Loose cannon

By Babe Romualdez

Diplomatic back channeling has its uses especially in highly sensitive situations, where negotiations are conducted without undue public scrutiny or attention even as “front channel” efforts are also carried out in unison. Nations have utilized backdoor negotiations to defuse international tensions and even war, like some of the more celebrated examples achieved by former US National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger ending the Vietnam War. He was also responsible for Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Chinese leaders Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong in 1972. Kissinger’s adroit diplomacy gave Nixon’s presidency the most successful achievements in the area of foreign relations, notably the opening of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.

Obviously, President Noynoy Aquino was exploring back channel options when he allowed Senator Trillanes to serve as backdoor negotiator with China — although it is still unclear how the senator got this commission as evidenced by the conflicting explanations on who first approached whom. Apparently, while the Senator was in China, he was allegedly approached by the Chinese, so Trillanes offered his help to the Palace. But what is puzzling many observers including US intelligence sources is what qualifications — or diplomatic contacts — the junior senator had to undertake such an extremely delicate diplomatic initiative.

What transpired at the Senate last Wednesday was simply pathetic, to say the least, because it is clear that despite Trillanes’ claims regarding Scarborough Shoal, the situation regarding our territorial dispute with China continues to be tenuous.

It takes experience to achieve wisdom and maturity — and unfortunately, the young senator exposed himself to be the “novato” that he is. The fact of the matter is, he should never have exposed his participation in this very important mission. For heaven’s sake, we are talking about the whole country’s security here! What was this boy thinking? If he wanted to play Tom Cruise in a “Mission Impossible” then he should have at the very least given the President some measure of deniability if things didn’t go the right way — which they obviously did not. His mission order should have the “self destruct” option. But in this case, Trillanes self destructed.

Experts from the academe especially in the field of international relations are aghast to see this whole diplomacy go from bad to worse. We are literally showing our cards — and it’s “busted.” In all probability, our diplomatic friends are watching with amusement, maybe privately laughing their heads off thinking us a country singing discordant tunes, with the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. My La Salle schoolmate, Chito Sta. Romana, who lived for almost four decades in China and widely regarded as an excellent resource person on the Chinese, should have been consulted or even recruited to do some back door channeling. Chito was the Bureau Chief of ABC News in Beijing before he retired.

Of course, the root cause of all this hullabaloo is — what else — politics, particularly the Camarines Sur bill (which by all indications is now moot and academic) and Trillanes’ admission that he was plotting the ouster of Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate President. But what really ticked off the Senate President was the nerve of this neophyte senator to say that Enrile was backing the Camarines Sur bill for former President Arroyo, which the former president quickly denied. Obviously, Trillanes underestimated Enrile’s legendary temper that has not changed since the time he became the Martial Law administrator of Marcos. While it’s an open secret that Frank Drilon is eyeing his old position as Senate President, he’s smart enough to realize that a change in the Senate leadership is not practical at this time. He would rather wait for next year when Enrile’s term finishes. For Frank, it would be prudent to maintain cordial relations with the 88-year-old solon at least until next year, when Manong Johnny will have influence with the new senators presumably coming from the United Nationalist Alliance senatorial slate.

Another collateral damage to this whole diplomatic fiasco was Manny Pangilinan, who found himself dragged into the picture. Trillanes insinuated that the businessman was fueling anti-China sentiment to advance his gas exploration project in Recto Bank, another area being disputed by the Chinese. Manny did not mince words, “Trillanes is lying!” he asserted.

It is clear, sensitive matters cannot be left in the hands of amateurs, especially those who overestimate their aptitude or qualifications and try to be something they are not. As it is, Antonio Trillanes has revealed himself to be a “loose cannon” — if not “loose lips” — blurting out whatever he feels without thinking of the ramifications.

This typical kind of hubris displayed by Trillanes turned off so many Filipinos the world over judging from the numerous tweets. Some even recalled the disrespect and superciliousness he showed to the late Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes. This kind of insolent behavior is totally unacceptable to many Filipinos, among them former president Erap Estrada in fact, who said the young senator’s head has grown so big it can no longer fit inside the elevator. The problem with Sonny Trillanes, an analyst commented, is that he just can’t seem to help himself, displaying a disturbing arrogance of power that can only come from someone who is “bagong salta,” meaning a newbie with newly acquired power.

Leaders including senators, congressmen and all other public servants would do well to remember the folly of hubris — the arrogance of power that usually comes before a fall — as recently seen in the fate of those who did not learn from history like Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Libya’s Muammar Gadhafi, who both found out the painful lessons when it was already too late.

*      *      *

E-mail: babeseyeview@yahoo.com