Trillanes as backchannel envoy to China

By REY O. ARCILLA  
Malaya

(Noynoy confirmed his mandate to Trillanes yet DFA’s Del Rosario reportedly said “We will not dignify those who are working to divide us. There must be one policy and one team in promoting our national interest in the West Philippine Sea.”)

Trillanes

President Noynoy Aquino says he will step down in June 2016 after his term ends.

Does he have a choice?

Well, maybe step down earlier… if he were to heed the call of a growing number of his bosses that include his own uncle, Jose Cojuangco and his wife Tingting.

Jose, brother of Noynoy’s late mother, President Cory Aquino, has expressed support for the call of the National Transformation Council (NTC) for Noynoy to “immediately relinquish his position”.

The NTC was formed in Lipa last August by a group of Catholic and Protestant bishops, a prominent Muslim scholar as well as a good number of concerned citizens.

Noynoy also talked about what he would like to do after 2016 during the Christmas party of the Bulung Pulungan last week. He said:

“After 2016, I think the foremost on my mind, together with my Cabinet, is to take at least a yearlong break and recharge and recover from all the tensions, turmoil, concerns over the past 6 years by that time.”

Of course, he could also be doing time in jail like his immediate predecessor Gloria Arroyo and Joseph Estrada before her.

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Ten days ago, Manila Times columnist Rigoberto D. Tiglao quoted in his piece entitled “Trillanes: DFA Chief Deliberately Worsened PH Rift with China” excerpts from the “Summary of Backchannel Talks (with China)” of Senator Antonio Trillanes III. Coupled with the petitions against the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US still hanging fire in the Supreme Court, I was prompted to dig up a column I wrote more than two years ago (25 September 2012).

To amplify readers’ knowledge and understanding of Noynoy’s use of Trillanes as diplomatic backchannel with China, reproduced below is that piece:

“When President Noynoy Aquino decided to tap the services of Senator Antonio Trillanes as his backchannel envoy to China without apparently telling Del Rosario, that meant only one thing – he has lost confidence in the ability of his foreign secretary to resolve our territorial dispute with China over certain areas in the West Philippine Sea.

“As if to add insult (or is that rub salt?) to injury, Noynoy asked newly confirmed DILG secretary Mar Roxas to proceed to China to meet with and to deliver to Vice President Xi Jinping a message which Noynoy could not give to President Hu Jintao in Vladivostok where Del Rosario failed to swing the meeting between the two heads of state. Roxas, incidentally, was supposedly recommended by Trillanes to replace Del Rosario as foreign secretary. The Chinese must have told him something about Del Rosario.

“ ‘My instructions to Secretary Roxas were very simple: ensure that our position will be relayed to the highest levels of the leadership of the Peoples’ Republic of China so that everything is clear and nothing is lost in translation,’ Noynoy said.

“ ‘Nothing is lost in translation’. That is reminiscent of the time when something was apparently lost in translation when Del Rosario boldly claimed that both sides have withdrawn from Panatag Shoal. He was rebuffed by defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin the following day. He subsequently accused the Chinese of “duplicity” for allegedly reneging on a verbal agreement. What appears to have been lost in the translation then was there was supposed to be no public announcement of the agreement, because of the delicate situation where the Chinese leaders now find themselves due to the pending transition in their power structure.

“As the supposed alter ego of Noynoy on foreign affairs, shouldn’t Del Rosario be the one delivering Noynoy’s message to Xi Jinping? Doesn’t that say a lot about the lost trust and confidence of Noynoy in him?

“Mag-asawang sampal na ang tumama sa kanya (Trillanes at Roxas), hindi pa rin makaramdam?! That was a double whammy of a slap on his face!

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“I have said this once or twice in the past. It is obvious that the Chinese do not like talking with Del Rosario mainly because of his US bias. Does he not realize that because of that alone he has already lost his effectiveness in dealing with the Chinese. I believe Noynoy realizes that.

“If Del Rosario is too dense to accept that Noynoy has lost trust and confidence in him, he should have noticed that only government spokesman Edwin Lacierda has said that the President still has confidence in him.

“Has he not wondered why the statement did not come directly from Noynoy?

“I will guess… I think it is Noynoy’s way of giving him an opportunity to exit gracefully by resigning. Noynoy wants to spare himself from directly telling him to quit.

“Moreover, Noynoy has not said that Trillanes’ task is done either. Another government spokesman, Ricky Carandang, when asked if Malacanang would resort to back channels again in dealing with China, said “if it makes sense and will be helpful, we will do that.”

“That is another clear signal to Del Rosario to quit if he has any pride and self-respect left.

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“Let me try to put things in their proper perspective by looking at the most pertinent facts of the matter.

“Fact 1: Trillanes had the authority of Noynoy to negotiate with the Chinese. It is totally irrelevant whether or not he volunteered for the job or whether or not the Chinese handpicked him. The fact still remains that he was authorized by Noynoy to do the back channeling. He is answerable only to Noynoy, no one else.

