By VIGGO SARMAGO

MANILA —  On the 84th Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), progressive groups marched toward the US Embassy in Manila, condemning US President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran and the rest of the West Asia region.

They reiterated their demands to abolish the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) while linking the Philippines’ energy emergency to the US-Israel war.

They also denounced this year’s Balikatan military exercises which will start later this month, and was reported to be the largest yet. Groups have long criticized these military exercises for undermining national sovereignty, environmental destruction and displacement of surrounding communities. The Philippine-Palestine Friendship Association (PPFA) stressed that this only encourages US military rule at the expense of the people.

“U.S. imperialism is the root of crisis and oppression in the Philippines and across the globe. Its continued militarization of our country does not serve to protect Filipinos. It treats the country not as an ally, but as a pawn, dragging our people into its wars and serving only its own greed and domination,” PPFA said in a statement.

By the end of the program, groups burned Lego caricatures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu calling to put an end to US-Israel led wars. (AMU, RVO)

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