WASHINGTON
MANILA, JUNE 21, 2011 (MALAYA) REY O. ARCILLA - ('He
will only accentuate the world's perception of the Philippines as nothing more
than a client-state of the US, especially at this time.'}
THERE has been a cacophony of voices coming from all sides on the Spratlys
issue in the last week or so, but none of them belong to Foreign Secretary
Albert del Rosario.
As Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Franklin Drilon and Joker
Arroyo and Speaker Sonny Belmonte, among others, said, it should be the DFA
which should be talking about the controversy in public. Aside from a speech he
made a while back, nothing has been heard from Del Rosario on the matter.
Maybe he is not consulted often enough by President Noynoy Aquino and/or he
does not take the initiative to advise Noynoy on what to do or say about the
controversy as the situation evolves.
Otherwise, why would Noynoy himself or his coterie of spokesmen, uninitiated
as they are on foreign affairs, be making all the noises and committing bloopers
in the process?
So now, what does Del Rosario do? He goes to Washington, ostensibly on
invitation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. For what? To seek a
reassurance of the undying commitment of the US to stand by us in case of
Chinese aggression? He will only be wasting his time and the much-depleted DFA
budget on a useless trip. (This will be his fifteenth foreign trip since he
assumed office less than four months ago.) He will also unnecessarily accentuate
the world's perception of the Philippines as nothing more than a client-state of
the US, especially at this time. Of course, he is only being true to form, being
an Amboy (American Boy).
The official reasons given for the trip are to shop for military hardware
under the US Foreign Military Sales program, talk to legislators about some save
industries bill and to get the Philippines off the list of countries involved in
human trafficking. Hey, he doesn't have to go there to do all of that. We have
an ambassador who is there for that purpose.
***
The US Embassy spokesperson's recent statement on the Spratlys issue – "that
the US does not take sides in territorial disputes" – elicited so much negative
reaction against the US from the uninitiated among us that US Ambassador Harry
Thomas found it necessary to issue his own statement:
"I want to assure you - on all subjects, we in the United States are with the
Philippines. The Philippines and the United States are strategic treaty allies.
We are partners. We will continue to consult and work with each other on all
issues, including the South China Sea and Spratly Islands. We will do whatever
we're asked. What we want to say is right now we believe consistently that is
not something for us to do. We have not been asked to do that. And we can't deal
with hypotheticals."
Wow, such a long and convoluted way of saying the same thing – "US does not
take sides in territorial disputes". Neat.
Ah, but it had its intended effect. The uninitiated all heaved a sigh of
relief, including Noynoy who said:
"We are grateful to the (US), especially when they reiterated that we are
strategic partners, we have a treaty between us."
Grateful?! For what?! Geez!
Next time, perhaps he should risk consulting with his foreign secretary first
before uttering such knee jerk reaction – when the latter is around, of course.
***
I believe it is time for our so-called leaders, particularly those in
government, to understand and bear in mind one thing and one thing only:
With or without a Mutual Defense Treaty or a VFA or what-have-you, the US
will only act in our defense or that of a third country when their vital
national interest is threatened. Human rights, freedom, democracy? They have set
those aside when it served their national interest. Witness their actions on
Vietnam, Iraq, the Philippines during Marcos. History is replete with their
duplicity when it comes to promoting and protecting their national interest. I
hasten to add, however, that the US is not the only one which has done that or
will do that. That's just the way of nations, as it should be ours!
So, if the US feels it will be in her interest to side with the Philippines
in a confrontation with China over the Spratlys, she will. And my take is that
she can ill afford to leave the South China Sea area dominated by a single power
and will do everything in her power to prevent that from happening. On the other
hand, I do not believe China would want to risk possible confrontation with the
US at this time over the Spratlys.
In any case, at the end of the day, we can only rely on ourselves.
Ironically, our so-called leaders, both in the public and private sectors, know
that! And they know how we can do that. Sadly, however, they are blinded and
overcome by self-interest and greed. Others, by plain ignorance and ineptitude.
What to do then? Noynoy's bosses, the people, should tell him to shape up or
ship out. Don't waste any more time going about what he set out to do – make
this country worthy of its name again!
***
Recently, I wrote about the DFA renting a property for an embassy in Baghdad
reportedly at a cost of US$70,000 annually. That's fine, except for the fact
that we have not had a diplomatic mission in that capital for the last seven-odd
years. That's more than P21 million of people's money gone to waste!
To make things worse, Gloria Arroyo, upon the recommendation of Del Rosario's
predecessor, appointed an ambassador to Iraq, Bayani Mangibin. He left in April
of last year but never went to Baghdad. Instead, he set up office in Amman,
Jordan, where we have a resident ambassador.
Mangibin and his staff of five are still ensconced in Amman as of now. In the
meantime, the Jordanian Government had already indicated they are no longer
welcome there. Nakakahiya!
