Whose credible defense posture?

By REY O. ARCILLA
MALAYA

‘We are mere pawns being used by the US. Why can’t our leaders get that into their thick heads?’

US-Philippines talks on bases access.

The reason advanced for the proposed increased presence of American troops and facilities on our soil is that it will give us a “credible defense posture” against an increasingly aggressive China in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. The implication is that the US will fight China in case she attacks us.

That will never happen. US relations with China are so much more important to her than her relations with us. We are mere pawns being used by the US. Why can’t our leaders get that into their thick heads?

As reported by one newspaper, some AFP officials share this view… “We know it. They will not go to war with China because of us. They are just here to protect their own interests in the Asia-Pacific region,” one of them said.

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If at all, it is the US that wants a “credible defense posture” in these parts vis-à-vis China. That is the reason she decided to rebalance her forces by pivoting to this region after her misadventures in Iraq and Afghanistan. After all, China is now the second biggest economy in the world.

Has that ever occurred to our ingenuous but hopelessly naive leaders? Obviously not. With leaders like them, it is a foregone conclusion the US will get what she wants.

So now, poor Juan de la Cruz will once again face the consequences of having a large and indefinite presence of US troops on our shores and suffer the indignities of being treated like a second-class citizen in his own country, shot at for being mistaken as a boar and, worse, regarded by the international community as an unabashed American lackey.

An unnamed official was reported to have said that American forces operate a base inside Camp Navarro, headquarters of the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City. Filipino officers and men are denied entry to the US base.

Another official also reportedly said that the Americans are camped right inside the AFP Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo where they operate communications equipment that are so powerful that they usually disrupt signals from other communications facilities at the camp. The place is also reportedly off limits to DND and military officials.

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Like it or not, however, the US will eventually get what she wants. That’s almost a certainty, given the attitude of our so-called leaders. The only thing that is to be hoped for is for us to be able to exact fair concessions from the US, among them: – rental of $2 to $3 billion annually in cash; settlement of what is rightfully due to all of our WWII veterans who fought side by side with the Americans; US commitment not to bring nuclear weapons or materiel into the country (no more of that “neither-confirm-nor-deny” bullshit); clean up their toxic wastes when they leave; leave all the equipment they bring in to the country when they go.

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The first round of negotiations between PHL and US representatives was held last Wednesday. The US side reportedly tabled a draft agreement. No mention has been made that we have one of our own. If that is the case, the two panels are now working on a US draft. Advantage, US.

The next round will be held in Washington later this month. There goes whatever transparency there may be if the talks were held here. In Washington, no Filipino journalist will have any access to officials involved in the negotiations.

If I were President Noynoy Aquino I would insist that all the rounds should be held here. In Washington, our team will be at a very distinct disadvantage. They will have to communicate regularly with Manila on the negotiations’ progress. None of the things they report to or instructions they receive from Manila will escape the US. Remember Ed Snowden?

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Foreign Secretary Albert “Amboy” del Rosario insists that the accord that would increase the presence of US troops and facilities in the country will be in the form of an executive agreement only and that it will be within bounds of the Constitution.

Wrong!

Section 25, Article XVIII of the Constitution states 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.”

Note that aside from foreign military bases, the presence of foreign military troops OR facilities are also not allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and recognized as such by the other contracting party. Ergo, the insistence by our officials about not giving bases to the US is nothing but malarkey.

So there. That’s as clear as daylight.

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Not too long ago, a US military drone was found floating off the coast of Masbate soon after a military exercise had been concluded.

Questions were asked about where the drone could have come from. No one in the defense or foreign affairs departments had an answer. Someone said it may have drifted there from Guam where a military exercise was also held?!

Now, the cat is out of the bag. Del Rosario has confirmed that the US has been using drones in our territory. Talk about transparency.

Daang matuwid? No way!

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President Noynoy Aquino says he now enjoys being president.

I don’t believe it.

How could he with all the problems and contentious issues strewn all over his “daang matuwid”?

Let’s start with the horrifying (kahindik-hindik, according to COA chairman Grace Pulido Tan) revelations about the abuse of the pork barrel.

Noynoy said in his last SONA: “We will not undermine the orders of our Bosses to hold the corrupt accountable, and to right the wrongs of a system that has long beggared our country.”

The pork barrel is a system that has long beggared our country. It must be abolished! It has mind-bogglingly corrupted many of our top leaders, past and present. I do not think Noynoy will have a better chance to prove once and for all that he is serious about daang matuwid. He should heed immediately the clamor of his Bosses that is growing by the day to abolish the pork barrel.

But first, Noynoy will have to give up HIS pork barrel. As president, he doesn’t need one. All the government departments and agencies and their resources are under his command! The powers of the presidency are so enormous. He does not have to cater to anyone. He cannot run for re-election.

Giving up his is the only way I believe the senators, congressmen and others who have pork barrel in one form or another will give up theirs without much of a resistance. Noynoy should not let pass and squander this golden opportunity to keep his daang matuwid straight and narrow. If he does, he can forget about leaving a lasting legacy less than three years from now.

Sayang!!!

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Alleged queen of scams Janet Lim-Napoles and her brother have flown the coop and left the people askance.

Wasn’t she considered a flight risk? Wasn’t she in fact placed on the lookout list of the Bureau of Immigration? Does it not stand to reason she should have been kept under constant surveillance by the DOJ/NBI?

Did not the DOJ have prior knowledge of the Makati court’s issuance of an arrest warrant against Napoles? Obviously, Napoles beat the DOJ to the punch. What does that tell you?

Nonetheless, the DOJ should put up a substantial reward for the capture of the fugitives (dead or alive?), instead of calling for citizen’s arrest of the two. That won’t work.

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Adding to the present woes of Noynoy is his Kabarilan-friend, Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres.

Torres was caught on video at a casino seated quite comfortably with her feet resting on a foot rest (what else?) and her right hand poised to press the button on a slot machine.

Yet, while admitting that it was she on the video, she said she was merely reading the instructions on the machine. Huh? She also claims she was in the casino waiting for a friend who invited her to dinner. Dinner at a casino? Surely she must know that government officials are not supposed to go to casinos.

Torres it was who earlier figured in a reported irregularity in the LTO. She was told to go on leave and was later reinstated by Noynoy.

As early as March this year, LTO has been unable to provide 2013 stickers to those renewing the registration of their vehicles. Shouldn’t Torres be looking into the problem instead of playing the slot machine in a casino?

Daang matuwid? No way!

Let’s watch how Noynoy will deal with this one. Reminds me of the case of another Kabarilan-friend of Noynoy, Rico E. Puno, who goofed, was reinstated, goofed again. Wonder where he is now.

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I do not wish to sound like a doomsayer, but the much-hoped for peace in Mindanao may not happen soon.

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) of Nur Misuari has reportedly declared independence from the Republic. That means rebellion and rebellion is usually coupled with armed hostilities. It also means the MNLF does not support the Framework Agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Déjà vu? When the peace accord between the MNLF and the government was reached establishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the MILF did not like it and thereafter broke away from the MNLF. Now, the tables are turned. History has repeated itself but the government appears to be in denial of it.

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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.

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Today is the 114th 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.

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Email: roacrosshairs@outlook.com