Progressive groups held a protest in front of Camp Aguinaldo against the heightening U.S. military intervention in the Philippines with the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III in the country.
The U.S. is pushing for more access to military bases in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
In a statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan warned that the expansion of EDCA sites might trigger more tension in the region.
“Filipinos must not allow our country to be used as staging ground for any US military intervention in the region. The US is engaged in provocations with China using the issue of Taiwan. Allowing US use of our facilities will drag us into this conflict which is not aligned with our national interests,” the group said.
Photos by Jose Santos/ 
