Biazon bares US-backed firm’s recruitment plan to Iraq
THE SUBIC Bay Metropolitan Authority has finalized a lease agreement with a local company formed by a US-based private security group to recruit and train people for Iraq, according to an SBMA memorandum, which Senator Rodolfo Biazon presented in a press conference Friday.
Biazon said the May 29 memorandum allowed the Satelles Solution to recruit and train at least 1,000 people for the war-torn Middle East state.
The memorandum also allows the SBMA to lease 19, 321 square meters of land and building for training purposes to the same company for three years, with the rent set at 96,000 dollars for the first year, 98,000 dollars for the second year, and 100,000 dollars for the third year.
Biazon raised the possibility that the memorandum could have violated the Constitution, citing a provision that prohibits foreign troops on Philippine soil.
Biazon said the memorandum could have also violated Presidential Decree 1866 or statutes on possession of firearms, ammunitions, and explosives; Republic Act 5487 or the law regulating security and detective agencies; PD 11, an amendment to RA 5487; and the Immigration Law.
Biazon asked if allowing these military-type activities would change the country's policy of prohibiting Filipinos from going to Iraq.
“The kidnapping of one Filipino, Angelo Dela Cruz, has caused us to pull out our troops from Iraq...We are being sucked into, drawn into a foreign policy situation,” he said.
Biazon said the use of the environment-protected jungles of Subic as provided in the memorandum should also be questioned. “For one, what's the use of the jungle when they are supposed to go to the desert,” he asked, referring to the Iraqi terrain.
Biazon said these anti-terror training activities in the country were an offshoot of Pentagon's decision to privatize some of its functions.
Biazon said Blackwater, Greystone's business competitor, also had a similar project in Guatemala, where people are trained from Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Honduras.
Blackwater is also known to be recruiting people from Fiji, India, and the Philippines, Biazon said.
Biazon said that when Congress resumes its session in July, he would file a resolution seeking to invite the SBMA, the military, police, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and even the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
Biazon said among the questions he would raise would be whether the 1,000 recruits specified in the memorandum referred only to Filipinos or whether they included foreigners? He added that if the recruitment included foreigners, would they abide by the Immigration Law?
He said he also wanted to find out whether the trainers were military or civilian and that if they were in the military, would they covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement?
The VFA allows joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US.
Biazon added that if the recruits were civilians, on what authority would they be allowed to possess firearms, explosives, and ammunitions?
“If this is recruitment for work to Iraq, should they not be registered with the POEA” Biazon said.
Veronica Uy - INQ7
Biazon said the May 29 memorandum allowed the Satelles Solution to recruit and train at least 1,000 people for the war-torn Middle East state.
The memorandum also allows the SBMA to lease 19, 321 square meters of land and building for training purposes to the same company for three years, with the rent set at 96,000 dollars for the first year, 98,000 dollars for the second year, and 100,000 dollars for the third year.
Biazon raised the possibility that the memorandum could have violated the Constitution, citing a provision that prohibits foreign troops on Philippine soil.
Biazon said the memorandum could have also violated Presidential Decree 1866 or statutes on possession of firearms, ammunitions, and explosives; Republic Act 5487 or the law regulating security and detective agencies; PD 11, an amendment to RA 5487; and the Immigration Law.
Biazon asked if allowing these military-type activities would change the country's policy of prohibiting Filipinos from going to Iraq.
“The kidnapping of one Filipino, Angelo Dela Cruz, has caused us to pull out our troops from Iraq...We are being sucked into, drawn into a foreign policy situation,” he said.
Biazon said the use of the environment-protected jungles of Subic as provided in the memorandum should also be questioned. “For one, what's the use of the jungle when they are supposed to go to the desert,” he asked, referring to the Iraqi terrain.
Biazon said these anti-terror training activities in the country were an offshoot of Pentagon's decision to privatize some of its functions.
Biazon said Blackwater, Greystone's business competitor, also had a similar project in Guatemala, where people are trained from Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Honduras.
Blackwater is also known to be recruiting people from Fiji, India, and the Philippines, Biazon said.
Biazon said that when Congress resumes its session in July, he would file a resolution seeking to invite the SBMA, the military, police, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and even the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
Biazon said among the questions he would raise would be whether the 1,000 recruits specified in the memorandum referred only to Filipinos or whether they included foreigners? He added that if the recruitment included foreigners, would they abide by the Immigration Law?
He said he also wanted to find out whether the trainers were military or civilian and that if they were in the military, would they covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement?
The VFA allows joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US.
Biazon added that if the recruits were civilians, on what authority would they be allowed to possess firearms, explosives, and ammunitions?
“If this is recruitment for work to Iraq, should they not be registered with the POEA” Biazon said.
Veronica Uy - INQ7
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
9:22 PM
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