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   Vol.66/No.28           July 15, 2002  
 
 
Philippines vice president to resign in
protest over deeper U.S. military ties
 
BY JACK WILLEY  
Teofisto Guingona, vice president of the Philippines, announced July 2 that he would resign as foreign secretary over policy differences with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo concerning broader ties with the U.S. military. Guingona’s resignation came as Manila and Washington began talks over a mutual logistics support agreement that would allow the U.S. military to set up storage facilities in the country.

The vice president reportedly opposed the planned pact because it would help pave the way for reestablishing U.S. military bases in the Philippines. Washington closed its bases in 1992 after mass opposition forced the Philippine Senate to reject a treaty allowing the military forces to stay in its former colony.

Guingona butted heads with Arroyo in January, when the two governments were drafting an agreement to put some 1,000 U.S. troops in the Philippines--under the banner of the "war against terrorism"--to help Filipino soldiers fight the Abu Sayyaf rebel group. The joint war exercises are scheduled to end July 31, but the U.S. and Philippine governments are working on a plan to bring in a smaller number of imperialist troops later this year.  
 
 
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