The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) stated Jan. 8 that the retrieval of a crashed U.S. military drone off the coast of Masbate island "brings to the fore the persistent and gross violations of Philippine airspace by the U.S. military. The Aquino regime no less, has flouted the country's sovereignty in allowing the U.S. to fly its jetfighters and surveillance drones at will within Philippine territory."

Fishermen retrieved the drone Jan. 6 near Sitio Tacdugan, San Jacinto, Masbate. Markings on the drone indicate it to be a BQM-74E Chukar III, a device manufactured by the Northrup Grumman Corporation.

"Whatever the circumstances behind the crashed U.S. military drone retrieved in Masbate, what cannot be denied is the fact that the U.S. has long been flying not only surveillance drones, but military jetfighters within Philippine territorial airspace," said the CPP. "The U.S. military uses so-called joint military operations as cover to fly its drones to carry out surveillance operations in the Philippines."

The U.S. is carrying out military intervention in the Philippines to suppress a growing movement there for national independence and liberation.