MAJORITY floor leader Councilor Edgar Cabanlas has called on government security officials to appear before the plenary and answer questions over the presence of US military forces at the Lumbia Air Base.
During the Council session, Cabanlas said that while Col. Anselmo Ty II, Philippine Air Force commander, explained that the deployment of the US troops is temporary and only a part of humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparedness, it did not provide an opportunity for a bilateral discussion with the city officials.
“I am not satisfied, because we did not have space for questions,” Cabanlas remarked, adding that the City Council, as representatives of the people of Cagayan de Oro, must be given the chance to raise questions, especially that the presence of foreign troops has stirred fear among residents.
“People are afraid,” he said.
“When (Barangay) Lumbia was still a commercial airport, there was no issue. But now that it is an air base, the perception has changed because a military camp can be seen as a magnet for war,” he added.
Cabanlas cited recent attacks on US installations in the Middle East, noting that American bases abroad have become targets in regional conflicts.
He said such developments amplify fears among residents, even as authorities insist there is no immediate threat.
Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippine government and the US, Cagayan de Oro is among nine military sites in the country where US forces may temporarily station personnel and construct facilities.
Unlike other installations located far from populated areas, Cabanlas said the Lumbia Air Base sits close to communities, which contributes to public anxiety.
To address these concerns, the city legislature, led by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, invited officials from the Philippine Air Force, the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, Philippine National Police, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and representatives of the US military to attend the next council session. (FDC/SP)