“Fact 2: Noynoy confirmed his mandate to Trillanes. He also acknowledged that the latter’s efforts helped ease tensions between the two countries over the Panatag Shoal row. (In the case of Del Rosario, tension goes a decibel higher whenever he opens his trap, especially when he starts crying “Uncle (Sam)” and mouthing or echoing the US position on the dispute which is anathema to the Chinese and should be to him as well. For that reason alone, the Chinese evidently no longer wants to deal with him. Apparently, Noynoy is already aware of that.

“Fact 3: Only the President decides on what the nation’s foreign policy should be and how it should be pursued.

“Based on the above facts, Del Rosario, without his realizing it, was actually criticizing Noynoy when he said: “We will not dignify those who are working to divide us. There must be one policy and one team in promoting our national interest in the West Philippine Sea.”

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“One other thing that needs to be viewed in a proper perspective… the so-called Brady’s notes.

“Where did Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile get them? Who gave them to him?

“Unfortunately, Ambassador Sonia Brady is unable to speak until now (according to Del Rosario himself). It would also be unconscionable to ask her at this time if she was Enrile’s source. In any case, I cannot imagine her not coursing her notes to the DFA.

“By simple deduction, Enrile’s copy could have come only from the DFA.

The questions that now beg for answers are: “Was it Del Rosario who gave the Brady notes to Enrile? If so, did he get permission from Noynoy to do so?” Of course, someone else in the DFA could have given the notes to Enrile.

“But one thing is clear – Lacierda said that Malacanang is not even aware of the existence of the Brady notes. In other words, the DFA did not deem it fit to furnish Malacanang with a copy of the notes. Hmmm…

“Is it any wonder then that Noynoy himself has not reiterated his confidence in Del Rosario? He must be fuming mad if indeed the DFA hadn’t even informed him of the existence of the Brady notes.

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“Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile accused Trillanes of treason and being a

traitor for undertaking the task assigned to him by Noynoy. I do not think that is a justified accusation.

“Trillanes was merely carrying out his mandate. Having met with Chinese officials so many times could only mean that Noynoy was satisfied with his performance. To his credit, Trillanes has opted not to engage Enrile in discussing the Brady notes in public. They are state documents of extremely confidential nature.

“It would seem, therefore, that it was Enrile who was guilty of what he accuses Trillanes. He revealed in public a state secret that affects national security!

“Enrile’s questions about how many times Trillanes talked to the Chinese, what they talked about, etc., should have been addressed to Noynoy who gave the mandate to Trillanes. It’s a good thing Enrile has decided to stop dwelling on the issue. It has probably dawned on him that it was Noynoy whom he was in effect already putting on the dock.

“He may have also taken the cue from Speaker Feliciano Belmonte who said:

“ ‘Basically, what I can say is that the nation’s foreign policy is in the hands of the President and everyone else is just assisting him. The President is really trying all he can to de-escalate the situation and protect our sovereign rights over the disputed territories.’

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“Del Rosario’s alleged patron, businessman Manuel Pangilinan, has threatened to leave the country after his name was mentioned in the Brady notes.

“ ‘Kung ako lang (if it’s up to me), I’d pack up and go back to Hong Kong. Ang gulo-gulo n’yo (you’re so unruly),’ he said.

“Who is he calling magulo? Trillanes? Noynoy gave him the mandate, remember? In effect, therefore, it is Noynoy whom he is calling ‘magulo’.

“With the way Pangilinan has been gobbling up so many big ticket projects in town allegedly with money from the Salim Group of Indonesia, some people I’m sure would be happy to see him go. He may wish to bring Del Rosario with him.”

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Reminders (for Noynoy):

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. That was more than four and a half years ago.

2) Investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia and order his successor, Robert “Pretty Boy” 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 in 2012 making him the highest paid government servant then. The latest COA report also has Vergara as the highest paid for 2013 with P12.09 million; and

(b) That over a year ago, 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 at the time that the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies have at that time 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?

Pray tell, Mr. Vergara, what is the present status of these funds, including those that may have been remitted since and not yet recorded by the GSIS? How long do you think you can “dedma” these questions?

I believe it is time for COA to follow up on what Vergara has done on the above findings so that affected GSIS members would know the status of their contributions!

In this connection, I would like to address this question to Mesdames Grace Pulido Tan and Heidi Mendoza of COA: “Is Vergara one of the sacred cows in Noynoy’s coterie whom you are afraid to investigate?”

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Today is the 228th day of the eighth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

The trial of the primary suspect in the enforced disappearance of Jonas, Maj. Harry Baliaga, Jr. has finally begun after seven and a half years.

In a heartrending statement during the trial, Edita, Jonas’ mother, said: “When I imagine what they must be doing to my son, it’s torture to think that he’s still alive. We still have hope. But if he’s already gone, he’s not suffering anymore, he’s in the hands of God.”

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From an internet friend:
Christmas Bonus

Boss: Who said that just because I tried to kiss you at last month’s Christmas party, you could neglect to do your work around here and still get a bonus?

Secretary: My lawyer.

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9 December 2014

Email: roacrosshairs@outlook.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/reynaldo.arcilla.9847