements like the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) rebels or the communist insurgents.

"But you know, we have exercises ongoing in Zamboanga, but there are no enemies in Zamboanga," she said.

"We have been conducting exercises in Nueva Ecija, in Cavite, there are no armed enemy groups in Cavite. So we don’t have to tie up putting an exercise where there are armed enemy groups," the President explained.

In a hastily organized press briefing at the Palace yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo welcomed the offer of Piñol, a former sportswriter and boxing commentator, to host the Balikatan 03-1 in his province.

"Personally, I don’t mind putting it in North Cotabato province," she told Palace reporters. "All offers are being considered."

The President disclosed that she has already instructed Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes to study the offers the Palace received earlier from other provincial governors to host Balikatan 03-1 following the uproar raised against it by Sulu residents.

"If they are not wanted in Sulu, the exercises can be put in another place where they are wanted, where they are invited," she pointed out, adding there are other sites willing to host the exercises and the defense department would make the recommendations.

Last week, the Palace received the Resolution of the five governors from the provinces of MIMAROPA (Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) requesting the President to order the conduct of the Balikatan exercise in their region, specifically Mindoro Occidental.

Guingona, for his part, said the intermittent clashes in North Cotabato and Maguindanao between government troops and MILF rebels would make the area "too risky" for the joint exercise.

Moreover, Guingona said, the Balikatan exercise was originally meant to be held in military installations and away from population centers.

"The Balikatan was really intended (to be held) in safe areas if they stick to its original intent," Guingona said.

"(The record of) our debates will show that (the exercise) should be conducted outside population areas, like (Army camp) Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija," he said, referring to the shaky negotiations he conducted with Washington over the Balikatan last year.

But ethnic Maguindanaons, whose ancestors were the original occupants of Central Mindanao, welcome US military presence in the region so long as they will not engage in combat, according to Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) official and Maguindanao tribesman Tahir Lidasan Jr. – With Perseus Echeminada