The incident was reported when Bautista told Monday the foreign correspondents in the Philippines about the incident: “Chinese Coast Guard tried to drive away Filipino fishing vessels to the extent of using water cannon.
Asked if the Philippines would lodge a protest over the incident, Bautista said they would first have to investigate.
What? Twenty-eight days have passed and the government is still investigating?
Aquino said when the Zamboanga siege happened, Gazmin immediately reported to him and did not hesitate to be in the frontline. He asked: “Sinong hindi matutuwa sa tulad niyang walang pinipiling panahon sa paglilingkod? (Who would not be happy with someone like him who knows no time when it comes to service?)
As he reminded soldiers of the supremacy of civilian authority over the military, Aquino recalled again (as he has recalled in past occasions) his traumatic experience during several coup attempts against his mother, Cory Aquino.
Both panels have agreed that the agreement they are negotiating will be titled “Increased Rotational Presence (IRP) Framework Agreement.
Their answers, however, lead to more questions because they are fond of using big words that make you wonder whether they are referring to a thing or a creature or whatever. They also give incomplete information which does not make for a truthful answer.
Examples:
In the media briefing last Monday announcing the start of the talks between the Philippines and the United States on “a possible framework of agreement on the increased rotational presence” of U.S military in the Philippines, the question that was repeatedly asked was, “What does the U.S. wants that the existing Visiting Forces Agreement does not cover?”
The VFA is an agreement between the Philippines and the United States regarding the treatment of U.S. Armed Forces Visiting the Philippines. It was signed in 1998 by Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon and U.S. Ambassador Thomas Hubbard and ratified by the Philippine Senate.
Those who have taken these view will be disappointed because the U.S has taken a neutral position in the conflicting claims in the South China Sea (part of it is referred to as West Philippine Sea) and has always been consistent in urging for a peaceful resolution of the conflicting claims.
The Obama administration has decided to rebalance its military forces from Middle East to Asia, in what is seen by analysts as a move to contain China’s hegemony in the region.
By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files
The briefing to be conducted by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will be held tomorrow at 9:30 a.m at the Patio Room of AFPCOC in Camp Aguinaldo.
Members of the panel will be composed of both foreign affairs and defense security experts. Head of the Philippine panel is Ambassador Carlos Sorreta.
The increase in US presence in the country is part of the US’ rebalancing security strategy termed “Pivot to Asia” which involves increasing military presence in Asia Pacific as it reduces its presence in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
No doubt, the Magdalo group of military officers and soldiers has come a long way from that early morning of July 27, 2003 when they jolted the nation with the protest they staged against Gloria Arroyo at Oakwood Hotel in the heart of Makati’s business district.
So many things have happened. Even the name of the hotel has changed. It’s now Ascott Hotel and Oakwood has moved to Pasig City.
Last Monday, after the traditional State of the Nation Address by the president at the opening of Congress, new members of the House of Representatives Gary Alejano and Ashley Acedillo invited relatives and close friends to a thanksgiving dinner at Lexington Gardens in Pasig.
Alejano and Acedillo belong to the Magdalo partylist which represents some 200,000 former and retired military and police personnel, urban poor, and the youth from all over the country.
Re-elected senator Antonio Trillanes IV was there.
Newspaper reports quoted Gazmin as saying: “We cannot stand alone. We need allies. If we do not (seek allies), we will be bullied by bigger forces and that is what is happening now. China is already there, staying in our territory.”
Gazmin must be referring to the situation in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal or Panatag, off Zambales which is no longer accessible to Filipino fishermen since April 2012 and Mischief Reef in the Spratlys , which was China occupied in 1995.
It is feared that China would take over Ayungin Shoal, some 25 miles away from Mischief Reef.
We condole with the family of the seven Marines who were killed in Patikul, Sulu last Saturday and those of the eight policemen who were killed by a landmine allegedly planted by the New People’s Army in Allacapan, Cagayan Monday.
The police officers killed were Police Officers 2 Dexter Cubilla, Angelbert Mateo, Elmark Rodney Pinated, Jonnel Bowat and Ronald Castulo, Police Officers 1 Erick Brioso and Jerome Sanchez and PO3 Vladimir Tabarejo.
In the Patikul incident, the fatalities were Second Lieutenant Alfredo Lorin VI, Private First Class Jay Alasian, Private First Class Jayson Durante, Private First Class Andres Bogwana, Private First Class Rene Gare, Private First Class Roxan Pizarro, and Private First Class Dominador Sabejon, Jr.
Yesterday, April 28, marked the 6th year that farmer-activist Jonas Burgos disappeared.
The Burgos family observed the day with renewed hope after new information surfaced early this month which strengthen the accusation that the military was behind the abduction of Jonas.
The information, which apparently came from the files of the military, included a picture of Jonas looking dazed with a large bandana around his neck, which was probably used to blindfold him.