Local groups in the southern Philippines are demanding a review of U.S. involvement in the region after the death of a Filipino civilian on Wednesday.
A U.S. patrol boat piloted by members of special-operations forces crashed into a small fishing vessel in the waters around Mindanao. The American troops were coming back from a humanitarian mission when they crashed into the fishing vessel. A Filipino fisherman was killed and his son was wounded as a result of the crash.
Patriotiko Mindanao, a Filipino advocacy group based in Mindanao, called for a full review of American and Filipino operations in the region in the wake of the incident. Patriotiko Mindanao has organized protests against the Balikatan exercises, a large-scale war game in Palawan, and the continued involvement of the U.S. military in the Philippines. |