Bayan: US meddling to worsen with Goldberg's appointment

"Goldberg’s appointment to the post in Manila may signal intensified US intervention in Philippine affairs as the US moves more troops and ships toward Asia under its strategic pivot. The appointment says a lot about US-Philippine relations. The Aquino government should be concerned with Goldberg's past," he added.

Reyes said that Goldberg’s role as Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research was harnessing intelligence to serve U.S. diplomacy. This includes ensuring that intelligence activities support the foreign policy and national security thrusts of the US government.

"His appointment again confirms that the US embassy in Manila, just like anywhere in the world, is one big spy outpost. His appointment aims to maximize that function amid the US drive to expand militarily in Asia. 

"The Aquino government should raise questions and reject the appointment of Goldberg. Failure to do so would show anew Aquino’s approval of US meddling in domestic affairs. It will again show Aquino's puppetry to US dictates,"Reyes said.

He also noted that Goldberg was expelled from Bolivia in 2008 for conspiring against the democratically-elected government of Evo Morales.

Reyes said that Goldberg, apart from being an intelligence official of the US State Department, was US ambassador to Bolivia from 2006 to 2008.

"He was accused by the Bolivian government of inciting opposition groups against the Morales government. The Bolivian president sought to redistribute land and petroleum royalties from the country’s economic elite toward the country’s indigenous majority. It was believed that the US supported the resistance to such measures. The Bolivian government has sought to assert its independence from the US but this has been met with opposition from Washington,"Reyes said.