‘U.S. out of the Philippines!’

While the newly elected president of the Philippines, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, was delivering his State of the Nation address on July 26, a spirited group of demonstrators from BAYAN-USA were demonstrating outside the Philippine Consulate nearly 8,000 miles away in San Francisco. Since President Aquino was elected into office, at least five progressives, including two teachers, have been killed by his regime.

According to protest organizers, the U.S. spends more than $30 million a year to bolster the government in the Philippines. U.S. troops and advisors are stationed there to support the old and new Aquino regimes. According to Human Rights Watch, the Philippine military, police and paramilitary units have committed more than 1,200 killings, 203 abductions and 1,010 acts of torture against civilians since 2001. It is well known that the government’s death squads are equipped and trained by U.S. military advisors.

At the July 26 protest, BAYAN and other progressive Filipino organizations presented their “State of the Nation” address, which included key demands: 1) Freedom from colonial oppression — including U.S. troops and advisors out of the Philippines! 2) No more human rights violations; 3) Stop the death squads; and 4) Filipino workers need real jobs — workers’ rights for all!

Bernadette Herrera of the Filipino Community Samaka Center gave the People’s State of the Union address. She talked about the large number of Filipino people who have fled to the U.S., many of whom are undocumented and facing daily discrimination. She pointed out that due to the deteriorating political and economic situation at home, more than 3,800 are leaving daily for the U.S.

Jessica from the League of Filipino Students at San Francisco State University directed her statement to the newly elected President Aquino. “We, the youth and members of other sectors, engage President Aquino to reverse the nine years of education crisis implemented by the corrupt Arroyo government,” Jessica said. She called upon the new leader to end the human rights violations and to increase wages of Filipino workers and carry out “genuine agrarian reform.”

A skit was performed re-enacting the killings of five Filipino activists since the July 1 election of Aquino III. Standing boldly in front of the doors of the Philippine Consulate, the speakers expressed their support and solidarity to those fighting for justice and human rights within the Philippines.