Read the room: Filipinos do not trust China

Allow us to react to the report (“PH needs to balance ties with China, US—Lorenzana,” 8/11/20) where Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana expressed the need to balance the country’s (read: President Duterte’s) “friendship” with communist China and hostility toward the United States.

With due respect, is that even an option as far as the Filipino people are concerned?Doesn’t Lorenzana ever read public opinion? Surveys invariably show that a great majority of Filipinos DO NOT TRUST CHINA and prefer to keep close ties with the United States.

So, what “balancing” is he talking about? It’s a no-brainer. But perhaps, Lorenzana was making that comment only for President Duterte’s ears, in the hope that the latter might still snap out of it and moderate his excessive admiration for China, whose word is as trustworthy as his own spokesperson Harry Roque’s—11 out of 10, all malarkey!

Melissa Sy-Quiatan
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