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| "The U.S. has time and again manifested its intention on Iraq. Is this also our national intent," Guingona asked
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MANILA,
November 22 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Vice President
Teofisto Guingona said Friday, November 22, he was concerned about the
wording of a military agreement the Philippines signed with the United
States this week, warning that it could draw Manila into a U.S. war on
Iraq.
But
President Gloria Arroyo's government dismissed Guingona's concerns,
saying the document had no secret agenda, Agence France-Presse (AFP)
said.
The
Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) commits both allies to
exchange fuel, supplies and non-lethal equipment, but Guingona
criticized vagueness in the wording of the accord, said AFP.
He
cited a section of the accord that commits both militaries to
cooperative efforts "within Philippine territory or outside
Philippine territory in cases where either party, or both, have
decided to participate."
"In
the wake of the issues confronting the Middle East, we ask: Does not
cooperative efforts other than activities under existing
U.S.-Philippine agreements include activities of a military campaign
in which one party is involved and the other party is not?" asked
Guingona.
"The
U.S. has time and again manifested its intention on Iraq. Is this also
our national intent? If the activity entails sending troops there,
does this mean that we should do likewise? Will this be to the
nation's benefit?" he added.
Arroyo
spokesman Ignacio Bunye told reporters, however, the cooperative
efforts all dealt with "non-war or non-military activities"
such as "humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and rescue
operations and maritime anti-pollution operations."
He
added: "There is no effort to bypass anybody."
The
independent-minded Guingona was eased out of Arroyo's cabinet, where
he served as foreign secretary, earlier this year after he publicly
opposed the deployment of U.S. Special Forces in the southern
Philippines for an "anti-terror" mission.
Guingona
said he has formally asked his replacement in the cabinet, Foreign
Secretary Blas Ople, to explain to him "some remaining concerns
that I have" over the agreement.
Guingona
added: "We say to our strongest ally, if you really desire to
strengthen our drive for meaningful peace and order, lend us the tools
and the technology, and we will do the job. But do not impose on
us."
He
criticized the Arroyo government for passing off the MLSA "as a
simple, boring administrative and accounting agreement" that it
did not see fit to go through ratification by the Filipino senate.
Guingona
said the Philippine constitution states it is the Senate who should
decide, not only military officers representing both nations, if
Filipino troops should go to war.
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