Join ICHRP-US in this letter writing campaign to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to stop US military expansion in the Philippines! Help demand a halt in this unnecessary expansion by sending the below letter.

Dear President Biden,

The announcement of securing US access to 4 new military bases in the Philippines is deeply concerning to those of us who are monitoring the continued human rights situation in the country. We write to urge you to halt this unnecessary expansion which will only cause more suffering and hardship to a people already burdened by extreme poverty, inflation, and increasing attacks on peasants, activists, journalists, and labor organizers.

The Filipino people have repeatedly protested the presence of US military forces in their country. Military agreements like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) have not made the Philippines any safer. Instead, US military presence is responsible for the widespread sexual violence including cases of rape and murder documented around US bases. The murder of Jennifer Laude by US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton is but one example of the extreme violence faced by women and LGBTQ people due to US military presence.

We are additionally concerned by the increasing cooperation between US and Philippine forces including the AFP and PNP due to their repeated violation of international law and documented war crimes against their own people. Increasing ties between the two militaries should be unacceptable given open investigations by the ICC concerning allegations of crimes against humanity.

The military build-up aimed at countering China only makes the Philippines increasingly vulnerable in the event of war. Rather than directly addressing people’s basic needs, escalating a militarized approach will only create more problems for the Filipino people. We appeal to you to respect the demands of the Filipino people for their sovereignty and self-determination by immediately halting the expansion of US military facilities in the Philippines.