Warning that the full-scale invasion launched by Russia on Ukraine might inspire Asian superpower China to do the same on the Philippines, Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo Lacson said it behooves every Filipino to elect the right leader who can readily face such threats.
Considering his military background, foresight, and geopolitical acumen, Lacson showed why he is in the best position to lead the country in the event war comes to Manila, having had the courage to stand in solidarity with Kiev amid its ongoing battle against mighty Moscow.
Meanwhile, excessive charges for motorcycle franchises and student drivers’ licenses will be things of the past once Lacson and running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III get the people’s mandate following the May 9 national elections.
Also, bottom-up budgeting (BUB) will help barangays across the country get what they really need and prevent more wastage of the people’s money, Lacson and Sotto III told village leaders in Candelaria, Quezon.
Instead of the current system of the national government giving its agencies a spending ceiling, Lacson and Sotto emphasized that zero-based or the BUB system shifts the emphasis to barangays and local governments to set the plans and programs their areas really need.
To recall, it was Lacson who rejected an earlier proposition for the Philippines to stay neutral over the issue, citing the Constitution that renounces war as a foreign policy and Article I of the United Nations (UN) charter, which codified the maintenance of international peace and security.
He issued that statement during his appearance at the CNN Philippines’ presidential debate last Sunday.
The following day, the Philippine government adopted the same position when it voted ‘yes’ to condemn Russia’s attacks at the emergency session convened by the UN General Assembly.
“I knew it was the right thing to do and I knew that a condemnation from the United Nations General Assembly was forthcoming because of the UN Charter, which we are a signatory of,” Lacson said.
For Lacson, neutrality is wrong because it only helps the oppressor.
He said there might come a time when the Philippines finds itself in the same situation as Ukraine, and when that happens, we might feel embarrassed to seek international support if we choose to maintain our silence on the issue.
“Perhaps, subliminally, I’ve been thinking what if we get invaded by China and we are the ones seeking help from the world?” Lacson thought.
“We might feel awkward to ask for help if we did not have the courage to join what we call a community of nations in condemning a clear aggression, unprovoked aggression, made against a weaker country like Ukraine. So, that has been my position,” he said.
But was a statement of condemnation enough? Insofar as Lacson is concerned, maybe not, but he said at least a window for peace talks has been opened between Moscow and Kyiv, hoping it would yield a mutually acceptable resolution for both countries to end the escalation of violence.
Earlier, Lacson noted that the war that broke in eastern Europe might result in a global international conflict, which he prays would not happen as the world badly needs a break from a pandemic that already claimed millions of lives and sank many more into deeper levels of poverty.
“It has happened before, right? World War I, World War II. All of us, our parents suffered from it. It is difficult when you’re living in a world at war, all countries will be embroiled. Even us would get involved in it because alliances will be formed. That is what we need to avoid,” he said.
Fortunately, China abstained from the UN Security Council procedural voting on the Ukraine crisis, which Lacson took as a good indication somewhat because it neither condemns nor condones the Russian assault.
“To me, that’s a good indication. The bad indication is when China voted for Russia or in favor of Russia. I would take that as (a sign of its possible) invasion of our West Philippine Sea or our territories in it. That could provoke another crisis.”
The United States, its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and their global partners outside of it have imposed economic sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine to help solve the problem diplomatically and to prevent a direct military conflict among nations.
Lacson welcomed these moves with hopes that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would ‘wake up to the reality’ that his decision to shell the cities of Ukraine is actually ‘doing more harm than good’ for himself and his countrymen.
The Partido Reporma chief likewise appreciated reports that President Rodrigo Duterte already convened the members of his Cabinet to discuss the potential effects of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict on our economy—something that Lacson had also been talking about in public for a while.
“I fully agree with the President in calling for an emergency meeting with the military, defense establishment, and the economic managers, even our policymakers to proactively discuss what we are going to do. They should do scenario-building,” Lacson said.
He said if is more difficult if the problem is already at your doorstep and only then will you think about how to solve it.
“It is best to think about (solutions) now. Leadership should be like that… You have to keep thinking and be many steps ahead of the problem.”