Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, a spokeperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, initially said that the two US troops killed in a roadside bombing on Sep 22 were members of the US Navy Seabees, an engineering/construction battalion engaged in development projects such as the alleged construction of a school in Jolo.
A Malacanang spokesmen confirmed the LIE:
"This kind of act is very shameless because these guys are doing humanitarian assistance mission in the area, trying to push for peace in southern Philippines. We deplore this kind of barbaric act,'' Undersecretary Anthony Golez, deputy presiential spokesperson, told reporters.
“This is part of the threat of the consequence of their noble profession and the most important thing is to prevent this kind of incident in the future. And we must appeal to the perpetrators not to hamper the humanitarian assistance efforts in that province because they do not have any other reason but to push for peace in that area of this country," (Golez) said.
-Philippine Inquirer
And then US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney repeated the same LIE 6 days later:
“What happened to Filipino and American soldiers in Sulu is completely devastating. They were building a school in a community in Jolo that needs education, school facilities. They lost their lives helping others,” Kenney said.
-Philippine Inquirer
However, the truth is, the two slain troops, Sergeant 1st Class Christopher D. Shaw (left) and Staff Sergeant Jack M. Martin III, were both members of the US Army Special Forces. The 2 Green Berets were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Washington. US Special forces troops have been in Sulu since 2006, hunting down and killing alleged terrorists.
For those that don’t know, there’s a HUGE difference between Seabees and Airborne Rangers.
Despite being prohibited by the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement, there is ample evidence that US troops have long been engaged in combat operations in the Philippines.
The US troops in the Philippines….. also join actual operations against “insurgent” or “terrorist” groups. “They help in ‘neutralizing’ high-profile targets,” Gadian said.
-Bulatlat
Philippine and US soldiers attack mosque in Jolo
RP confirms US soldiers fired guns in Jolo
Undersecretary Edilberto Adan, the commission's executive director, described the acts of the US forces as 'a justified response.'
Alleged irregularities in the handling of funds for the Balikatan exercises did not just happen in 2007. It is a “dirty pattern" that has been going on in the Philippine military’s annual joint exercises with US troops under the Visiting Forces Agreement.
-GMA News
Bayan USA
Surrender Smith
