“Survey respondents said the government should continue strengthening and expanding our military alliances”
In all the years of tension between our country and China, the word traitor never came out in all the rhetoric.
At least not till the last incident wherein the Chinese Coast Guard again used water cannons to stop our resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal.
It all started with an insinuation from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
This was followed by what could only be termed as an accusation by the Spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard when he called out some traitors in our midst.
This was probably borne out of frustration considering that PCG bears the brunt of what the Chinese Coast Guard are doing every time there is a resupply mission.
Perhaps the PCG is only expressing its anger in a manner that it is familiar with.
Traitors, however, is not the right word to use because, normally, the word traitor is only used in times of war.
There can be no traitors if there is no war going on.
Perhaps the PCG spokesman was only directing his frustrations to people whom he believed are committing treasonous acts or to those who are always contradicting their country’s position and espousing contradictory views in subtle efforts to muddle the WPS issue.
The accusation by the PCG spokesperson somehow touched a raw nerve and jolted the nation into thinking whether there are indeed people who by their actions and words are harming the national interest.
One consequence of this is former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had to issue a statement denying she agreed to remove the Sierra Madre.
So did the children of former President Joseph Estrada and the people close to former President Duterte but not FPRRD himself.
By what they did, they showed they thoroughly understand the importance of the WPS issue and what is at stake.
The latest news that has popped out is about spies that has gotten the AFP’s attention.
On this score, it would be the height of naiveté if the AFP is surprised about the possible presence of foreign spies in our midst.
Not only from countries that are not exactly our friends but even from countries whom we think are our friends.
Espionage is just something that goes on in countries all over the world in this day and age and if our AFP is not doing it either, then it is putting the country at a great disadvantage.
But let us go back to the activities we consider inimical to our country’s interest.
Are those people both private and public who are facilitating the surreptitious sale of our gold to foreigners to be smuggled out of the country considered as one?
How about those public officials who allow the illegal mining of black sand and the destruction of our environment to ship illegally mined nickel ore to foreign land.
And what about those corrupt officials who receive bribes to provide legal documentation to illegal aliens?
There are unquestionably a lot of these people around.
Unfortunately, there are matters where the government is slow to enact remedies.
For instance, are there people here who are acting as foreign agents for certain countries?
By agents, I do not mean necessarily spies but people who might fall under the category of business consultants.
The answer is we do not really know because we do not have a law that requires people to register if they are representing a foreign country.
Maybe Congress should pass a Foreign Agents Registration Act similar to the United States for the protection of such a person.
This way, if a person is representing the US, China or any other country for that matter, then there would be no reason for secrecy because transactions can be done in the open.
This will somehow partly solve the problem of being suspected of being a spy or secret agent of a country.
Not since the Second World War that we are reading once again about the possibility of traitors in our newspapers.
But this happens if there is no united front especially when the country is facing some serious issues about its territorial integrity.
Some individuals have taken strong views which appear to be diametrically opposite to the government’s position which can give the impression of disunity.
It is necessary that on this issue, we must present to the world a united front because of what is at stake. Media have also the responsibility to present an objective and sober reporting of what is going on and not simply angling for a scoop or headline.
In recent months, several surveys have been undertaken to gauge the peoples’ attitude about how the government has been handling the WPS issue.
Two things came out to be their preferences.
A good majority of the survey respondents said that they would like to see the WPS issue settled diplomatically.
They also said the government should continue strengthening and expanding our military alliances. These are to a large extent what the government has been doing.
We continue to talk and maintain our strong trade relations with China while strengthening our military alliance with our old ally, the United States.
Our Department of Foreign Affairs is also currently exploring the possibility of entering into new military agreements with other friendly countries in the region.
Those who oppose this position since there is no Foreign Agents Registration Law should openly make their positions clear to the public and their reasons.
After all, they can disagree but must state their reasons openly.
That way there can be an honest to goodness public debate.