US troops in intelligence makes them 'legitimate targets' - lawyer

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer on Tuesday said that American soldiers involved in gathering intelligence against Moro rebels in Mindanao makes them "legitimate targets" of insurgents. This came from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) secretary general who said the admission of the Philippine government through AFP spokesman Maj. Ramon Zagala on the involvement of American soldiers in the on-going armed conflict in Mindanao made the American troops “confirmed combatants" under international law. “Despite the fact that there is no ongoing Balikatan Exercises, US troops were found in various areas in Mindanao where there is fighting between government and MILF forces. As admitted by the Philippine government, one of the reasons for this deployment, other than for alleged ‘humanitarian purposes’ is the gathering of intelligence," lawyer Neri Javier Colmenares, secretary general of NUPL, said. “But gathering intelligence information on the location or movement of a belligerent force is an act of hostility against that enemy force, making the intelligence officer a legitimate target of attack under international law," he explained. Aside from the admission that US troops were involved in intelligence gathering, Malacañang had earlier defended the presence of US troops saying among others that American troops come and go and that the soldiers all look alike so it’s as if they never leave. On Tuesday, US Embassy press attaché Rebecca Thompson said that US troops are in the country upon the invitation of the Philippine government and are here to support and share information with the Philippine military. "Everything they do is coordinated with or at the request of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). Everything they do is according to the Visiting Forces Agreement and troops here are on short tours of duty. Again, I can only emphasize that US forces serve here at the request of your government," Thompson told reporters. But for Colmenares, the government position regarding the American soldiers’ involvement in intelligence gathering on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could be tantamount to espionage. The NUPL also said that mere presence of American troops in Mindanao could escalate the “shooting war" and can result in the deployment of more American soldiers that is similar to that in Iraq. The NUPL, moreover, said that the continued presence of American soldiers is also a violation of the Terms of Reference of the Balikatan Exercises, which should add one more reason for the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). “The participation of US troops in combat operations, in the guise of ‘humanitarian aid’ or transporting the wounded does not detract from the fact that they are part of the hostilities as they provide intelligence and support to the AFP against the MILF. This means that even US helicopters and planes are subject to attack under international law, particularly if they are used to gather intelligence data on rebel forces," he noted. “Since US troops are involved in intelligence gathering, they are therefore part of the combat operations, and the claim that they are not involved in combat operations is not only misleading but is an outright lie. Should the MILF or the NPAs fire upon US soldiers, whether intentionally or by accident, the result is devastating on the Philippines since the US has promised to fire back, which in turn will definitely escalate into a shooting war between US soldiers and various rebel groups," he also said. - GMANews.TV