The United States Central Intelligence Agency has recently released millions of pages containing freshly declassified documents, and upon searching for topics that had something to do with Philippine politics, Filipino blogger Carlos Munda discovered something alarming.
Photo credit to the owner
One of the pages contained information about the request of then President Cory Aquino for U.S. assistance in fighting “the most serious attempt to oust her from power”. This assistance was supposed to come in the form of airstrikes against the rebels, which the U.S. outright refused to deliver in fear of the political risks in killing Filipinos.
It mentioned then Defense chief Fidel V. Ramos saying that the US government offered military assistance to crush a mutiny by dissidents seeking to topple the Aquino government.
Photo credit to the owner
At one point, however, Aquino is said to have personally asked US for help; and America responded by sending US warplanes to provide air cover to allow the Philippine military to attack the mutineers.
Photo credit to the owner
“The Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post reported last weekend that the Aquino government asked for airstrikes but US officials refused because of political risks in killing Filipinos,” the document further read.
The document also revealed 12 opposition lawmakers condemned the Philippine’s request for foreign assistance to quash the rebellion, and described such request as “a shameless act of surrender of sovereignty to a foreign power.”
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Read the full declassified document below:
MON DEC 04 8:58:12 1989
DOW-QA PHILIPPINE DEFENSE CHIEF SAYS U.S INITIATED OFFER TO HELP E0495
QUELL REBEL UPRISING
MANILA – (DJ) — DEFENSE SECRETARY FIDEL RAMOS SAID MONDAY THE U.S OFFERED MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO CRUSH A MUTINY BY DISSIDENTS SEEKING TO TOPPLE PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO.
Fidel Ramos and Cory Aquino / Photo credit to the owner
LAST FRIDAY, AQUINO ASKED FOR U.S ASSISTANCE IN CRUSHING THE MOST SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO OUST HER FROM POWER. U.S WARPLANES PROVIDED AIR COVER TO ALLOW PHILIPPINE FORCES TO ATTACK THE REBELS. U.S. AND FILIPINO OFFICIALS SAY THE U.S. F-4 PHANTOM JETS DID NOT FIRE A SHOT AND CEASED OVERFLIGHTS SATURDAY MORNING.
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES AND THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTED LAST WEEKEND THAT THE AQUINO GOVERNMENT ASKED FOR AIR STRIKES BUT U.S OFFICIALS REFUSED BECAUSE OF POLITICAL RISKS IN KILLING FILIPINOS.
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RAMOS TOLD REPORTERS THAT U.S. AMBASSADOR NICHOLAS PLATT OFFERED U.S HELP TO AQUINO “IN VERY GENERAL TERMS.” RAMOS SAID AQUINO TOLD PLATT TO DISCUSS THE OFFER WITH MILITARY OFFICIALS. “FRANKLY, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED ON THE VOLUNTARY OFFER ON THE PART OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE US ASSISTANCE,” RAMOS SAID.
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Source: MindaNation
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