Three angles to treason issue.

(Herman Tiu Laurel/ Infowars/ Tribune column/ 3-4-2008 MON.)

The highest form of corruption in a Republic, the treason issue against Gloria Arroyo, has now drawn the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) into the debate with Barry Wain's report on China's large loans to the GMA-JdV projects in exchange for privileges in the disputed Spratly's area. The FEER naturally does not report on the other angle of treason by Gloria: the sellout of the Philippine national interest in the Malampaya gas deal signed away, by FVR as well for a song; while other countries get as much as 30% to 50% royalty, Gloria is threatening further reduction of our Malampaya shares to a measly five percent by pressing privatization and/or securitization of half of the country's stocks.

In Bolivia, oil royalties have been pushed to over 50%. Western companies protested vehemently while Chinese oil companies were all too willing to pay up. Venezuela increased its royalties from 17% to 22% and increased taxes on oil corporate profits on top of that and then later assumed total control of many of the oil companies unwilling to accede to higher royalties. In the Philippines, there are three angles to the debate on treason – two are both wrong sides and only one is the right side. The wrong angles are: selling out to the Chinese and selling out to the Anglo/U.S. and its surrogates in the region. The only right side is the patriotic and nationalist side.

Most Filipinos will associate with one side - the patriotic and nationalist side; but that is easier said than done. Nationalists get sidelined, or eventually change their tune, like Lorenzo Tañada Jr. who's supposed to stand for the nationalism yet lead the "fair trade alliance". That sounds good though actually misleading. Nationalism or patriotism is not "fair", it is pro-active; it takes affirmative action for the nation. In international affairs and trade, if one does not start form "getting the most" for the country one loses out - "fair trade" becomes a lame cover for "free trade" which failed every country that advocated it – including the U.S. and that's why Obama and Clinton are competing to dump NAFTA.

Treason motivated by China deals is but a small fraction of treason motivated by Anglo-U.S. deals in the Philippines. Although Chinese dealings with the Philippines' corrupt traditional political leaders are growing, they cannot compare with the century old treason the Anglo/U.S. has cultivated amongst the elite in the Philippines – from the betrayal of the 1896 Revolution by members of the old Philippine aristocracy to the collaboration in World War II with both the U.S. and the Japanese by factions of the local elite which led to the destruction of the economic foundations of the Philippines. True nationalists like Recto, Taruc and many others were ostracized after the war.

Some of the icons of Philippine conventional history are actually treasonous, like Landsdale's pet who was used to depose the Quirino regime which was pushing Philippine industrialization; the same was repeated with Diosdado Macapagal against President Garcia who maintained import, currency and capital controls to preserve the Philippine economy. Marcos initially played ball with the Americans but pursued a patriotic agenda in trying to recover Sabah which the British lobbied the U.S. to avert and Ninoy Aquino betrayed, Cory Aquino reversed Marco's development of the domestic economic capabilities with "liberalization." Now, what makes patriotism and nationalism, and who is treasonous?

The political drama unfolding today with the ZTE scandal is bringing various political forces into convergence without eliminating their essential divergences. Corruption of the Gloria regime is the focal issue and Senator Trillanes has brought it to the issue of treason by the brilliant move of calling for its investigation in the senate. As I said in my last column, this elevation of the issue is a signal contribution as it now highlights the real crisis in Philippine society and the Republic – treason. The political forces converging against Gloria is divided amongst two treason factions and one patriotic and nationalist movement. Already, the treason factions are sabotaging the nationalist movement.

Last Saturday, the pro-Anglo/U.S. faction of the anti-Gloria campaign made its first major move against the patriotic and nationalist faction: Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement (B&W) threatened to bolt from the anti-Gloria rallies because President Joseph E. Estrada was allowed to speak for one minute at the Ayala Interfaith Rally. Of course, no one is worried because B&W committed only 200 people for the mammoth crowd of 80,000 that day; and they probably delivered only a third of that in three FX vehicles. B&W want Gloria out and Noli in so there's no change in the present pro-U.S. exploitation bias of the system, versus what Estrada and nationalists want: Philippines for Filipinos.

Leah Navarro also claimed that KME (Kilusang Makabayang Ekonomista) walked out when Estrada spoke. I called KME coordinator Jimmie Regalario who flatly said Navorro is lying. Former FVR bagman boy Saycon also said COPA is protesting, but haven't most COPA leaders rejected that group as they reject Edsa Dos – like Linggoy Alcuaz? Solita Monsod, who now denies Edsa Dos was "people power" and says it was a military coup, says to go slow on ousting Gloria and to use the courts. She didn't advocate that when Estrada was ousted. Monsod's husband is WB-IFC representative in many projects with "sovereign guarantee", and Solita is a regular consultant to Western funded projects.

In the tri-angle on the treason issues the patriotic and nationalist angle is the side that promises hope and change, that's where I place Estrada's "Walang tutulong sa Pilipino kunid kapwa Pilipino" (No one will help Filipinos except fellow Filipinos) slogan and the Bagong Katipunan of the young military officers which has a website clearly outlining a nationalist program of government and identified with Senator Trillanes with the "Magdalo" movement. Nationalism has been at the bottom of the triangle inverted by neo-colonialism the past hundred years, we can set it upright by putting the sharp point on top to lead the way this Twenty-First Century – as Rizal Envisioned in "The Philippine a Hundred Hence".

Many note how the ZTE-Gloria corruption and treason issue has revived the student movement; it is a most opportune moment to awaken them to the nationalist perspective of the Philippine crisis and the real sources of corruption - treason. This message would be easier to deliver when the Black and White, and COPA with other Anglo-U.S. treason groups' obfuscation are isolated. The FEER is igniting the anti-China sentiment, but the light to illuminate the Anglo-U.S. continuing neo-colonial oppressive must also be stoked – these will fuel the growth of patriotic and nationalist awareness. (Tune to 1098AM, 8:30 to 8am, Mon. to Fri.) ###