RP senator slams 'all-out support' for U.S. attack<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's all-out
\nsupport for an anti-terror coalition led by the United States was
\nslammed on Sunday, with critics saying she might be putting the
\nPhilippines at risk.<\/p>\n
Opposition Senator Gregorio Honasan said that declaration of
\nwar must rest with Congress, not with the Filipino president.<\/p>\n
Arroyo on Saturday declared her government would provide
\n"whatever support is needed and we are capable of doing" for U.S.
\nPresident George W. Bush's efforts to build an international
\ncoalition to wage war on terrorists blamed for Tuesday's attacks
\nin the United States.<\/p>\n
Two Filipinos were killed and 115 others were missing from the
\nattacks, which claimed more than 5,000 lives, officials said.<\/p>\n
Arroyo declared a "national day of prayer and solidarity
\nagainst terrorism," and attended mass at a Roman Catholic
\ncathedral in Manila with other top officials. The U.S. embassy
\ncharge d'affaires, Michael Malinowski, also attended the mass.<\/p>\n
"We have done all we can. We are proactively preparing for the
\nevacuation of Filipino overseas workers, our financial managers
\nare preparing proactively for the backlash," Honasan said over
\nABS-CBN television here.<\/p>\n
"Beyond that we should rethink carefully our next move,
\nbecause this might endanger the lives of our people and affect
\nour ability to survive any global conflict."<\/p>\n
Honasan said offering the U.S. government "whatever we can
\nafford (by way of humanitarian support is in order, but hosting
\nany war material that may come as a result of this posturing is
\nsomething we (legislators) have to decide."<\/p>\n
Manila has a 50 year-old mutual defense treaty with
\nWashington, however its Senate ended a military basing
\narrangement for US forces in the Philippines in 1991.<\/p>\n
The 1987 constitution also bars nuclear weapons and nuclear-
\narmed vessels on Philippine territory.<\/p>\n
Abu Sayyaf Muslim guerrillas, said to have links with Osama
\nbin Laden, the Saudi-born prime suspect in the U.S. attacks, hold
\n18 hostages in the southern island of Basilan including an
\nAmerican Christian missionary couple.<\/p>\n
"We might provoke those sympathetic to bin Laden here (who
\nwould) bomb metro Manila or elsewhere," University of the
\nPhilippines Asian studies professor Benito Lim told the station.<\/p>\n
"We should not commit ourselves to the point of national
\nsuicide."<\/p>\n
Honasan said: "We should refine that (Arroyo) statement some
\nmore, make it more categorical."<\/p>\n
National Defense College president Clarita Carlos said
\nManila's mutual defense pact with Washington did not provide for
\nautomatic retaliation in case of an attack on either partner,
\nsaying the Philippines had the luxury of calibrating its
\ncontribution.<\/p>\n
"But if we are really strategic partners of the U.S., then we
\nshould really go all out for it," Carlos told ABS-CBN.<\/p>\n
At the memorial service Cardinal Jaime Sin, the archbishop of
\nManila, said Filipinos "share in the anguish and sorrow of the
\nAmerican nation," and "support the American government in its
\nhumane resolve to put an end to this horrendous catastrophe."<\/p>\n
But he urged the wronged parties to "let vengeance give way to
\nhealing, anger give way to reconciliation, and death give way to
\nlife."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-senator-slams-all-out-support-for-us-attack-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}