Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWELFTH CONGRESSFirst Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 240

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Introduced by Reps. SATURNINO C. OCAMPO, CRISPIN B. BELTRAN and LIZA L. MAZA__________________________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTIONCONDEMNING IN THE STRONGEST TERMS PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO’S

POLICY OF ALL-OUT SUPPORT FOR THE U.S.-LED WAR ON TERRORISM AND CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO THE USE OF PHILIPPINE TERRITORY BY U.S. MILITARY FORCES BECAUSE THESE ACTIONS VIOLATE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE PRIMORDIAL NATIONAL

SOVEREIGN INTEREST AND MAKE THE PHILIPPINES AN INSTRUMENT AND ACCESSORY TO A U.S. WAR EFFORT THAT WILL ONLY LEAD

TO MORE DESTRUCTION THAN WHAT IT SEEKS TO CONTAIN

WHEREAS, after the horrific September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States which killed thousands of innocent civilians, the U.S. government declared all-out war against individuals, organizations and countries allegedly involved in terrorism;

WHEREAS, just days after the U.S. declaration and even without any formal request from the U.S., Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared all-out support to the U.S.-led all-out war against terrorism;

WHEREAS, the U.S.’ historical record in waging military campaigns allegedly in the name of “freedom” and “democracy” and on grounds of fighting terrorism have caused the deaths of thousands of civilians as evident in the historical experience of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya, Sudan and the Middle East;

WHEREAS, there is no reason to believe that this most recent self-proclaimed war by the U.S. on terrorism will be any different in not clearly distinguishing between military targets and the civilian population where civilian casualties will just be considered “collateral damage” in the course of achieving the U.S.’ military objectives;

WHEREAS, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s all-out support is already resulting in the use of the country’s air and sea ports as transit ports and refueling stops for U.S. forces gearing for war, in clear violation of Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution which “renounces war as an instrument of national policy” and “adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations,” and which constitutes as well an abdication, under Section 7, of the State’s responsibility to “pursue an independent foreign policy” upon the “paramount consideration(s)” of “national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination”;

WHEREAS, the U.S. warplanes and warships entering the country may carry nuclear weapons in violation of Section 8 of the Constitution which imposes “a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in (Philippine) territory”;

WHEREAS, the entry of U.S. warships and warplanes which include military personnel and armaments, being in the category of foreign facilities and troops, require prior congressional approval before making use of Philippine territory as mandated by the fundamental law of the land;

WHEREAS, when the U.S.-led war finally breaks out in Southwest Asia and, possibly, in the Middle East, the lives and jobs of 1.5 million overseas Filipino workers in those areas will be placed in great jeopardy and the country itself could be subjected to retaliatory attacks from the enemies of the U.S. because of its direct support for the U.S. war effort;

WHEREAS, inside the country, the problem of Abu Sayyaf terrorism has remained unresolved and that charges have been hurled against certain military and local government officials for conniving with the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the collection of ransom money;

WHEREAS, although the Filipino people join the whole world in condemning these terrorist actions which target civilians contrary to internationally accepted rules of warfare and which can never be justified against any perceived oppressors and enemies, we cannot condone much less support retaliatory actions which are similarly terroristic;

WHEREAS, the U.S.-led war on terrorism will likely result in the death of thousands of innocent civilians and the destruction of cities, towns and country and will only lead to a never-ending cycle of violence in which defenseless countries like the Philippines will be dragged into a war not of their making;

WHEREAS, Philippine national interest dictates that wars resulting in the unjustifiable loss of lives should never be supported, that terrorist methods should never be utilized to fight terrorism, and that all-out support for the U.S. war effort is against the national interest;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, to condemn in the strongest terms possible President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s policy of all-out support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism and to call on her to stop the use of Philippine territory by U.S. military forces because these actions violate Constitutional provisions governing the primordial national sovereign interest and make the Philippines an instrument and accessory to a U.S. war effort that can only create more destruction than what it seeks to contain;

RESOLVED, FINALLY, to call on the Macapagal-Arroyo government to remain focused and resolute in the fight against poverty in the country and to take the necessary measures to ensure that foreign terrorists do not use Philippine soil as refuge and staging grounds for terrorist activities.

Adopted.

SATURNINO C. OCAMPO CRISPIN B. BELTRAN LIZA L. MAZA