Behave like ambassadors, US Embassy warns GIs
AMERICAN troops in this year's "Balikatan" exercises are barred from hiring sex workers and ordered to behave like "informal ambassadors."
The United States Embassy yesterday reiterated that American soldiers taking part in joint RP-US military exercises in the country are barred from hiring sex workers, which it said is a crime punishable under US military law.
It also said US troops participating in this year's Balikatan exercises are ordered to behave as "informal ambassadors" of their country, treat Filipinos with military courtesy whether on or off duty, and refrain from making statements or wearing clothing "which may offend a Filipino."
Also, no liberty or annual leave will be granted to US Armed Forces personnel while they are here for Balikatan 2006, the mission announced.
The embassy made the statement a day after being visited by a Philippine congressional committee pursuing the government's bid to gain custody of four US Marines charged with raping a 22-year-old Filipino woman at the Subic Freeport in November last year.
Humanitarian activities
Widely considered a test of RP-US relations, the case triggered a resurgence of anti-US sentiments as many saw it as a throwback to the years when the country hosted US military bases and American troops accused of committing crimes against Filipinos largely eluded prosecution.
The embassy tackled the matter of "sexual conduct," notably, also in the wake of media reports of how local sex workers have started "flocking" to Jolo, Sulu, regarded as a conservative Muslim town in Mindanao.
About a dozen US troops aboard a Philippine Navy vessel arrived at the Jolo pier early yesterday morning in preparation for a humanitarian mission. They unloaded a container, four Humvee vehicles, power generators and earth-moving equipment to be used by US forces later this month.
Not here for combat
Some 250 soldiers are expected to take part in the exercise, which will focus on civic works and humanitarian activities for the impoverished residents, from Feb. 20 to March 5.
Just minutes before the Americans arrived, the head of police intelligence in Jolo, Henry Elumbaring, was shot dead by a suspected Abu Sayyaf gunman as he was walking from his home just a short distance from the gates of the national police camp.
His assailant fled into a nearby housing area, evading police who gave chase.
Capt. Leo Lebriech, head of the US mission, stressed that the US forces would not be in Jolo for combat operations, saying "we are here for the humanitarian mission and engineering capabilities and nothing else."
While the Americans and their equipment were taken to Philippine military camps, videoke bars featuring scantily dressed women had sprouted near the area, the Inquirer reported on Tuesday, quoting a local official.
Most of the sex workers were young and had come from Pagadian City, Dipolog City and Zamboanga City, the report added.
Wings clipped
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, co-chair of the Legislative Oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement (Lovfa), said that because of the rape case, "the American military has become more strict about the liberty of their soldiers, especially when it comes to looking for [sex workers]."
The US military had issued General Order Number One for the RP-US Balikatan exercises this year which prohibits American soldiers to leave their camps in the Philippines.
"One dire result of this rape case is that there is a general order for Balikatan 2006 that there will no longer be any leave or liberty for American soldiers. They will no longer be allowed to leave their military camps," Santiago said.
"They will no longer be allowed to go out while they're in the country. They'll only be doing full-duty work while they're here," said Sen. Richard Gordon, a Lovfa member.
Lovfa members on Thursday morning visited the four Marines who are under guard at the US Embassy.
Santiago explained that in every scheduled Balikatan exercise, the US military issues a general order that states what American soldiers can and cannot do while they are in the Philippines.
Not even merienda
"This general order [for 2006] means that they can no longer buy T-shirts or merienda [from Filipinos] wherever they are assigned in the country," she said.
Santiago also pointed out that US President George W. Bush in September 2005 made it a crime under American law for US soldiers to look for sex workers.
The Lovfa members met for about an hour with the four US Marines-Staff Sgt. Chad Brian Carpentier, 27; Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, 20; Dominic Duplantis, 21, and Keith Silkwood, 23-and were surprised by the soldiers' youth. (INQ7)
The United States Embassy yesterday reiterated that American soldiers taking part in joint RP-US military exercises in the country are barred from hiring sex workers, which it said is a crime punishable under US military law.
It also said US troops participating in this year's Balikatan exercises are ordered to behave as "informal ambassadors" of their country, treat Filipinos with military courtesy whether on or off duty, and refrain from making statements or wearing clothing "which may offend a Filipino."
Also, no liberty or annual leave will be granted to US Armed Forces personnel while they are here for Balikatan 2006, the mission announced.
The embassy made the statement a day after being visited by a Philippine congressional committee pursuing the government's bid to gain custody of four US Marines charged with raping a 22-year-old Filipino woman at the Subic Freeport in November last year.
Humanitarian activities
Widely considered a test of RP-US relations, the case triggered a resurgence of anti-US sentiments as many saw it as a throwback to the years when the country hosted US military bases and American troops accused of committing crimes against Filipinos largely eluded prosecution.
The embassy tackled the matter of "sexual conduct," notably, also in the wake of media reports of how local sex workers have started "flocking" to Jolo, Sulu, regarded as a conservative Muslim town in Mindanao.
About a dozen US troops aboard a Philippine Navy vessel arrived at the Jolo pier early yesterday morning in preparation for a humanitarian mission. They unloaded a container, four Humvee vehicles, power generators and earth-moving equipment to be used by US forces later this month.
Not here for combat
Some 250 soldiers are expected to take part in the exercise, which will focus on civic works and humanitarian activities for the impoverished residents, from Feb. 20 to March 5.
Just minutes before the Americans arrived, the head of police intelligence in Jolo, Henry Elumbaring, was shot dead by a suspected Abu Sayyaf gunman as he was walking from his home just a short distance from the gates of the national police camp.
His assailant fled into a nearby housing area, evading police who gave chase.
Capt. Leo Lebriech, head of the US mission, stressed that the US forces would not be in Jolo for combat operations, saying "we are here for the humanitarian mission and engineering capabilities and nothing else."
While the Americans and their equipment were taken to Philippine military camps, videoke bars featuring scantily dressed women had sprouted near the area, the Inquirer reported on Tuesday, quoting a local official.
Most of the sex workers were young and had come from Pagadian City, Dipolog City and Zamboanga City, the report added.
Wings clipped
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, co-chair of the Legislative Oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement (Lovfa), said that because of the rape case, "the American military has become more strict about the liberty of their soldiers, especially when it comes to looking for [sex workers]."
The US military had issued General Order Number One for the RP-US Balikatan exercises this year which prohibits American soldiers to leave their camps in the Philippines.
"One dire result of this rape case is that there is a general order for Balikatan 2006 that there will no longer be any leave or liberty for American soldiers. They will no longer be allowed to leave their military camps," Santiago said.
"They will no longer be allowed to go out while they're in the country. They'll only be doing full-duty work while they're here," said Sen. Richard Gordon, a Lovfa member.
Lovfa members on Thursday morning visited the four Marines who are under guard at the US Embassy.
Santiago explained that in every scheduled Balikatan exercise, the US military issues a general order that states what American soldiers can and cannot do while they are in the Philippines.
Not even merienda
"This general order [for 2006] means that they can no longer buy T-shirts or merienda [from Filipinos] wherever they are assigned in the country," she said.
Santiago also pointed out that US President George W. Bush in September 2005 made it a crime under American law for US soldiers to look for sex workers.
The Lovfa members met for about an hour with the four US Marines-Staff Sgt. Chad Brian Carpentier, 27; Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, 20; Dominic Duplantis, 21, and Keith Silkwood, 23-and were surprised by the soldiers' youth. (INQ7)
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