A YOUTH group on Tuesday hit out at former president Benigno Aquino III for his claim of independent foreign policy during his term.
Iza Gozum, Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan spokesperson, rejected Aquino’s supposed stance, saying Aquino’s statement “was contrary to the many instances of intrusions and infractions to the country’s sovereignty.”
Aquino could have been “one of the most subservient of all the past presidents, probably second only to [the late presidents] Ferdinand Marcos or Ramon Magsaysay,” she said.
The former president raised a different opinion to his successor, President Rodrigo Duterte’s “separation” in foreign policy from the United States.
He said it would be better if the Philippines would maintain its strong ties with the US than with another country that had no “common background” and “common values” with the Philippines.
Despite the country’s strategic partnership with the US and Japan, he said, he also pursued an independent foreign policy.
“Is it possible that Aquino may have suffered from selective amnesia since stepping down from the Palace three months ago? Need we remind him of instances he preferred to shun the pleadings and protestations of the people during his six year tenure?” Gozum asked.
She said Aquino was the only Filipino president to ever board a US aircraft super carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, in 2011.
She also cited the Oct. 11, 2014 murder of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude, who was killed by Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton while on a break from the regular military exercises under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
“Laude’s murder happened only six months upon the signing of the treaty,” the youth group said.
According to Gozum, the biggest injury caused by Aquino’s version of “independent foreign policy” was the intrusion of US security forces in the botched operation to arrest Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifi bin Hir with a bounty of $5 million from the US-Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI later participated in identifying Zulkifli’s body
At least 44 Special Action Force troopers of the Philippine National Police were killed in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.
“We cannot allow Aquino to rewrite history, tarnish the memory of all victims in his pursuit of his independent foreign policy as well as cleanse himself of accountability,” Gozum said.
She, however, did not spare Duterte, challenging him to put his words into actions — to EDCA, the Visiting Forces Agreement and Mutual Logistics Support Agreement.
