New US Ambassador to RP is vice head of American State Department Inelligence unit

Belarmino Dabalos Saguing, Rome, Wednesday 01.08.2013

News irem :  PH acceptance of new US envoy a done deal   http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/08/02/ph-acceptance-of-new-us-envoy-a-done-deal/

US Amb. Phillip Goldberg

Once more, the unquestioning acceptance of Goldberg, an American diplomatic personality marred by his alleged conspirations to subvert and topple the government of Bolivia, a sovereign state in South America, raised many eyebrows in the Philippines. Why is he appointed by his government for a tour of duty in the Philippines? He was declared “persona non grata” by a sovereign state.

He (Goldberg) was accused by the Bolivian government of inciting opposition groups against the Morales government. The Bolivian president sought to redistribute land and petroleum royalties from the country’s economic elite towards the country’s indigenous majority. It was believed that the US supported the violent resistance to such measures.

Bolivian President Evo Morales 

 Goldberg is currently the Assistant Secretary at the Bureau for Intelligence and Research at the US State Department, which is tasked with analyzing geographical and international boundary issues.

DFA has already issued an agreement, a process being done by the host country when accepting a new foreign envoy, despite palace orders to comment on Goldberg’s track record.

Del Rosario also refused to comment on the issue. “I don’t want to comment.”

United States President Barack Obama nominated Goldberg as the new US ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday, and expect it to be confirmed by the Philippine govrtnment soon.

If confirmed, Goldberg would replace Harry Thomas Jr., who is leaving late this year after completing his three-year tour of duty as US ambassador in the country.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, meanwhile, said that Goldberg’s appointment would boost President Benigno Aquino III’s scheme to allow greater access to US and even to some foreign troops such as Japan into the country’s military facilities amid  the territorial disputes against China in the West Philippine Sea.

Over the past year, Chinese maritime and fishing vessels had intruded in Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal off Masinloc, Zambales and the Ayungin Reef in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in Palawan, which are both located within Philippine territory.

“Goldberg’s track record in the intelligence community along with allegations of intervention will be crucial now that the US is trying to expand its presence in Asia and in the Philippines in particular. He is Washington’s point man here and he will exert all efforts to ensure that the US will gain greater access to their former bases as well as various other facilities throughout the country,” Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said in a statement.

Reyes added that “the Aquino government should be concerned with Goldberg’s past, unless of course Aquino has no problems at all with US intervention,” he added.

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