Riots in Manila???

[rockhouse 1]

My mom just called me and said that she saw on the morning news just now that there are protests/riots going on in Manila.

Anybody know about this? Anyone have a link to the story? I googled it and found nothing.

Thanks.

[=FoxyBLUE= 2]

My mom just called me and said that she saw on the morning news just now that there are protests/riots going on in Manila.

Anybody know about this? Anyone have a link to the story? I googled it and found nothing.

Thanks.

infront of the US Embassy?~~ well, that's because of the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) some groups want them out.........

[edp333 9]

I saw the news clip this morning too. The protest is over US troops in the Phillipine. This link explains the situation: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/s...090904top5.html

These three paragraphs are very interesting:

The VFA allows the American military to advise Manila on joint hunts for terrorists in the Philippines but prohibits deployment of US combatants here.

“They [uS forces] also bring health care to the poor communities, build and repair schools and dig wells,” Thompson noted.

Calls for the VFA’s abrogation resurfaced lately after Philippine Navy Officer Nancy Gadian revealed that American forces are involved in combat operations in Mindanao.

[MikenKyhen 0]

Which groups want them out and what's their rationale? I'm assuming it would be the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which would want us out for the obvious reasons but what good has ever come out of closing Subic and Clark from an economic or political standpoint? Just curious what others think?

[rockhouse 1]

^ Thanks for the link, that explains it.

[MikenKyhen 0]

quote from the Manila Times:

"The MILF will always opt for a peaceful settlement of the Moro problem in Mindanao, one done under the spirit of mutuality, fairness, justice, respect and, most important, parallel with international humanitarian laws,” Jaafar said."

Their track record doesn't seem to back this statement up.

[marriedtomrg 141]

Hardly a riot...it was a protest rally led by the League of Filipino Students (LFS). They're a well-known student activist group with members coming from different state universities (U.P. leads that list).

Website: http://www.lfs.ph/about/

Edited September 11, 2009 by marriedtomrg

[edp333 9]

Hardly a riot...it was a protest rally led by the League of Filipino Students (LFS). They're a well-known student activist group with members coming from different state universities (U.P. leads that list).

Website: http://www.lfs.ph/about/

Yes, this video back in August showed the student protesters : http://www.gmanews.tv/largevideo/home/4675...sters-in-manila

The newsclip this morning showed police in riot gear with large clear plastic shields, helmets, and what looked like batons pushing or holding the protesters back. The short clip could easily be perceived as a riot rather than a protest with the police and protesters engaged.