Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was reported to have taken a strong stand against the “month-long presence of Chinese vessels at (the Julian Felipe Reef), accusing China of planning to again occupy maritime features in the West Philippine Sea…” and saying he is “no fool” to believe those vessels are there merely to seek shelter “due to bad weather” (“China intent on occupying West Philippine Sea-Lorezana,” 4/5/21).
For his part, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. declared: “Irrelevant whether we possess commensurate military power to mean the challenge; we will not yield but die— or trigger World War 3. Not a bad outcome, living is overrated. Honor is.” War drums sounding like squeaks!
Do Lorenzana and Locsin still not get it? Their boss, President Duterte, has been saying that he is “inutil” when it comes to China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea. As pathetic as that can be, that is the only way it will go in Mr. Duterte’s puny mind. “Honor,” indeed, should have long compelled Locsin and Lorenzana to resign. How can these “honorable men” continue working for a President who has shed all “honor” to become a puppet of the bully they are trying so hard to resist?
The handwriting is on the wall. People, wake up! If Mr. Duterte wins another six years come 2022—through stand-ins like his daughter Sara Duterte or Bong Go who are already being floated as presidential wannabes with him as their so-called vice presidential candidate to circumvent the constitutional prohibition against his reelection to the same office—this country will become a province of China, and everything else be damned.
ULYSSES B. UY
uberutoo@gmail.com