Today in Labor History March 5, 1906: U.S. Army troops beat the native Moros in the First Battle of Bud Dajo, during Moro Rebellion, Philippines. However, it wasn’t even close to being a battle. The U.S. had overwhelming firepower, slaughtering nearly everyone they encountered, men, women and children, and then posed with the corpses. Only six people survived. Mark Twain said, “In what way was it a battle? We cleaned up our four days’ work and made it complete by butchering these helpless people.” The Moro Rebellion (1899-1913) was a liberation struggle against U.S. colonialism by Muslims in the Southern Philippines, (Mindanao, Jolo and the neighboring Sulu Archipelago).
Today in Labor History February 25, 1986: As a result of ongoing protests, Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos begged President Ronald Reagan for advice. Reagan told him to “cut and cut cleanly.” That evening, Marcos and his wife Imelda fled the nation aboard a U.S. air force plane, after 20 years of rule. He and his family, and an entourage of 90 people (mostly servants), arrived in Hawaii the next day. They brought 22 crates of cash valued at $717 million, 300 crates of jewelry of unknown value, $4 million worth of unset precious gems, $200,000 in gold bullion, $1 million in Philippine pesos and deposit slips for $124 million in banks in the Cayman Islands. Plus, countless crates of shoes. The Marcos’s hold the Guinness record for the largest ever theft from a government. Their son, Bong Bong Marcos, is the current president of the Philippines. His vice president is Sara Duterte, daughter of the Philippines last president, the violently repressive Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw the assassinations of well over 1,000 street children and alleged drug dealers. Under Ferdinand Marcos, there were over 3,000 documented extrajudicial murders, 35,000 documented victims of torture and tens of thousands of people imprisoned.
Today in Labor History February 15, 1898: The battleship USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor, Cuba. 274 crew members died. Some US Navy officers believed that the explosion was caused by a fire in the coal bunker, not by a Spanish mine. However, spurred on by propaganda in the Yellow Press, the U.S. used the incident to justify declaring war on Spain. 385 U.S. soldiers and nearly 800 Spanish soldiers died in the Spanish-American war. And the U.S. gained Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines as de facto colonies from Spain. The war also precipitated U.S. involvement in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. Up to 6,000 Americans and 12,000-20,000 Filipinos died in that war. However, as many as 1 million Filipino civilians died from famine and disease during the genocidal U.S. occupation.
"Deliberately grounded on a tiny reef in the #SouthChinaSea, part of an island chain claimed by the two Asian countries, the #BRPSierraMadre is now the unlikely base for a detachment of Filipino marines who stand guard over the atoll, scanning the turquoise waters for Chinese ships." #AyunginShoal#SecondThomasShoal#Philippines
Earlier, the PCG said that its X account had been “compromised.”
Posts on the PCG’s X page and its reply tabs were empty, although the “like” reactions were kept – however, most of the “likes” came from a particular account promoting cryptocurrency. #Philippines#WestPHSea#PHCoastGuard#CyberSec
The Philippines is close to sealing a deal with Sweden to acquire a squadron of 12 multi-role fighters worth 61 billion pesos, a defense spokesman said on Friday.
Director Arsenio Andolong said both sides are expected to sign an agreement by next month in Sweden. #JAS39Gripen
Vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard (#PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (#BFAR) will be taking turns securing the shoal for Filipino fishermen. #WestPHSea#SouthChinaSea#China
Because of #Beijing’s massive defence build-up in the region, #SoutheastAsia air forces are ordering new equipment and eyeing more potent capabilities.
This is not just about money. There's no love lost between #India and #China so China taking control of the #SouthChinaSea is absolutely not in India's interest. #WestPHSea
India is aiming to become a key player in the #Philippines’ military capability upgrade as it seeks to promote itself as a major arms exporter in the region.
The Philippine government said on Monday, February 19, that it would “validate and investigate” reports from Filipino #fisherfolk of their foreign counterparts using #cyanide to fish in #BajoDeMasinloc, a shoal that’s supposed to be a shared fishing ground for several nationalities. #Philippines#WestPHSea#SouthChinaSea
The #Philippines is doubling down on efforts to preserve its sovereignty in the disputed waters while preparing for contingencies in nearby #Taiwan.
As such #Manila is stepping up its acquisition of increasingly high-end military equipment while expanding sophisticated military exercises with partners including the #US, #Japan and #Australia. #WestPHSea#China
It took #BFAR’s vessel up to 2 hours to break free from the blocking Chinese vessels and proceed to the #BajoDeMasinloc to distribute aid to 44 Filipino fishing boats moored there.
The #BRPDatuSanday then anchored 200 meters from the shoreline of Bajo de Masinloc, the nearest it has reached since its rotational deployment. #WestPHSea#Philippines
Satellite images of the hotly disputed #ScarboroughShoal in the #SouthChinaSea show a new floating barrier across its entrance, near where Philippine ships and #China coast guard vessels have had frequent run-ins.
The satellite image bolsters a report and video distributed by the #PCG on Sunday showing two Chinese coast guard inflatable boats deploying floating barriers at the shoal's entrance on Feb 22. #Philippines#WestPHSea
#MANILA, #Philippines – Shadowing and blocking maneuvers by #China in the #WestPhilippineSea are nothing new for personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (#PCG), nor for Philippine journalists who are practically regulars in missions to those waters as part of the government’s “transparency initiative.” #WestPHSea#ScarboroughShoal
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (#BFAR) reported that a gray helicopter with Chinese markings was seen in the area.
“This is the first time na mayroon tayong nakita na Chinese aircraft patrolling over the airspace of #BajoDeMasinloc in the recent time,” said #PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela. #Philippines#WestPHSea#China
Geopolitical experts and envoys have proposed a triangular cooperation among #Philippines, #Japan, and #India, for the advancement of peace and stability in the #IndoPacific region.
According to Ambassador of India to the Philippines Shambu Kumaran, the three countries should work together in the aspect of maritime domains and security. #WestPHSea
The #Philippines has signed or entered discussions over new #SecurityAgreements with at least 18 countries since a Chinese coast guard vessel flashed a military-grade laser at a Philippine coast guard ship in the #SouthChinaSea last year, according to the Philippine Defense Department. #WestPHSea
A total of 126 reservists – all of whom are #Ivatan or local residents of #Batanes – would attend the graduation ceremony in #Basco town on Saturday, March 9, according to the Naval Forces Northern Luzon which is under the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Northern Luzon Command.