MANILA — The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said that it will raise the issue of the Visiting Forces Agreement and US military aid during protests timed with the visit of United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

Clinton is set to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting and will stop by the Philippines on Thursday.

“Sec. Clinton is the third highest US official that has visited the country during the year. She follows the visit of CIA director Leon Panetta and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The unusual successive visits lead us to believe that the US is determined to strengthen and expand its presence here in the Philippines. Her trip is definitely not a goodwill or solidarity visit for typhoon victims. She’s here for US security interests, more than anything else,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

The corner-stone of US military interests in the Philippines is the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement.

“We agree with Sen. Miriam Santiago that Clinton may be out to affirm the US need for the VFA amid rising opposition to it. The trade off could be additional military aid, in exchange for expanding US military presence in the country. The additional aid may come despite the gross human rights record of the Arroyo regime,” Reyes added.

Bayan said that Clinton should explain why the US unilaterally declared it was indefinitely maintaining 600 US Special Forces in Mindanao. Former Lt. SG. Nancy Gadian, a Filipino officer involved in the Balikatan exercises also recently exposed the “permanent and continuing presence” of US troops in Mindanao where it maintains facilities the whole year round.

“The Clinton visit is nothing more than intervention hiding behind the cloak of humanitarianism. United States foreign policy towards countries like the Philippines has not changed at all one year after Barack Obama was elected to the White House. The unequal relations remain,” said Reyes.

Bayan also said Clinton should clarify the real score on US military aid to the Philippines. The US government made $2 million in aid contingent on the improved human rights record of the Arroyo government.

“The Philippine government does not deserve additional military aid because there is no qualitative improvement in the human rights situation in the country. Sec. Clinton should be reminded that an American citizen, Melissa Roxas, was abducted and tortured by suspected state forces. Her allegation of torture was upheld by no less than the Court of Appeals which granted her petition for a writ of amparo and habeas data,” Reyes said.###