Inquirer headlines: “CHINA SHIPS RAM, BLAST WATER AT BFAR VESSEL.” “NO LETUP: CHINESE VESSELS BLOCK PCG SHIPS AT ESCODA.” “CHINA RAMS ANOTHER PH COAST GUARD SHIP.”
The Filipino people have been asking for months, if not years, now: what’s President Bongbong Marcos and VP Sara Duterte doing about China’s increasing aggression on the country’s sovereignty over the WPS?
Almost daily, the country has seen only Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, an AFP Spokesperson or some of the legislators make comments about these numerous encroachments on our sovereign territory.
The country’s arbitral win last July 12, 2016 in the Hague under the UNCLOS over the legitimacy of our sovereign rights over the WPS has been officially recognized by the ASEAN countries and other foreign countries such as the US, Australia, India, Japan, France, Germany and others.
Among others, retired Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has been stressing the importance and the necessity of the Philippines’ filing a formal Diplomatic protest before the appropriate UN official authorities on China’s continuing aggressive acts on our sovereignty over the WPS. But why has the top tandem leadership of President Bongbong Marcos and VP Sara Duterte kept the loudest silence so far. Are they afraid of the former president, known to have made an agreement (“traitorous” as described by people in SocMed) with PROC President Xi Jin Ping? Or, are they simply in agreement with VP Sara’s father’s stance of not commenting on China’s aggressions, or that her father’s cowardly stance is the way to go with China, being a top military power like the US?
Strong Political Will
The Filipino people expect their President and Vice-President to play out the strongest political will to speak out and take action against any foreign country attacking them in any form whatsoever.
In this case, the Filipino fisher folks have been deprived of their fishing grounds, their basic means of livelihood.
Our scientists doing research in our EEZ to exploit our own maritime resources for the country’s benefit have not been able to do their jobs for the past more than seven years. The regular trips of the Philippine Coast Guard in bringing the regular supplies to aid the fishermen and personnel posted in the Ayungin Shoal have often been disrupted.
How long will the Filipino people suffer the weak spineless cowardly leadership tandem of a president and vice-president? The Filipino people deserve to enjoy only a genuinely strong fearless bold selfless servant-leadership tandem of a president and vice-president, hopefully, soon.
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