Students storm US embassy, demand to hand over Marine tagged in Olongapo slay wp.me/p2uvTF-1iJ Denouncing the recent murder of Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, a transgender woman in Olongapo City, furious members of the student group League of Filipino Students (LFS) staged a protest in front of the Embassy of the United States of America. LFS clamored for the US Navy to turn over the suspected Marine detained on board at the USS Peleliu after the slay. “We demand the US embassy to stop coddling murderers. Hand over the Marine to Philippine authorities now so that he can be imprisoned,” said LFS National Spokesperson Charlotte Velasco. LFS gathered at Plaza Ferguson, Manila before marching to the US embassy. Participants brought placards depicting their calls to provide justice for Jennifer, junk the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and stop US military intervention in PH. The student group held a short prayer for Laude and other victims of U.S military intervention in the country. After different solidarity speeches, the LFS burned a mock U.S. flag. According to LFS, the Navy memo implies that the Naval agents have already tracked down the Marine has thus been keeping him in custody while investigations are ongoing. “Hiding the savage criminal and refusing to tell his identity equates to playing deaf on the family’s holler for justice. This is a preposterous cover-up for the US military’s motive to get away from the crime,” remarked Velasco. The youth group also stressed that the US military’s order to bar Naval warships from leaving PH seas until the perpetrator of the crime is held accountable. They added that the US troops should be not higher than any existing Philippine laws. “This pretense of benevolence won’t work, we’ve been through that in the past. The Marine should be immediately arrested and should undergo judicial proceedings,” Velasco stressed. Powerless administration LFS slammed the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Aquino government for failing to skirt around the “unjust provisions of the EDCA and the VFA” and being “powerless” against human rights violations committed by US troops. “The Aquino regime’s disposition in resolving this case is vexing. They only stood dumbfounded in the face of the oppressive treaties like EDCA and VFA. They’ve shown how powerless the country is against the US that we can’t even imprison a Marine who murdered our compatriot,” Velasco stated. LFS charged US troops for committing numerous cases of unresolved human rights violations, most of which occurred near the premises of military operations. “They plunder our natural resources, spoil our environment, kill our children and rape our women. It’s as if they’re playing havoc with the Filipino people, especially with those living near their camps,” Velasco said. The youth leader even alluded to the case of Subic rape victim Nicole whose offender, Daniel Smith, received acquittal from the court. “Jennifer Laude’s murder is worse than Nicole’s case as it shows the horrible extent of US military intervention and how the unjust US-PH relations endanger the lives of the people,” Velasco said. Savagery and impunity According to LFS, the US military has a long track record of killings in the Philippine countryside. They recounted incidents such as the murders of Rafaela Palborido, the 1-year old killed during the Bicol clearing operations, Buyong Buyong Isnijal killed in Basilan, three (3) Moro civilians killed in Tawi-tawi and Arside Baharon killed in Zamboanga City, all occurred in the year 2009; Also, Ahbam Juhurin, the fisherman killed in a U.S. vessel crash in Zamboanga City in 2012. LFS went on to blame the Aquino regime regarding the killing. Velasco pointed out that the enactment of EDCA provides US servicemen immunity from criminal charges in local and international courts or tribunals. This adds up to the current disadvantages of VFA. “Because of EDCA and VFA, the perpetrator behind Jennifer’s death may easily escape the hand of justice. These atrocities may climb up once the US troops build their bases,” Velasco said. The youth group said that this justifies the call to junk the said policies and end US military intervention in PH. LFS also declared that more protests will be held to demand accountability from the US troops and the Aquino government. “Aquino should be made accountable for implementing treaties which put the Filipino people’s lives at risk while making soldiers free to kill people whenever they feel like doing it. Dapat nang patalsikin ang sagad-sagaring papet na rehimen,” Velasco ended.###
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 06:57:52 +0000
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