CPP welcomes scrapping all US war exercises under Duterte

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) welcomes the statement last night of GRP President Duterte declaring that war exercises to be conducted next week by US military forces will be the last.

In a speech before Filipinos in Hanoi, Vietnam, Duterte declared “I will serve notice to you now, that this will be the last military exercise, jointly Philippines-US, the last one.”

“The peace-loving and patriotic Filipino people are pleased that the GRP President has heeded their clamor to put an end to US military exercises in the Philippines, which have long violated Philippine sovereignty and served as an insult on their national dignity,” said the CPP.

Earlier, Duterte declared that all US forces in Mindanao must go. He then said the Philippine military will no longer participate in US-led naval patrols of the South China Sea.

“Indeed, amidst efforts of the Duterte regime to promote an independent foreign policy, such war maneuver exercises by US troops are completely anachronistic and should be put to a permanent end,” added the CPP.

The CPP chided National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon who interpreted Duterte’s statement claiming that what he meant was the upcoming war exercises will be the last only for the year. “Esperon and other officials who have long looked up to the US, must stop pulling back efforts by Duterte to end the presence of US military troops and their war machinery” in line with his efforts to pursue an independent foreign policy.

In an earlier statement, the CPP called for a halt to the scheduled Philippine Amphibious Landex Exercises (Phiblex) set to be mounted on October 4-12. “The amphibious maneuver exercises to be conducted by the US military will simulate scenarios of a sea-to-land invasion. The presence of thousands of US troops on Philippine soil who swagger with their big guns and cannons does not help promote the country’s national independence and only depicts the Philippines as a US military bulwark.”

At least four US nuclear-capable warships and four US naval ship the USS Frank Cable, USNS Washington Chambers, USNS Millinocket and USNS Bowditch, are already docked at Subic Bay as of Monday. These are to be joined by the USS BHR, USS Green Bay and USS Germantown in amphibious landing exercises on October 4 to 12. At least 1,400 US servicemen are set to participate in the exercises.

“It is extremely fine that the Duterte government is set on revamping Philippine relations with the US imperialist government which for seven decades has been built on US semi-colonial domination and the subservience of successive Philippine puppet governments,” added the CPP.