Darkening Clouds of War in the Offing

By Erick San Juan

In the middle of a heated word war between the Philippines and China, clouds of a possible shooting war are getting darker in the disputed areas in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) as groups of so-called “patriotic” Filipinos/Fil-Ams are preparing for what they call West Philippine Sea Coalition inviting Filipinos around the world to protest China’s so-called ‘aggression’.

This call for action against China is actually inviting for more aggression and will raise the tension once more, far greater than the one with Taiwan on the recent shooting incident.

Pundits are somewhat suspicious of the real intention of the key players of this so called coalition and probably the motivation that benefits them by doing this perceived provocation. The issue in point here is the emphasis on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization especially mentioned in the ‘short speeches’ by former Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III and former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez.

The modernization issue is somewhat ‘in tune’ with the latest development of the RP-US expanded talks on the ‘cooperation to include possible US funding to build facilities and the storage of US humanitarian relief supplies.’

“The wider scope of the talks for joint use of civilian and military facilities signals rapidly warming security ties between the allies as the Philippines looks to the US administration to help counter a newly assertive China”.

According to our Ambassador to the U.S., Jose Cuisia, “the Philippines has ruled out granting permanent basing rights to Washington, but it would give US warplanes and warships wider access to Philippine bases on a temporary and rotational basis, helping the Asian nation improve its minimum defense capability.”

“The increasing rotational presence of US forces in the country is covered by the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement, but a new arrangement would be needed if Washington built facilities to support its temporary deployment to the Philippines.

We need to expand (the 1998 pact) further because we may have to build some additional facilities”, Cuisia added. (Reuters 7/18/2013)

This expanded talks on the use of Uncle Sam’s former military bases is for “humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.” Translation – a blatant disregard for our nation’s sovereignty. No matter what angle we look at all these circus ‘chubibo’, it all boils down to one obvious reason – using the Philippines as Uncle Sam’s cannon fodder in their efforts to contain China and starting a regional conflict that will benefit their economies in the process. As simple and stupid as it is being played by the puppet masters on their dummies playing as patriots. Don’t get me wrong. I love the American people but I love my country more. We have to get what’s due us if we really want to defend the nation from any aggression coming not only from the ouside but more from within.

Actually we have forgotten another group of Pinoys that can help this country with this China crisis – the Chinoys.

Now is the right time for our kababayan Chinoys to show their solidarity and open support to the Filipino people who protected and enriched them and most of all accepted them as real brothers and sisters. They should help in appeasing China and tell China that we can do commerce or joint explorations but do not grab our territories.

Their silence on the issue could be misconstrued that they are ‘sleepers’ buying time to take over this nation fully without firing a single shot. Our leaders should learn from how the Japanese before the war has infiltrated this nation. If you are not with us, you are against us.

History is rich with lessons that will continuously remind us of the mistakes done by our past leaders (mostly dealers/collaborators). Our only effort is not to repeat the bad part of this country and the world’s history.

The unity that we must promote must benefit the Filipinos and not only the interests of this country’s so called friends/allies. There is still a path worth tracking that will brighten the dark clouds of war and lead us to peace. God help us all!