Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City FIFTEENTH CONGRESS First Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION No.

153 (Filed August 4, 2010) ________________________________________________________________________________ Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO TWIN INCIDENTS INVOLVING U.S. TROOPS WHO FIGURED IN A FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY IN ZAMBOANGA CITY LAST JULY 19, 2010 AND A BAND CONCERT BRAWL IN BASILAN LAST JULY 3, 2010, RESPECTIVELY, IN BLATANT VIOLATION OF PHILIPPINE LAWS AND THE VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT WHEREAS, media reports on July 19, 2010 revealed that Filipino soldiers and officers were extremely disgusted over the utter disrespect shown by American troops for the Philippine National Anthem during a flag raising ceremony at a Philippine military headquarters in Zamboanga City; WHEREAS, based on testimonies of Filipino soldiers, four (4) American soldiers riding a vehicle displayed crass behavior when they ignored an order to stop until a Filipino Marine sentry insisted that they do so out of respect for the Philippine national anthem and the flag-raising ceremony; WHEREAS, Alfonso Narca, a civilian who witnessed the incident, said the sentry knocked on the vans window and asked its passengers to produce identification cards. There was an initial refusal, but the sentry stood his ground; WHEREAS, Naval Forces Western Mindanao chief Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, said that based on what was reported to him, the incident showed clear and simple arrogance on the part of US soldiers; WHEREAS, this incident is a clear affront to the pride and hospitality of our uniformed services and the Philippine nation; WHEREAS, in another incident, five American soldiers, namely Petty Officer 2 Eric Snatch and Petty Officer Devin Fitzgerald of the US Navy; Sgt. Thomas Patterson and Corporal Brian Nguyen of the US Marine Corps; and SSgt Mathew Blanchard of the US Army are currently being investigated by the Philippine and US Armed Forces for instigating a brawl during a band concert in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the 1st Marine Brigade in Isabela City, Basilan province last July 2, 2010; WHEREAS, despite the assurances of Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino and Admiral Pama that the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP) is now investigating the matter, the

statement of Isabela City Mayor Hadji Muhtamad Abdulmajid Anwar shows that the five US soldiers got out of control... they climbed up the stage and snatched the instruments of the band members as they were packing up while shouting offensive words while doing this; WHEREAS, Mayor Anwar, who sponsored the band concert for the brigade, furthered that they then turned to the female lead singer, who was already drunk at the time, and took turns in kissing her. They carried her to their barracks, while local soldiers tried to intercede on her behalf. It was fortunate that some Filipino soldiers managed to get her back before anything could happen; WHEREAS, among those who tried to pacify the five rowdy US troops was Lt. Romulo Dicay, a member of the Philippine Navy assigned in Basilan. But instead of yielding to Ducay, a senior officer, the five US forces yelled invectives at him while one of them even allegedly challenged Ducay to a fist fight; WHEREAS, these two incidents are not mere cases of misbehavior on the part of US troops. These are blatant affronts to the Philippine flag, the Philippine armed forces and the Filipino people. These incidents should not be confined within administrative investigations of the JSOTFP; WHEREAS, the US troops involved in the flag ceremony incident in Zamboanga City, at the very minimum, violated Republic Act 8491 or the Act Prescribing the Code of the National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-Of-Arms and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines; WHEREAS, the US soldiers in the band concert brawl incident violated Sections 4 (k) 1, 2, and 3 of Republic Act 9710 also known as the Magna Carta of Women; WHEREAS, the US troops involved in both incidents also violated Article II of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that stipulates Respect for Law to wit: It is the duty of United States personnel to respect the laws of the Republic of the Philippines and to abstain from any activity inconsistent with the spirit of this agreement, and, in particular, from any political activity in the Philippines; WHEREAS, it has been the position of various sectors and political groups that the VFA must be reviewed and abrogated for being a lopsided, vaguely and generally-worded military agreement that gives undue favor to US troops and undermines Philippine sovereignty; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Committee on Foreign Affairs conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into twin incidents involving US troops who figured in a flag-raising ceremony in Zamboanga City last July 19, 2010 and a band concert brawl in Basilan last July 3, 2010, respectively in blatant violation of Philippine Laws and the Visiting Forces Agreement. Adopted, REP. TEDDY A. CASIO Bayan Muna Party-list REP. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES Bayan Muna Party-list