RP to limit itself to humanitarian support in case of Iraq war

The Philippines would limit itself to providing humanitarian support if the United Nations authorizes the United States to punish Iraq with military strikes for allegedly building weapons of mass destruction, Malacañang reiterated yesterday.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye maintained the government’s position that it would not help wage any war on Iraq. Mrs. Arroyo backtracked last Saturday on her offer to open Philippine airspace and facilities to US military forces.

"At most, should there be a UN resolution supporting the US action, our participation would be humanitarian participation only," Bunye said in a radio interview.

"We are still part of the agreement against international terrorism but the extent of our participation could be limited to fighting terrorism within our country or at most within the region."

Meanwhile, Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. said the campaign to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power begun by the administration of US President George W. Bush is "morally unjustified and unacceptable to the nations of the world."

Guingona added that the Philippines should withdraw support for any American initiative to strike Iraq independent of the UN.

He said the Bush administration’s "strike first" or "pre-emptive strike" policy is a stark contrast to the Kennedy administration’s "containment and deterrence" policy in the 1960s.

This Kennedy policy, Guingona said, prevented an armed confrontation between the US and the former Soviet Union over the Cuban missile crisis through the careful and studied use of diplomacy.

According to Guingona, the Philippines should join the international community in ensuring that justice be meted out against all terrorists through the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT).

Bush called on the UN Security Council last week to pressure Hussein’s government into allowing UN weapons inspectors back into Iraq and dismantling any Iraqi chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, or the capacity to build them.

Bush made it clear that Washington would feel free to take action on its own if the UN failed to act.

"We view with concern the issues raised by the US before the UN General Assembly. We hope that a peaceful solution can be found to forestall the conflict. All diplomatic initiatives should be exhausted," Bunye said.

"But even if there would be such a UN resolution supporting the US, of course, we need to study its effect especially to Filipinos working in the Middle East."

An estimated 1.5 million Filipinos work in the Middle East. Last week Mrs. Arroyo ordered the evacuation of over a hundred Filipinos in Iraq.

The Iraqi embassy criticized the move, saying it would create an impression that war is imminent. – With AP