Anti-war advocates have denounced what they called a “big deception” following the sudden presence of American soldiers in the city.
The controversy erupted after residents spotted U.S. troops arriving at EDCA sites located in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro.
According to Tes Dael Padla, if these soldiers were truly here for humanitarian missions or to strengthen local forces, they should have been visible during times when the country was struck by calamities.
She stressed that the abrupt arrival of foreign troops raises serious doubts about their real purpose in the city.
For Padla and other advocates, the timing and manner of deployment suggest hidden motives rather than genuine assistance, fueling public suspicion and concern over foreign military presence in Philippine communities.
