President Rodrigo Duterte continues to astound us and world leaders on his way to charting his government’s foreign policy.
In the capital Hanoi for an official visit to Vietnam, Duterte said the US-Philippines “Balikatan” war games will be the last held between the two nations. This, coming at a time when the country is facing an external threat from China in the West Philippine Sea. The Duterte statement had to be clarified not by his Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Perfecto Yasay Jr. but by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as meaning it is going to be “the last for the year.”
Both Esperon and Yasay are with Dutere during his Vietnamese visit. Esperon stepped up for Yasay who claimed he did not hear what the President said although he and Esperon were on the stage with the President.
The presidential statement must have shocked, if not disappointed, high-ranking Vietnamese officials. Vietnam was hoping for an ally in the Philippines in its own territorial dispute with China over the oil-rich Paracels in the South China Sea. China inflicted heavy casualties on the Vietnamese side during a naval battle in the area several years ago. Although China aided Vietnam in its long-drawn war with the US, Hanoi has become wary of Beijing’s aggressive moves in the region.
Is the Philippines swimming against the tide? While other countries in the region are concerned with a rising China, Manila, through Duterte, is being drawn to Beijing.
It has become the norm for the President’s men to clarify every statement he makes off the cuff as he deviates from prepared speeches to ad lib and crack jokes. He has, however, only managed to crack long-standing walls of friendship and alliances with the Philippines’ treaty partners, particularly the United States. He has also raised eyebrows by proclaiming an independent foreign policy which will pursue stronger relations with China and Russia.
Duterte’s fling with Beijing comes at a time after the Chinese had been rebuffed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague which upheld Manila’s case to challenge China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. He also announced his administration’s plan to purchase weapons from China and Russia. The Chinese have also been operating illegal drug manufacturing labs in the Philippines.
This series of foreign policy gaffes has drawn criticism from international observers. The latest came from former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario who called Duterte’s foreign policy as “off track.”If it is indeed off track, Duterte only has himself to blame for derailing the foreign policy train including several international treaties and conventions, such as the US-PHL Mutual Defense Treaty, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the UN Covenant on Human Rights, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
We hope the President does not see Del Rosario’s comment as another attempt to destabilize his administration. He does not need help in this department. Duterte is doing all this by himself with his feckless and reckless remarks.
‘Prison riot’
The riot that erupted at the National Bilibid Prison last Wednesday raises questions of law enforcement and prison security at the state penitentiary. One high-profile convict, Tony Co, was killed by a knife wielding assailant while three others —Jaybee Sebastian, Peter Go and Vicente Sy- survived the “riot.” This is highly suspicious. Only one assailant was identified—Clarence Dongain. There was no apparent motive in the stabbing frenzy in Building 14 which jail guards said started when Dongain told off the high-profile detainees to stop a drug session in their quarters.
Sebastian rushed to the prison’s infirmary and said he wanted to be transferred to another hospital for fear of his life. Sebastian made known he does not want to testify anymore in the House hearing on the alleged drug payoff to former Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima to fund her senatorial campaign. He said he would only talk to President Duterte.
We are not going to dwell on whether Wednesday’s prison riot was indeed a riot or a staged event to silence or intimidate other high-profile detainees from testifying in the House hearing. That’s for the Department of Justice with the National Bureau of Investigation to find out, if both agencies under the DoJ can conduct a fair inquiry in light of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre pushing the case against De Lima.
De Lima who broke down while giving a media statement said she was ready to be arrested if the government can prove its case against her. “Go ahead. Come for me Mr. President,” she dared as she admitted she can’t sleep from the emotional and mental harassment she’s suffering.
Why the House hearing in aid of legislation? Law enforcement, particularly in the Bureau of Corrections, and not another piece of legislation is actually needed. Weapons and luxury items such as air conditioners, flat screen TV, cellphones have been smuggled into the prisoners quarters with the connivance of prison guards.
