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Friday, March 29, 2024

Dodging the issue

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“It was a lost opportunity the Philippines did not raise the issue of The Hague International Arbitration Tribunal’s ruling that China’s claim to the whole of the South China Sea is illegal,” said former Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia.  He suggested that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should put up a united front to remind China that  it is violating international law.

Indeed, it was like the elephant in the room no one wanted to bring attention to particularly the Philippines which hosted the recently concluded Asean  and Dialogue Partners  Summit in Manila.

Cuisia said the global event which gathered together 10 Asean  heads of state and leaders of the US, Russia, China, Canada, Japan and Australia was the perfect occasion to raise the issue but the Philippines did not.  In fact , it was noted President Rodrigo Duterte acted like the spokesman for Beijing saying there’s nothing to fear from China  with which  the Philippines enjoys mutual trust and beneficial relations.

Former Philippine Ambassador to Asean  Wilfredo Villacorta, on the other hand, said the Duterte administration is conducting closed door and behind the scene negotiations with Beijing.

“There’s not much to be gained in an open public negotiations with the other party China, already labeled as an enemy,” said Villacorta.

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But then, is a country that openly violates our territorial sovereignty by building military installations on those islets and reefs in the West Philippine Sea a friend? This is naked aggression that cannot be disguised by showering us with gifts like weapons and funds for infrastructure projects. This is no different from American GIs paying bar girls in the former US naval base in Subic and Clark air base for extra services.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drew the ire of President Duterte when the visitor raised the issue of extrajudicial killings of suspects in Duterte’s bloody war on drugs  Digong’s legion of supporters  in turn dug up the tons of garbage shipped by Canada to the Philippines.  Of course shipping those toxic materials to the Philippines is wrong when  Canada’s vast land can accommodate the waste.

But let’s get the other side of the story.  Filipinos (the local importer identified as Chronic Plastics Inc. and the Bureau of Customs officials) who allowed the trash shipment into the country are just as much to blame.  Upon inspection, the trash shipment should have not been unloaded and instead ordered  the ship back to its Canadian origin. We have yet to hear that the Valenzuela—based company that imported the Canadian trash has been fined and blacklisted by the BOC.

“I felt  personally insulted,” fumed Digong during a media conference assessing Asean’s  accomplishment and  economic effect on the region. What economic benefits the hosting of the Asean Summit here won’t be known until after the coming years. For Filipinos the situation will be back to normal. The street dwellers swept aside not to be seen by the visitors are back on Roxas Boulevard from Manila to Pasay.

But why should Duterte be offended? These are heads of state who came to Manila not for the lavish feasts and ceremonial activities prepared by the host. Trudeau, US President Donald Trump, Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev,  Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, and Chinese President Xi Jinping  were among those who attended the Asean event to discuss  global security , terrorism , the looming nuclear threat posed by North Korea , international  trade, and the issue of human rights.

President Duterte by now should learn to take criticism in stride. We thought Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque was supposed to advise him aside from speaking on his behalf.

But speaking out on his discussion with Trudeau, Duterte brought up the  EJK issue raised by the Canadian. There is no stage Duterte did not like for him to go on his rant and rave mode.

Trump, according to Malacanang sources, did not bring up the EJKs issue although officials in the Trump party said it was mentioned in passing. It would have been interesting if Trump raised the issue and had a heated exchange with the Philippine president. Expletives would have probably flown thick.

President Duterte cannot be blamed for being close to China which was the first country to give the Philippines firearms to fight the Maute/ISIA terrorists in Marawi. China also granted the Philippines funds for the rebuilding of Marawi and  the construction of two bridges across the Pasig River to ease  traffic congestion along Edsa.

Thank you, China, but please leave our territorial waters alone. This is ours and Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague already ruled in our favor. Follow the law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea  which you and the Philippines are signatories. Our President it seems is not keen enough to  push for our right under international law but as citizens of  this country we are speaking out against this injustice.  

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