Bayan calls for the immediate pullout of Typhon missile launchers and all weapons of mass destruction

Bayan calls for the immediate pullout of Typhon missile launchers and all weapons of mass destruction

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan condemns the reported relocation of Typhon missile launchers by the US military into another area in Luzon.

Typhon was initially deployed at Laoag airport, a civilian facility not part of the nine agreed locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The move to relocate Typhon confirms our assertion that the Marcos Jr government has allowed the US government to turn the country into an extension of its military network. More specifically, it revealed that the so-called Luzon Corridor launched in April 2024 was designed to allow the expansion of US military facilities and the storage of US weapons on the country’s biggest island.

This reckless action harms the security and well-being of the local population. EDCA sites and the new location of the Typhon missile launchers could be targeted by foreign military forces that seek to undermine the defense capabilities of the US. The US can also use its Typhon weapons not only to project its military might but also to intimidate and attack other nations in the region.

Photo from Kodao Productions

We reiterate that the Philippines should not be used as a staging ground to escalate political and military tension as rival global powers vie for hegemony in the region.

This latest action needlessly further drags the country into a conflict that does not serve our national interest. Instead of peacefully resolving maritime disputes, the Marcos government maliciously exploits the issue to treasonously advance the geopolitical agenda of the US government. It is a throwback to the colonial era when local leaders connived with their foreign patrons in promoting the anti-Filipino narrative that the only way to defend our country was to seek the support of the US colonial government.

The return of Donald Trump as US president further aggravates the risk of a more serious confrontation as he seeks to aggressively contain rivals like China and Russia. We cannot allow a madman like Trump to use the Typhon missiles to threaten other countries and turn Luzon into a proxy battleground.

Instead of addressing the urgent economic concerns of ordinary Filipinos like rising prices of food and basic necessities, Marcos Jr is fostering closer military arrangements with the new US government at the expense of our sovereignty and risking our security.

Bayan enjoins the people to protest the deployment of all types of weapons of mass destruction in the Philippines and to call for the abrogation of EDCA and the rejection of all military deals with the US government. We call for an independent foreign policy to assert our claims and to defend our territories.