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U.S.
troops in Philippines are under communist threats.
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BAGUIO,
Philippines, Aug 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The spokesman of
the communist insurgent movement in the Philippines Saturday, August 17,
2002, called for attacks on U.S. troops and companies in reaction to the
U.S. labeling the group a terrorist organization, news agencies
reported.
Gregorio
Rosal, spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said
the label was a sign of American "preparations for justifying its
violation of Philippine sovereignty and launching a war of
aggression," against local communist guerrillas.
In
a statement released in the southern mountain city of Rosal, he said
U.S. troops are vulnerable targets of tactical offensives by the CPP's
military arm, the 12,000-strong New People's Army, and bound to suffer
more casualties, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
He
also said that U.S. economic interests in the Philippines could be
attacked through labor unrest by leftist unions and by "calculated
pressure" from the NPA.
"U.S.
multinational companies will realize just how much a U.S. war of
aggression in the Philippines will disadvantage them," Rosal said.
He
did not specify how U.S. firms would be targeted. Americans are the
largest foreign investor in the country.
Rosal's
threats came after the U.S. government placed the CPP and the NPA on its
list of foreign terrorist organizations. The move resulted in the U.S.,
British and Dutch governments ordering a freeze on suspected CPP and NPA
assets within their territories.
Philippine
President Gloria Arroyo hopes the international pressure will force the
communists back to the negotiating table. Peace talks between the two
sides were suspended last year after the NPA assassinated two
legislators.
The
communists say that the foreign governments will find few assets to
seize. They also charged that U.S. efforts are part of a plan for
American troops to attack local communist guerrillas.
U.S.
troops recently completed six-month long joint operations with local
forces against the Abu Sayyaf Muslim kidnapping group in the south. The
Americans provided advice and assistance but were barred from actual
combat except in self-defense.
U.S.
troops are scheduled to begin another series of training exercises in
the Philippines in October. However, there are no (declared) plans for
American soldiers to join the fight against local rebels.
In
a statement aired on local radio stations Saturday, Arroyo thanked the
U.S., British and Dutch governments for freezing the communists' assets
and insisted that the communist rebels were indeed terrorists, citing
their attacks of civilians and on infrastructure.
A
week ago, the head of the communist insurgents said that the United
States wants to go to war in the Philippines, following the U.S.
decision to label the rebels as terrorists.
"This
designation of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) as terrorist
is a psychological warfare preparation for further U.S. military
intervention and even aggression," the party's founder, Jose Maria
Sison, said Saturday, August 10, 2002.
"I
suppose the U.S. is raring to go for war in the Philippines."
However,
he said this "intimidation by the U.S. and Manila government won't
be effective", even if U.S. troops helped local soldiers battle the
NPA, the 11,500-strong guerrilla arm of the CPP.
Sison
did not say how the decision could affect the CPP, reportedly receives
funding from leftist groups in western countries.
Philippines
National Security Adviser Roilo Golez hailed the U.S. listing, saying
"that was expected due to the serious threats they have been making
against innocent civilians including Americans and U.S. interests."
He
was apparently referring to an NPA statement in April, believed issued
by Sison, ordering the guerrillas to "inflict severe casualties on
the invading U.S. forces and to take punitive action against U.S.
economic and related interests".
He
also condemned anew the just-concluded, six-month long joint
U.S.-Philippine operations against the Abu Sayyaf, a notorious
kidnapping group in the south.
The
successes against the Abu Sayyaf prompted President Arroyo to redeploy
troops away from hunting the kidnap band and towards battling communist
guerrillas elsewhere in the country.
"Now
they are trying to spread the war. They are going to shift to a
war," from the Abu Sayyaf to the NPA, Sison said.
"I
suppose the U.S. and the puppet troops expect to score bigger victories
against a nationwide force like the NPA."
Despite
the renewed hostility, Sison said that his side was still awaiting
informal efforts to reopen peace negotiations between the government and
the NDF.
U.S.-Philippine
defense relations improved considerably after Arroyo became one of the
first leaders to declare support for the U.S.-led war against terrorism
in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
