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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

An affront to our intelligence

REY O. ARCILLA

‘Noynoy’s mouthpieces insist that the emerging new arrangement with the US has nothing to do with China.’

ARE they taking us for fools?

I refer to President Noynoy Aquino and his mouthpieces that include not only his press secretary, but also his foreign affairs and defense secretaries.

Noynoy said he welcomes the proposal to have more US troops "to rotate" in the country, but ruled out permanent bases. How is that possible?

When you rotate troops, that could only mean there would already be those to be replaced situated somewhere in the country. Ergo, US forces will be based in the country on a continuing or permanent basis, with all their weapons, equipment and other war materiel.

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The assertion of Noynoy’s mouthpieces that the increased US presence in the area has nothing to do with China also insults our intelligence.

That we want to guard against China possibly pursuing its claim over the whole of the West Philippine Sea by means other than peaceful is a given.

That we have asked the US to help beef up our military to somehow meet that possibility is a given. (In fact, Noynoy was quoted earlier as saying that the Philippines was looking to the US for help in building up our defense capability in the midst of maritime tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea and other security concerns.)

That the US will help us only if it will serve her own interests is a given.

That the US is expanding her military presence in the Asia Pacific as a counterweight to China primarily in defense of her interests in the region is a given.

So, what are we talking about when Noynoy’s mouthpieces say that the emerging new arrangement with the US has nothing to do with China?

Isn’t that an affront to the intelligence of our people?

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If our present leaders feel it is in our interest to have whatever arrangement with the US, something that they seem to be so desperately trying to conceal from the Filipino people, so be it. Nothing will change their puerile minds.

What we are only asking is that the arrangement should be equitable, not a repetition of past lopsided ones. And since Noynoy and his Amboy of a foreign secretary, Albert del Rosario, have made it plain that the new arrangement, whatever it may be, will be anchored on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which, according to Del Rosario, is now under review, what I wrote last week bears repeating here:

"I submit that the VFA review should, among others, spell out in precise language, the following:

"1) Any US soldier who commits a crime within our national territory, whether in line of duty or not, shall be tried in a Philippine court and, if convicted, incarcerated in a Philippine jail.

"2) How much the US will pay us for using the VFA as the vehicle for maintaining a "light footprint" on our sovereign territory. Three Billion dollars should be the absolute minimum, with no strings attached please.

"3) The revised Agreement should be ratified as a treaty by the US Senate as called for in Section 25, Article XVIII of our Constitution.

"Del Rosario further said he sees the expanded defense and economic cooperation between PH and US ‘as an opportunity for us to be able to maximize the strategic partnership as well as the treaty alliance with the US.’ Fine, so please make sure you don’t sell us short."

***

When Noynoy was elected president nearly two years ago, he vowed that he would shun unnecessary foreign travels. So, what does he do? Barely three months into office, he was winging his way to New York to address a nearly empty UN General Assembly hall and eating hotdog on a Manhattan sidewalk.

Last week, he announced he would go to six countries, possibly ten, this year. Huh?! He said he might visit Rome, among others, for the canonization of a Filipino saint and if he does, he would go to Spain.

Why Spain? Our relations with that country will not change much with a visit there at this time.

Why not Portugal, with whom our trade relations at least need boosting? Of course, there are very few OFWs there to cheer him on. But since he had insisted on assigning an ambassador there while closing others that needed to be kept open, he might as well justify his action by giving the post a semblance of importance to us.

***

Much has been said and written about "noynoying" which connotes doing nothing by Noynoy. I’d rather use "dini-dedma" which, of course, means in effect the same thing.

For instance, notwithstanding the alarming crime wave that grips the country at the moment, there has been no report about Noynoy doing something about it. I hope it is not because he is beginning to be overwhelmed by the multitude of problems that he has to face day in and day out. But he himself doesn’t have to do it. All he has to do is to put his foot down and bark orders to the heads of government agencies responsible for keeping peace and order. What has he done about it? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. He has not even taken his designated crime czar, his executive secretary and close buddy, Paquito Ochoa, to task for utterly failing in his job. Ano ba ‘yan?!

