Bicol Group Supports Senator’s Resolution to Call for Probe on Balikatan

A citizens’ group in the Bicol Region has thrown its support behind any investigation that the Senate would undertake into the social cost of the presence of US troops in the country, as well as its adverse effects on the local community. This statement of support by the Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism Against Balikatan (BAN Balikatan) came on the heels of Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s call for an investigation into reports that US soldiers participating in the Balikatan military exercises in Bicol are enjoying nightly prostitution “services”.

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat

A citizens’ group in the Bicol Region has thrown its support behind any investigation that the Senate would undertake into the social cost of the presence of US troops in the country, as well as its adverse effects on the local community.

This statement of support by the Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism Against Balikatan (BAN Balikatan) came on the heels of Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s call for an investigation into reports that US soldiers participating in the Balikatan military exercises in Bicol are enjoying nightly prostitution “services”.

“This needs to be investigated and exposed,” Pangilinan, who is also the author of a Senate resolution seeking a review of the Visiting Forces Agreement which grants extraterritorial and extrajudicial “rights” to US servicemen visiting the Philippines, had said on April 2. “This is condemnable.”

Pangilinan had disclosed that during his visit to Legazpi City, Albay on April 1, during the opening of the month-long Magayon Festival which is held annually by the provincial government, he was approached by several concerned citizens who told him, he said, that the US troops are being provided with the “services” of sex workers every night. They informed him, he said, that at least two batches of eight to ten women are being sent nightly to US troops, checking into the hotels at around 10 p.m. and checking out at around 4 a.m.

The senator was quoted in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report as saying that he is drafting a resolution calling for an investigation into the “prostitution aspect” of the Balikatan military exercises.

But according to Prof. Jocelyn Bisuña, any Senate investigation on the Balikatan military exercises should focus not only on the “prostitution aspect” but should also tackle the whole impact “ranging from the economic, social, human rights, political, military and even environmental aspects of the unequal treaty.”

“Our position from the beginning is that the US troops have no business here and they are not welcome, so they should leave immediately,” Bisuña said.

“Secondly, if they are going to stay here then they should be housed in their barracks or in (the military’s) Camp (Simeon) Ola,” she added. “They should not be allowed to roam around for their so-called rest and recreation because this just means an increase in prostitution.”

The bulk of 6,000 US soldiers participating in the Balikatan military exercises being held in Bicol started arriving on April 1. They are stationed in various hotels in the provinces of Albay, Masbate, and Sorsogon – where the Balikatan military exercises are being held.