NR0126: US spy netowrk to target progressives

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release January 26, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
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US Espionage network targeting revolutionary and militant democratic forces
opposing Macapagal-Arroyo's tax measures, political repression

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today lashed out anew against the
Macapagal-Arroyo administration for its defense of heightened and intensified
US military interference in the country.
"It's not so much the scourge of terrorism that the US and the Macapagal-arroyo
government is targeting - but the revolutionary and militant forces in the
country who are leading the people in their fight against the economic and
political betrayals of the administration."

The veteran labor leader said that the US is clearly aware of the increasing
tension in the country, "It's a social volcano threatening to erupt as the
Macapagal-Arroyo administration heartlessly continues to impose new tax
measures while cutting employment and diminishing public welfare and benefit
funds for the poor and marginalized," he said.

"What's even more certain, there will be more violations of human and civil
rights, as the US aids the mercenary forces of the Philippine government such
as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National
Polices (PNP) and their units in suppressing political dissent in the
country."

Beltran said that the new espionage network the US is setting up in the
Philippines should not be
allowed to exist. He said that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration was guilty
of treason if it allows the US to spy on the Filipino people using covert and
law-bending, law-breaking means and methods.

"This is yet another impeachable offense on the part of President Arroyo. She
is assisting foreign forces in undermining the country's sovereignty laws.
Time and again has she bent over backwards for the US and let them violate laws
of the land pertaining to national sovereignty and territorial independence
via the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement
(MLSA) and the Balikatan exercise. Now she's allowed a secret network to be
established. Enough is enough," he said.

Beltran said that the activities of the spy network are not going to be a series
of Mission: Impossible movies wherein the US will be allowed to disavow any and
all knowledge of intelligence operations if their agents are called.

"The US government should be made to account for all the actions of its
military and diplomatic envoys in the country - it's a national outrage that
the US has placed the Philippines under such a category that makes us even more
vulnerable to attacks from the enemies of the US," he said. #