***

Following is an unedited letter I received from a staff employee of the DFA complaining about some of the things happening in that department:

"I have seen many things in the DFA which are unfair. We have learned to accept it but somehow had hoped for things to be better with Pnoy’s daang matuwid policy. But it seems DFA is following different policy. I hear officials say that it is more like Marcos time operations. During the time of Secretary Romulo, things took time as everything had to be run by him. This time, it’s spread to different key people, in Admin and even Office of Secretary del Rosario. So it is more difficult, as decisions are among a few which are not transparent.

"Some of the things talked about are how those officials in the favor of these key people and not Secretary are given rewards and those not inept are set aside. I heard that Mr. Abraham Estabillo is to be assigned in Ottawa as deputy chief of mission as he is to retire soon. We have heard that Ottawa is already full of officers. Ambassadoor Gatan, Mr Neil Ferrer (Minister and Con Gen), Mr. Tamayo (First Sec), Mr Jun Mayo and Mrs. Tata Mayo, also both First Secretary. When it is said we need to save money that is why we close posts to save money. What about Ambassador Monina Rueca, who is Chief of Protocol. She is retiring only in Manila and no assignment abroad. Different from Chief of Staff Blesilda Cabrera who is in Helsinki, Finland since February as deputy chief of mission. It is announced Embassy in Helsinki to close in October but she is assigned while she is retiring already too like Mr. Estabillo. Other Embassies to close like Dublin and Havana has heads who are not senior. Dublin has only one officer, CarMin and is in charge to close it in July and they have lots, lots of Filipinos. While Havana has only one officer, FSO 2. Chief of Staff Cabrera is Chief of Mission 1 and in Helsinki since February to close in October and she retire in January. In Helsinki, there is already officer who can also do it like Dublin and Havana. Also Stockholm to close not in July as announced but in October now.

"It is difficult for officers, so it is also difficult for us staff especially if we dont know anybody. I dont know if PNoy know about it."

Paging Secretary del Rosario. What is his favorite future ex-undersecretary for administration, Rafael Seguis, doing about such things? Or is Seguis even aware of them?

***

Incidentally, what does Del Rosario hope to accomplish by continuing "to press" (with what, if I may ask?) the North Koreans to abandon their plan to launch a long-range rocket early next month? They won’t even listen to the big powers. What makes him think they will listen to us? Geez! We’ve already stated our position once, that’s enough. We don’t have to risk embarrassment by repeating ourselves.

***

Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):
1) Filing of charges against officials of the National Food Administration during Arroyo’s illegitimate regime. Noynoy himself said on several occasions that there is documentary evidence to prove the venalities in the past in that agency; 2) investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia; 3) facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments; and 4) expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.

***

From an internet friend:
President Noynoy met with the Queen of England.
He asked her, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips you can give to me?"
"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people."
Pinoy frowned, and then asked, "But how do I know the people around me are really intelligent?"
The Queen took a sip of tea. "Oh, that’s easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle."
The Queen pushed a button on her intercom. "Please send Tony Blair in here, would you?"
The former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, walked into the room and said, "Yes, your Majesty?"
The Queen smiled and said, "Answer me this please, Tony, your mother and father have a child. It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?"
Without pausing for a moment, Tony Blair answered, "That would be me."
"Yes! Very good," said the Queen.

Pinoy went back home to ask Paquito Ochoa, his executive secretary, the same question. "Pare, answer this for me. Your mother and your father have a child. It’s not your brother and it’s not your sister. Who is it?"

"I’m not sure," said Ochoa. "Let me get back to you on that one..." He asked every one in his office, but no one could give him an answer. Finally, he ended up in the men’s room and saw DPWH Secretary Babes Singson.

Ochoa asked Singson, "Babes, can you answer this for me? Your mother and father have a child and it’s not your brother or your sister. Who is it?"

Singson replied, "That’s easy, it’s me!"

Ochoa smiled, and said, "Thanks!" Then, he went back to speak with Noynoy. "Pare, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle. It’s Babes Singson."

Noynoy got up, stomped over to Ochoa and angrily yelled into his face, "No, you idiot! It’s Tony Blair!"

***

Today is the 334th day of the fifth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

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