Perfidy

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘Leaving the grounded USS Guardian in Tubbataha could serve as a symbol of US perfidy towards us and our leaders’ gullibility when dealing with the US.’

THAT must have been an awfully long telephone conversation US Secretary of State John Kerry had with Foreign Secretary Albert “Amboy” del Rosario last week.

According to Del Rosario, they discussed a “wide range of key, strategic initiatives, particularly in the area of security and defense,” and that they agreed to further cooperate to “help build the capacity of the Philippines to defend its territory and people.” All those very sensitive issues on the phone?! Hard to believe.

Del Rosario also said Kerry was fully supportive of Unclos and was one of its strongest advocates in the US Senate. So how come the US has not signed the Convention up to now?

I actually dreamt about the phone chat between the two after I read the news report about it and my dream went this way:

JK: Good morning (Wednesday night here), Mr. Secretary. Thank you for the congratulations on my appointment.

ADR: So good of you to call, Sir. And warm congratulations again.

JK: Thanks. I hope to be able to meet you in the near future to discuss matters that are of mutual interest to our countries, particularly on our “pivot” to your part of the world. As you know this is of prime importance to us, considering China’s perceived intentions in the region.

ADR: I also look forward to meeting you soon, Sir.

JK: Well, yes. We can do that the next time you come to Washington… at a mutually convenient (read, to me) date of course. Goodbye.

ADR: Er… Goodbye, Sir.

***

When a deadly US military drone was found floating off the Masbate coast recently, Del Rosario swallowed hook, line and sinker the US explanation of how it got there. Nonetheless, he said his department was conducting an investigation on the matter.

Has the investigation been completed? What was the result? Or was one even conducted at all? I said at the time nobody would believe what he said about conducting an investigation. So, am I right or am I right?

***

A second crane ship, a bigger one, is now in Tubbataha Reef to help remove pieces of a chopped up “coralsweeper” USS Guardian.

Somehow, I cannot imagine how a crane ship could get close enough to the ill-fated ship to be able to lift the chopped-up pieces without the risk of running aground too. The weather in the area has also proved to be unpredictable.

I was thinking… would it not be better to just leave the grounded ship there? Would it do further damage to the Reef if it were left alone? If not, then I say leave it.

It can serve as a grim reminder to anyone who decides to stray in the area in the future. It can also serve as a symbol of US perfidy towards us and our leaders’ gullibility (or is it lack of nationalism?) when dealing with the US.

***

And now, Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya, a US Naval Academy graduate, says that the crew members of the USS Guardian may not be prosecuted due to practices granting immunity to foreign vessels.

“It becomes tricky because it’s an accepted international belief, international law, general practice of international law (which one is it, really?) that men of war, foreign naval vessels, enjoy immunity, especially if there is a line of duty,” Abaya said.

That sounds like a tall tale to me. The vessel intruded into our national territory without so much as a by-your-leave. It was also definitely not in a line of duty.

Republic Act 10067 states that the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park shall be off limits to navigation except for activities like tourism and research. (The ship was not on a tourism or research voyage.)

The law also prohibits the entry to the reef without the permission of the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board. (The ship had no permission. In fact, its captain deliberately ignored several times the park authorities’ warning not to proceed to the Reef.)

RA 10067 also specifically provides that violators will be meted a jail term of up to one year and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P300,000 as determined by the Board.

Now, whose law should prevail? Nay, perhaps the more appropriate question is, “Whose side are you on?”

I wouldn’t be surprised if the authorities concerned would later on invoke the “all-encompassing” Visiting Forces Agreement to defend the violators.

***

The US Gallup Poll says the Philippines is the “world leader in love”.

That may be true of the people in general.

But when it comes to our leaders, it is a totally different story. With very few exceptions (the late Jesse Robredo comes to mind), our government leaders have shown nothing more than an “I love me and my family” syndrome. Can any of our leaders, from the lowest to the highest, honestly say that they truly love the people they are supposed to serve? If only they did, there would not be so many impoverished souls among us.

***

When President Noynoy Aquino assumed office nearly three years ago, one of the more laudable things that he did was to stop the excessively obscene (or is it obscenely excessive?) allowances that government officials were paying themselves, particularly those in the government-owned and controlled corporations. One of them was the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Last week, the Commission on Audit (COA) ordered the PCSO board members to return to the government nearly P10 million in unauthorized salaries and allowances paid to them in 2011.

Not even two years in office at the time and already they had forgotten Noynoy’s “daang matuwid”. Ano ba ‘yan?! The agency is headed by a close friend of the Aquinos and a former appointments secretary of the late President Cory, Margarita Juico.

And to think that several PCSO officials during the Arroyo regime are now facing graft and corruption, even plunder, charges. Are the present officials any different? A valid question, if you ask me.

***

The Japanese Nikkei business daily reported that Japan will DONATE ten patrol boats costing $11 million each to the Philippines.

The able and amiable DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez, however, said the Philippines has asked Japan for a $110 million LOAN to purchase the 10 patrol boats.

“We have already officially transmitted to the Japanese government our request for a loan program for 10 patrol boats for the Philippine Coast Guard and this is now under consideration by the government of Japan,” Hernandez said.

Thanks for setting the record straight, Sir.

***

Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing said that “China will be a good neighbor” and will “follow a path of peace” in relating to other countries in the region, the Philippines included.

Now, if only she could convince her government to behave like it really means what she says, then we would have no difficulty at all believing her.

The first thing that her government could do to convince the other powers in the region is to join the Philippines in the Arbitral Tribunal of Unclos.

What say you, Madame Ambassador?

***

Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):

1) Filing of charges against of­ficials of the National Food Administration (NFA) 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 and ordering his successor, Robert Vergara, to file the proper charges, if warranted, against the former.

Noynoy should also order Vergara to report to him on COA’s findings that at least P4.13 billion in contributions and loan payments made by 12 government offices to the GSIS had not been credited to the offices as of Dec. 31, 2011. COA also said the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies have so far responded out of the 186 that were sent confirmation requests by government auditors. Of the 36, 27 confirmed “discrepancies” in their premium and loan payments ledgers when compared with those of the GSIS.

3) Facilitating the investigation of rampant corruption in the military and police establishments.

4) Expeditious action by the AFP on the case of Jonas Burgos.

***

Today is the 289th day of the sixth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

***

From an internet friend:

A blonde city girl named Amy marries a Colorado rancher.

One morning, on his way out to check on the cows, the rancher says to Amy, “The insemination man is coming over to impregnate one of our cows today, so I drove a nail into the 2 by 4 just above where the cow’s stall is. Please show him where the cow is when he gets here, OK?”

The rancher leaves for the fields. After a while, the artificial insemination man arrives and knocks on the front door. “I came to inseminate the cow,” he said.

Amy takes him down to the barn. They walk along the row of cows, and when Amy sees the nail, she tells him, “This is the one right here.” The man, assuming he is dealing with an airhead blonde, asks, “Tell me, lady, ‘cause I’m dying to know. How would you know that this is the right cow to be bred?”

“That’s simple.” she said. “By the nail that’s over its stall,” she explains very confidently.

Laughing rudely at her, the man says, “And what, pray tell, is the nail for?”

The blonde turns to walk away and says sweetly over her shoulder, “I guess it’s to hang your PANTS on,” she replied.

(It’s nice to see a blonde winning…once in awhile.)

***

Email: roacrosshairs@yahoo.com