For the nth time, President Duterte raised the possibility of an unwinnable war against China, a scare tactic he uses so we would accept his defeatist stance against Chinese misbehavior. But who wants to go to war? Even the superpowers are averse to war because they realize that war is self-defeating, and with the advent of nuclear weapons, it is self-annihilating.
Big wars have long ended, but some nations still have blood in their hands and are still paying for such acts. Having learned its lesson, the global community formed the United Nations to provide an array of resources, services and options to help nations amicably settle their issues.
Unfortunately, Mr. Duterte stubbornly refuses to avail of the peaceful ways of the United Nations. He chose to be the spokesperson, lawyer, defender and godfather of Chinese aggression in that “little maritime incident,” and for that shameful act, he should step down.
Sinipa ka na, kinampihan mo pa. He just lost his moral ascendancy to lead an independent country or to represent freedom-loving Filipinos in the international community. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, I could almost hear regional leaders, wise to the deceitful ways of China, snickering behind Mr. Duterte’s back: “The man ain’t got balls.”
EVELYN SILAY
evelyndsilay@gmail.com