Filipinos ‘worse off under Aquino’

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 2

Filipinos ‘worse off under Aquino’

By

DEBORAH MCPHERSON

Filipinos were worse off under President Corazon Aquino than they had been under President Ferdinand Marcos; a situation which might easily end in a revolution, said a visiting Filipino peace and justice worker, Miss Joy Balazo, in Christchurch. The Philippines’ economy was "down the drain” and nearly bankrupt, and relying on the United States to prop it up, said Miss Balazo. In return it seemed President Aquino tacitly approved of United Statesbacked groups fostering unrest. Under Mr Marcos there had been some killings, but mostly people were arrested or jailed. Under Mrs Aquino, however, there were many killings, including the murder of peasants, said Miss Balazo. Governmentbacked vigilante groups known as death squads were also murdering people they considered "communists." Often those killed were church workers and other peace and human rights workers, she asserted.

The President seemed to tacitly approve of the emergence of the death squads, because she said

she was afraid of the spread of communism, Miss Balazo said. The conflict seemed to arise from Mrs Aquino’s dependence on her military’s support to rule, and the United States’ concern for the retention of its 23 military bases on the islands. The lease on the bases is due to be renewed in 1991, but will be reviewed next year. The new Constitution was causing the Americans concern because it included provision for an anti-nuclear weapons policy, which had yet to be Implemented, said Miss Balazo.

The United States stood to lose a lot from having its bases closed, as they contained some of the biggest nuclear .arsenals in the Pacific, said Miss Balazo. Clark Air Base, alone, incorporated an area the size of Singapore. Instead of sending "its boys” into the area of counter the problem, as it did in Vietnam, the United States was "using local people to foster unrest -in order to protect its controlling interests in the South Pacific. Miss Balazo said it was interesting to note that one of the demands of an attempted coup in August was that the anti-nuclear policy be revoked. In addition the coup leader, Colonel Gringo Honasan, escaped from the area after being flown out by an American Marines Puma helicopter, a brand of military equipment, she said was not owned by the Philippine Government.

The colonel later issued a press statement from one of the military bases. Reports that American military officials were seen involved in the coup had not been denied by the United States Embassy, said Miss Balazo.

It was surprising that Mrs Aquino was slipping

in popularity with the people, because of Jjer seeming encouragement or repression. She also came from one of the richest ruling classes In I the Philippines and could ; not identify with pqor: people, Miss Balazo as-; sorted.

When Mrs Aquino firstJ came to power, she had! the support of the people, because she said the solu- i tion to the country’s prob-! lems after the corruption i of the Marcos regime was' to build .an economic, base. Recently Mrs Aquino had given a speech indicating the solution was now military, Miss Balazo said.

"The people are very disappointed in her, and the situation is heading for a civil war. A revolution would not be surprising.”

Miss Balazo works as a» resource officer -for thePhilippines Resource Centre in Melbourne, and has also worked for theecumenical church organisation, Ecumenical Part-, nership for International Concerns, which is based in Manila.

Her trip to New Zealand has been sponsored by the Auckland-based Philippine Solidarity Network.