Fight Back News Service is circulating the following September 21 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and all revolutionary forces condemn the U.S. government and military for reneging on its earlier declaration to withdraw its Typhon missile system from the Philippines by September. The CPP also condemns Marcos and his defense officials for making excuses for the U.S.’ failure to keep its promise.

Based on reports and satellite images, the Typhon system remains positioned at the Laoag International Airport in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. The airport is not even on the list of “agreed locations” under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The CPP condemns the U.S. for using the Philippines as a strategic military base to deploy weapons that can be used for aggression and attacks against its enemies and rivals. This is a brazen display of contempt for, and a flagrant violation of Philippine sovereignty. This is similar to how the U.S. used the Philippines to launch wars of aggression in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in the past.

By strategically placing the Typhon missile system at the northern part of the country, the U.S. is already using the Philippines to threaten China with strikes. The Typhon system is capable of launching cruise missiles with ranges exceeding 1,600 kilometers. This is in line with the U.S. “first-island chain” strategy to contain China.

The Typhon missile system, along with all U.S. military bases, vessels and facilities in the Philippines, are all magnets of attack. The Chinese and Russian governments have made explicit statements about this. This makes the Philippines a likely target of U.S. enemies in the event of an armed conflict, which absolutely runs counter to the interests of the Filipino people.

The U.S. military forces’ permanent presence in country the prevents the Philippines from pursuing an independent foreign policy. This hinders the country from establishing peaceful and friendly relations with China and all other countries based on mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty.

The CPP reiterates the Filipino people’s demand for the immediate withdrawal of the U.S. Typhon missile system along with all US troops and weapons in the Philippines. All US military bases and facilities must be dismantled. The Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and all other unequal military treaties must be abrogated to allow the Philippines to stand up as a self-respecting sovereign country.

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