So, what did Del Rosario do? Instead of having the anomaly of the embassy
premises in Baghdad investigated, he reportedly instructed his future
ex-undersecretary for administration Rafael Seguis (who should have done
something about the Baghdad premises when he assumed office in July last year
but did not) to go to Baghdad with two others in tow ostensibly to assess the
political and security situation there.
To assess the political and security situation there? After seven years?
Geez, just read the CNN and other wire services reports. They are replete with
information that Seguis' team cannot possibly gather in a few days. And isn't
that what Mangibin was supposed to be doing in the first place?
If someone has to go, it should be Mangibin. Why does it have to be Seguis?
Why unnecessarily spend scarce resources again when Mangibin is there precisely
to do those things?
(Incidentally, many believe it is about time Seguis accounted for the
expenses he incurred in securing the release of Angelo dela Cruz and Roberto
Tarongoy by Iraqi abductors sometime in mid-2000. It has been alleged that
millions of dollars was paid as ransom, euphemistically called "board and
lodging", for the two.)
***
If Del Rosario insists on sending Seguis to Baghdad, he should not assign
Mangibin elsewhere yet, which is what he reportedly intends to do. Instead, he
should wait for Seguis' report. Then decide on what to do with Mangibin. If the
report says we should re-establish our embassy in Baghdad, then Mangibin and his
staff should be instructed to finally move there. They have had more than a year
of paid vacation doing virtually nothing in Amman. They should serve some time
at least in Baghdad.
***
There are reports that the situation in Tripoli, Libya, is getting dire.
Shortages of vital commodities, including food are reported. There are also
reports that NATO aerial bombings have hit civilian areas where people have been
killed.
Since there is nothing more that Ambassador Alejandrino Vicente and his staff
can usefully do there to protect OFWs who have chosen to remain in the country,
it behooves Del Rosario to heed the recommendation of the Middle East Affairs
office in his Department to allow Vicente and his staff to move, for the time
being at least, to the Tunisian border.
God forbid a NATO bomb going astray and hitting Vicente or his staff there.
It will be Del Rosario's fault and his conscience will suffer for it. In the
meantime, one can only imagine the anxiety that their family members are going
through. That's cruelty on the part of Del Rosario.
***
There is a proposed bill that would prohibit the appointment of retired
military and police officers to sensitive civilian positions. Appointment to the
foreign service should be included.
In this regard, Noynoy would do well to reconsider the appointment of Domingo
Lee as ambassador to China. A more experienced person should be appointed at
this most critical period of PH-China relations.
***
Reminders (for Noynoy's action):
1) Filing of charges against the previous administration's National Food
Administration officials for the anomalous importation of rice. (Noynoy himself
said there is documentary evidence to prove the anomaly.)
The report that the NFA lost a mind-boggling P100 billion in the last 10
years should spur Noynoy to go after those responsible for that grievous crime
against his bosses, the people.
Noynoy referred again to this anomaly in his June 12 address. So how come no
case has been filed against the alleged perpetrators one year later?
2) Facilitating the investigation of the rampant corruption in the military,
including the recently uncovered anomaly in gas allowances.
3) Expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.
4) Preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice of the graft
complaint filed late last year by Bayan Muna against Gloria Arroyo in connection
with the aborted $329 million ZTE-NBN deal.
5) Investigation of the reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of
Winston Garcia and the scandalous allowances and excessive benefits the members
of the Board of Trustees allotted themselves (P11 million each) in 2009 alone.
Reports that the GSIS has stopped giving housing loans to members due to lack
of funds gives urgency to Noynoy ordering the new GSIS management to act
expeditiously on cases to be lodged against Garcia.
People are anxiously waiting for cases to be filed against Winston Garcia by
the new GSIS management. Naunahan pa sila ng PAGCOR.
***
From an internet friend:
A pirate walked into a bar, and the bartender said, "Hey, I haven't seen you
in awhile. What happened? You look terrible". "What do you mean?" said the
pirate, "I feel fine."
"What about the wooden leg? You didn't have that before."
"Well", said the pirate, "We were in a battle, and I got hit with a cannon
ball, but I'm fine now."
The bartender replied, "Well, OK, but what about that hook? What happened to
your hand?"
The pirate explained, "We were in another battle. I boarded a ship and got
into a sword fight. My hand was cut off. I got fitted with a hook, but I'm fine,
really."
"What about that eye patch?"
"Oh," said the pirate. One day we were at sea, and a flock of birds flew
over. I looked up, and one of them shit in my eye."
"You're kidding," said the bartender. "You couldn't lose an eye just from
bird shit."
"It was my first day with the hook…"
***
Today is the 54th day of the fifth year of Jonas Burgos' disappearance.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose
Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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