The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan on Sunday called on the Philippine government to disclose the truth behind a New York Times report that the United States military conducted a drone strike in the Philippines in 2006.
The July 6, 2012 New York Times article by Mark Mazzetti called The Drone Zone claims that a Predator drone fired a “barrage of Hellfire missiles” in the “jungles of the Philippines”. The drone strike was an attempt to kill Indonesian Bali-bomber Umar Patek.
The New York Times article said that the drone strike was reported as a “Philippine military operation”.
The strike failed to kill Patek, who was recently convicted by an Indonesian court for 20 years for his role in the Bali Bombings.
“Is the US unilaterally conducting these drone strikes in violation of our laws and of the VFA itself? From the looks of it, the claim that the US is not engaged in direct combat in the Philippines is a patent lie being perpetuated by both the US and Philippine governments,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. in a statement.
In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Reyes also voiced his suspicions that the February 2012 air strike that killed Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir, and Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail, alias Dr. Abu, was actually a drone attack.
Reyes said that the U.S. and Philippine governments later revealed that the air strike was conducted with an American guided “smartbomb” dropped from a Philippine plane.
“The Philippine Air Force is not capable of this kind of pinpoint air strike. The strike was done at 2 a.m.,” said Reyes, “Imagine the visibility at that hour.”
Dr. Abu was said to be involved in the 2001 the Dos Palmas and Sipadan, Malaysia kidnapping incidents.
“While the PH government must deal decisively with suspected terrorists, it is unacceptable to allow a foreign power to conduct combat operations in our country. This makes us no different from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq,” he added.
Furthermore, Reyes said that these drone strikes places Filipinos at risk.
“Just remember the countless civilians that have died in Pakistan and Afghanistan because of these drone strikes conducted by the U.S.,” Reyes said.
Drone strikes ban
In a March 2012 Agence France-Presse interview, President Benigno Aquino III said the Philippines is only allowing US drones to conduct reconnaissance flights over Philippine territory. Strikes from the unmanned planes are banned.
When asked whether the Philippines would allow, or had allowed, US drones to drop bombs, Aquino said that would violate a ban on the American forces from participating in combat operations.
“No drone strikes,” he said.
According to the report, hundreds of American troops have been helping to contain an Islamic militant threat for a decade.
“They are here as advisers. They are here as trainers. They can not participate in combat operations,” said Aquino.
As of posting time, Neither the Department of National Defense nor the Armed Forces of the Philippines could be reached for comment regarding the New York Times story or Bayan’s allegations. — DVM/LBG, GMA News
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