Progressive groups protest U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran

1 of 4

By Juliane Judilla

Progressive groups and peace advocates held a picket protest Monday, March 2, in front of West Visayas State University, condemning the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Iran amid rising regional tensions in West Asia.

Led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)-Panay, the protesters denounced what they described as “barbaric” military strikes that they said killed hundreds of civilians, including children.

In a statement, BAYAN-Panay expressed “fierce indignation” over the attacks, calling them a “flagrant violation of international law and a heinous crime against humanity.”

The group also alleged the strikes included assassinations of Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“The pretext of ‘imminent threats’ and a ‘nuclear program’ used by the U.S. administration is a tired, fabricated script we have seen many times before,” the group said, asserting that Iran was targeted not as an aggressor but as a barrier to U.S. and Israeli dominance in West Asia.

The protest also criticized U.S. foreign policy, linking the airstrikes to broader geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and the West Philippine Sea.

BAYAN-Panay claimed U.S. military interventions are aimed at securing control over strategic corridors and natural resources while benefiting the military-industrial complex.

The group also condemned the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., accusing it of allowing the Philippines to be used as a staging ground for U.S. military operations through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA.

They argued EDCA sites across the country could become potential targets in the event of retaliatory strikes by rival powers.

EDCA is a defense agreement that allows rotational U.S. access to selected Philippine military locations for training, humanitarian assistance, and related cooperation.

Citing military activities in provinces such as Antique and Capiz from 2022 to 2025, the group claimed Philippine territory and waters have been used for U.S. military exercises and power projection in the region.

The group also raised concerns about the safety of more than 2 million overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, warning that escalating tensions could endanger their lives and livelihoods.

They added that conflict involving Iran could trigger a global energy shock that may push fuel prices higher and add to inflationary pressure in the Philippines.

In a separate statement, the League of Filipino Students (LFS)-Panay called for terminating EDCA, the Visiting Forces Agreement, and other military accords with the United States.

The group also opposed additional U.S. funding for EDCA-related infrastructure, saying it would further entrench foreign military presence in the country.

“The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) must be abolished, and its facilities and US military bases must be dismantled, as this constitutes a risk to the well-being of Filipinos and a threat to national security by positioning ourselves at the crosshair of potential targets in this conflict,” the group said.

“We are not mere cannon fodder for US imperialism. Filipinos are not mere ‘reserve forces’ subjected to fight for an unjust war, nor the interest of the imperialists,” LFS Panay added.