Herman Tiu “Mentong” Laurel, the founder of the Asian Century Philippines and a long-standing friend of the LaRouche movement, published an article in his online magazine Asian Century Journal on Dec. 10 under the above title, warning of the disaster facing his country if the U.S. military bases being illegally constructed in the nation, along with the deployment of intermediate-range Typhon missiles, are not stopped immediately. His article reads in part:
“Since February 2023, when [Philippine President] Bongbong Marcos, Jr. pivoted to America and accepted the Philippines’ proxy role in the U.S. strategy of permanent and global war, our country has been compelled to accept the systematic escalation and expansion of war preparations and installations that consist of four additional U.S. military bases in the Philippines—3 in Northern Luzon that have close proximity to Taiwan, China and 1 in close proximity to the SCS [South China Sea] in overlapping claims areas that we contest with other ASEAN countries and China.
“These added U.S. military installations, plus countless unregistered support facilities, all violate the 1987 Philippine Constitution, specifically, Article XVIII, Section 25 that prohibits foreign military bases and troops in the country. To make matters worse, the U.S. and its proxies have insidiously installed Typhon missile systems, ostensibly for “military exercises” initially, but now have become permanent and are being expanded through the infusion of more missiles that the Americans have forced the Philippines to purchase.
“These U.S. Typhon missiles (SM versions and Tomahawks) are nuke-capable and threaten identified U.S. containment targets. Russia has reacted most strongly, warning the Philippines is now in its crosshairs, while China has demanded the missiles be removed as they bring ‘intensified geopolitical confrontation and escalated tensions in the region.’ China has every right to demand the removal of the U.S. missile launchers and missiles based on the principle of ‘indivisible security.’
“Allowing these missiles on Philippine territory violates the ASEAN’s Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality pact and the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapons Free Zone pact, decades-long agreements intended precisely to prevent war and nuclear danger to the region. These violations occur despite ASEAN perseverance to perfect the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to preserve peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”
Mentong goes on to mobilize support for the effort to demand the elimination of these bases, and especially the missiles. Drawing the obvious comparison to Ukraine, and the destruction of Ukraine, he concludes: “The U.S. military bases and Typhon missile installations must be expelled, expunged from the Philippines and Asia.”
