Nothing has changed

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘Obama’s statement is a mere reiteration of what his underlings have said before.’

Now he’s talking. Or is he?

According to Agence France-Presse, a White House statement last Friday quoted US President Barack Hussein Obama as having “urged China to manage its maritime disputes with its neighbors peacefully, without the use of intimidation or coercion”.

In the past, such US statements on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea have come from the Secretary of State down to lower level functionaries.

Now that it is Obama himself who has been quoted as having said practically the same thing, does it make any difference to us or to any of the other claimants, including China?

I don’t think so.

To begin with, Obama’s statement was issued in the wake of the just-concluded wide-ranging talks between China and the US in Washington. I cannot believe the White House issued it without the prior knowledge of the Chinese officials.

Moreover, State Councilor Yan Jiechi of the Chinese delegation said at a press conference after the two-day talks that China supported “freedom of navigation in all oceans” and “will continue to firmly implement its policy.”

This Chinese statement jibes neatly with the oft-repeated US position on the territorial disputes, i.e., that she has a national interest in ensuring freedom of navigation but does not take sides on individual claims. That takes care of the US concern.

Had Obama categorically said that the US is standing by us come hell or high water, that would have been an entirely different story.

So there. Nothing has changed.

***

I actually find the timing of the US statement curious. It came at a time when her expressed desire to have access to our military bases is being hotly debated here.

Was it intended to make us feel good and more secure about the presence of US troops and war materiel on our soil? But they are here now. They have been here for the last 15 years under cover of the Visiting Forces Agreement (Visiting? Tagal namang bisita n’yan!)

Make no mistake about it… the US pivot to and the rebalancing of her forces in these parts are intended purely and solely to serve her national interests. Our interests are not even incidental. They are merely made to look like they are.

Truth is, if the US says she wants access to our military bases, she will get it. That’s the sad part.

And don’t doubt that for even one minute… what with the kind of leaders we now have, including President Noynoy Aquino whom I now suspect, wrongly I hope, of being a closet “Amboy”.

Look, Herminia, tell me, isn’t he beginning to sound like one seeing as how he has already started defending his apparent decision to give the US and other allies access to our military bases. According to Noynoy’s envoy to Washington Jose Cuisia, Jr., discussions with the US have not yet even been concluded.

***

Noynoy and his minions, the last one being Cuisia, keep on insisting that whatever access arrangement to our military bases that may be reached with the US and other allies, it will be constitutional because it will be anchored on the VFA. That’s a laugh!

Section 25, Article XVIII of the Constitution states, among other things, that “foreign military (bases), troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

Although the VFA was not a treaty but was nevertheless, unfortunately, “ratified” by our Senate, it still did not meet another significant requirement prescribed by Section 25, i.e., “recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.” The US never ratified it, arguing that it was a mere executive agreement. Ergo, the agreement was null and void ab initio.

Based on the above-cited provision of the Constitution, therefore, any access arrangement that may be reached with the US and others will have to be in the form of a treaty ratified by all parties.

Furthermore, Section 8, Article II of the Constitution provides:

“Section 8 – The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.”

I doubt if our government will ever be in a position to guarantee that the US will not bring or store nuclear weapons in our territory. Neither do I think the US will ever change her “neither confirm nor deny” policy on the matter.

***

Still, even with such restrictions, my guess is that Noynoy will give in to the US demand. That being the case, he should at least try to extract as many concessions from the US as he possibly could.

First and foremost, he should demand rental for the use of our bases, plus increased economic and military aid – in cash. Two to three billion US dollars ($2 – $3 billion) annually would be fair. After all, the US is reportedly giving Israel, Pakistan and Egypt as much, if not more. And as far as is known, they do not even host US troops on their soil!

There are other things that Noynoy should ask for. Among them are:

a) the US should immediately pay what is due our WWII veterans who fought side by side with their American comrades-in-arms. The poor souls are dying by the day because of illness and advanced age;

b) the US must leave behind armaments and other war materiel with us just as she said she will be doing in Afghanistan, a Major Non-NATO ally like us, when she leaves that country next year; and

c) the US must be required to clean up whatever toxic wastes they may leave behind when the time comes for them to go. I understand they refuse to clean up the toxic wastes they left behind in Clark and Subic till now.

***

You can live without food for a week to ten days, they say. But, three days without water, you die.

That is how important and vital water is to all living things actually, not just to human beings. But that doesn’t seem to strike a chord in Noynoy’s heart. He has not said anything about the accusation by a consumer group that he is allegedly conspiring with two private water concessionaires to fleece his bosses by allowing the companies to pass on their corporate income taxes and other expenses to their customers.

The concessionaires are Maynilad (Manny Pangilinan, et al) and Manila Water (Ayala). It is alleged that the Aquino family holds substantial investments in the companies controlled by these two entrepreneurs.

“The collusion is very clear. Since the day the President assumed power, the government has been coddling these two concessionaires, particularly on the onerous pass-on charges,” said Rodolfo Javellana, president of the Water for All Refund Movement.

“We demand an immediate termination of these immoral, unjust, onerous, illegal and criminal concession agreements,” Javellana added.

In the Senate at least, two senators, Ralph Recto and Ramon Revilla Jr., have given assurance that they will look into the matter once the upper house is convened later this month.

From Noynoy? Nada. Zilch. Zero. Hay naku!

***

I had my car registered last month in Muntinlupa. The Land Transportation Office (LTO) there said it had no stock of 2013 stickers and that I have to call later to find out if they already have the supply. I understand this is happening in other LTO branches in the country.

If memory serves, LTO is headed by a lady “Kabarilan” of Noynoy who was earlier relieved of her job for some alleged irregularity and later reinstated by him.

What gives? It doesn’t look like she is doing a good job.

***

Reminders (for Noynoy’s action):

1) Filing of charges against officials of the National Food Authority (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:

(a) He received the obscenely excessive compensation of P16.36 million last year, making him the highest paid government servant and;

(b) That at least 4.13 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.

There are three questions being raised when remittances, or parts thereof, of government agencies are not recorded by the GSIS on time: a) Where are these huge sums “parked” in the meantime?; b) Do they earn interest?; and c) To where (whom?) does the interest, if any, go?

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 79th day of the seventh year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

Whatever happened to Noynoy’s directive to the NBI to conduct a “focused, dedicated and exhaustive” probe of what really happened to Jonas?! Your bosses want to know, Mr. President.

And the European Union, according to its ambassador here, Guy Ledoux, was satisfied with Noynoy’s human rights program?! Please look again.

***

From an internet friend:

My mother is the best teacher in the world dahil tinuruan niya ako ng:

ANATOMY: “Mata ang ginagamit sa paghahanap, hindi bibig.”

HISTORY: “Noong bata ako, piso lang ang baon ko – maswerte ka pa nga.”

AGRICULTURE: “Kada butil ng palay na kinakain mo pinagtrabahuhan ng tatay mo. Ubusin mo ‘yan.”

GENEROSITY: “Ibigay mo ‘yan sa kapatid mo, kundi malilintikan ka sa akin.”

BASEBALL: “Ibabato ko sa ‘yo ‘tong hawak ko.”

HYPNOTISM: “Makuha ka sa isang tingin!”

More of my mother’s lessons next week.

***

Email: roacrosshairs@outlook.com