Davao City- Members of the League of Filipino Students launched yesterday the month-long celebration of their 33rd anniversary through a protest action to condemn the continuing foreign intervention, principally by the United States of America in the country.The students simulated the “Hostage Crisis” in a street play wherein they presented the Filipino people as hostages and Uncle Sam as the hostage-taker. According to Karlos Manlupig, LFS-Southern Mindanao Regional Spokesperson, “As citizens of a nation long trapped in colonial relationship with US, we are actually hostages to the economic, political and cultural dictates of US Imperialism.”
LFS has long held the tradition of being a consistent and the biggest anti-US student organization in the country.
The youth leader expressed his dismay over the present administration’s programs which kowtow to imperialist interest in the country. “P-noy, without doubt, is the commissioned replacement to the bootlicker Arroyo regime. Despite the massive movement calling for the pull-out of US troops and the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, P-noy has refused to this call, he being the newest US puppet in Southeast Asia,,” said Manlupig.
In Mindanao, it was reported that more than 600 US troops are deployed in different areas in the island that actively participate in different overt and covert operations. Recently, USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered warship, docked in Manila Bay.
“The stories of the brutal massacres perpetrated by American soldiers during the Philippine-American War are still reminiscent . Modern cases of savagery by US forces have been recorded including the Subic Rape Case and the murder of Gregan Cardeno and Capt. Javier Ignacio,” Manlupig said.
Manlupig calls for the Aquino administration to learn from the mistakes of the previous administrations and listen to the clamor of the people. He also challenges P-noy to stand for the people and act on the scrapping of VFA on his coming state visit to the US.
“No country in the history of mankind attained development under the avaricious clutches of US Imperialism. And the people, including the youth, will fight back to cut off foreign domination and to dislodge the local puppets. Over the last hundred years, we have become ‘hostage’ victims. We have to work and struggle hard to end this oppression,” Manlupig said.
The students will conduct a series of protests, art exhibits and cultural activities this month to commemorate the LFS’ 33 years of militance and perseverance. #
