Protesters rally against MLSA, Colin Powell visit

News Articles on the ISM

The ISM fact-finding expose of the incident of a US soldier shooting an unarmed civilian in Basilan became a [front page story.]

from Inquirer: Anti-bases advocates renew call vs US presence in RP [September 16, 2002]
ANTI-BASES advocates on Monday commemorated the rejection of the extension of the United States bases in the country with a renewed call to oppose the proposed Philippine-US military agreement and to go slow in committing the country to assist America in its planned attack on Iraq. [More]

from Bulatlat.com: The Day the Impossible Happened (September 16, 1991) By Rowena Carranza
American GIs are back in the Philippines. This time, for joint military exercises which critics claim is an alibi for heightened U.S. military presence in the country...[More]

from Inquirer: Shrine memorializes historic Senate vote [September 15, 2002]
A reunion of senators who voted for the expulsion of the US military bases 11 years ago and the inauguration at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone of a shrine commemorating the decision will mark the anniversary of the historic vote Monday. [More]

from PhilStar: Suspected Abu man claims American GI shot him [September 14, 2002]
An alleged Abu Sayyaf member captured in July maintained his claim that an American soldier shot him in an operation conducted jointly with Philippine troops. "I am very positive that the soldier who shot me twice was a black American because I am familiar with them as I have seen some of them during a civic action activity," Buyung-Buyung Isnijal said in a three-page affidavit. [More]

from ABS-CBN News: American soldier shot Moro civilian, says report - By RHODINA J. VILLANUEVATODAY Reporter [September 13, 2002]
Organizers of a mission tasked to investigate human-rights violations in Basilan yesterday confirmed earlier reports that it was an American soldier who wounded a Moro civilian and his family in a military-police operations on July 25 in the province. Lawyer Edre Olalia of the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) and also the lead counsel of the International Solidarity Mission, said that Buyung-Buyong Isnijal said in a sworn statement that it was an American soldier who shot him, and not a Filipino soldier as the authorities claim. [More]

from Inquirer: Powell arrives in Manila after anti-U.S. protests [August 3, 2002]

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in the Philippines on Friday, his last stop in an eight-nation tour of Asia and a country which is Washington's closest ally in the region. But even here, anti-American activists held protests throughout the day and scuffled with police near the U.S. embassy, leaving at least a dozen people injured. Powell went straight to his hotel after arriving from Indonesia and will hold talks on Saturday with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Philippine officials. [More]

from Inquirer: Macapagal tells militants: 'You are violating rights' [July 30, 2002]
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Monday militant groups accusing the military of violating human rights in its war against the Abu Sayyaf were the ones guilty of the offense. "I have two answers to our critics," she said in a news conference in Malacanang. "One, we will not validate your propaganda by engaging in human rights violations. Two, many of you commit human rights violations yourselves." [More]

from Manila Bulletin: American troops leave South today [July 30, 2002]
ZAMBOANGA CITY (AFP) US troops continued to pack up Tuesday ahead of leaving the Philippines at the end of a six-month anti-terror mission, as protests flared both for and against their presence. The troops dismantled two giant Chinook helicopters and packed them and other equipment into container vans ahead of the official end of the mission today, Wednesday. The preparations came after a night of violent street demonstrations both for and against the US military presence in the Philippines. At least five people were injured here late Monday when residents threw rocks at a convoy of leftist protesters from other provinces who had come here aboard 32 buses to oppose the US military deployment. [More]

from Inquirer: American soldier tagged in shooting of Abu suspect [July 27, 2002]
BAYAN Muna Representatives Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza on Saturday sought a full congressional investigation of the Wednesday shooting of a resident of Tuburan, Basilan, purportedly by an American soldier. Speaking by phone from Basilan's capital of Isabela, Maza and Ocampo said US soldier Reggie Lane shot and wounded Tuburan resident Buyong-buyong Isnijal in the course of an arrest operation. They said the incident was a clear violation of the Terms of Reference of the RP-US Balikatan 02-1 and showed US intrusion in Philippine affairs. [More]















Police and army block Peace Caravan march including a group of nuns

Maximo Roda, one of the injured caravan participants

from MindaNews

from MindaNews: Militants barred in Zambo, 5 protesters injured [August 4, 2002]
by Vanessa L. Almeda
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Militant groups who came from all over the country failed to stage a protest action against the Balikatan joint RP-US military exercise in this citys streets as they were met with angry residents and military and police force determined to keep them inside a sports complex here. The day before, five protesters were injured in a rock-throwing incident as pro-Balikatan Zamboanguenos, in the presence of the the police and the military, blocked participants of the Peoples Caravan for Peace, Sovereignty and Genuine Peace. An estimated 1,200 protestors held a morning rally at the Don Joaquin Enriquez complex while awaiting the signal to march around the citys major streets and proceed to the Southern Commands headquarters. But they were never able to get out. [More]