PATRIOTIKO Northern Mindanao

/o United Church of Christ in the Philippines- North West Mindanao Jurisdiction (UCCP-NWMJ)
Licoan, Abellanosa St. Cagayan de Oro City

AKLASNorthern Mindanao

July 27, 2016

Dear Freedom-loving Friends,

Greetings!
The final ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)
constitutional and a mere executive exercise of authority by the former President B.S. Aquino only manifest
the in-depth influence of the policies of the United States (US) in our countrys bureaucracy and institutions.
The unfortunate decision came on the timing that US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in the Philippines
for an official visit and also a day after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte.
With the overtone, PATRIOTIKO Northern Mindanao, a multi-sectoral patriotic alliance, together with Alyansa
ng mga Kabataan Laban sa Panghihimasok ng Amerikanong Sundalo (AKLAS) opposed to EDCA and US Military
facility in Lumbia Airport formed subsequently last June 4 and June 3 this year during the commemoration of
the historic battle of Makahambus, is calling on all freedom-loving Filipinos, especially Kagay-anon to be more
concerned and therefore should act in unison to express our protest on the ill-effects it will bring to issues of
sovereignty, security, environment, prostitution, human rights violations and many more.
We are also calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to be consistent to his anti-foreign domination stance, as
displayed in the past in Davao City and Mindanao, and for the President to take the opportunity in asserting his
executive power to once and for all scrap EDCA and the likes. The US military presence in our archipelago will
not bring good but will serve as magnet to further tension on the issue of South China Sea even as we already
gained favorable decision from the international tribunal.
Along this line, we would like to invite you and your organization to a

FORUM on EDCA &

current global issues on July 29, 2016, 8:00 10:30 AM at Misamis Oriental Provincial
Training Center, Capitol compound, Cagayan de Oro City (beside Phil. Red Cross building) , as part of the
activity of the International Peace Mission, co-hosted by our local allied organizations. This is to give updates
on EDCA and context of the global situation. Our main resource persons will be four (4) American peace
advocates who will share their insights and experiences, etc.
Praying for your favorable response in this regards.
For coordination and confirmation, you may reach us through our secretariat, Vennel at 09272359204, or email
us through aklasnmr@gmail.com.
For the people,

BP. MELZAR LABUNTOG, UCCP

Convener
Patriotiko NMR

KRISTINE CABARDO
Main Convener
AKLAS Mindanao

BP. RUDY JULIADA, IFI

Convener
Patriotiko NMR