Ben Madilynn
Cut the pie, not each other.
Nobody on the Philippine side seems to be in charge of our dispute with China in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, with the Chinese taking possession of and treating our maritime territory already as their own—by force.
Our officials and coast guards are producing scenarios for themselves over which they have no control or ready alternative actions to make in the event worse things would happen. Reactionary is their tact or style, apparently. Defeatist. Witless. Wayward. Woeful.
Look what happened recently which resulted in China Coast Guard piracy and banditry over our Philippine Coast Guard vessel and its crews. Multiple violations of Filipino rights and international laws by China. Shame. Yes, it might not be taken as an armed attack, but it is clearly a heightened attack on our sovereignty, integrity and dignity as a nation. Is it all just drama? The bigger boy grabbed the toys of the smaller boy. Then our Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr., reacted and pleaded, “Return our toys to us.” Funny. Childish. Absurd.
The main issue is the rightful ownership of the disputed bodies of water (not toys) and what already legally belongs to the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (Unclos), but is being invaded by China. Hence, don’t get sidetracked and let the issue be reduced to anything merely consequential and/or anything less than it actually is. Otherwise, the problem stays forever—for both China and the Philippines.
If the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea crisis is a kid game of chess, toddler China has gained an upper hand even more and is making some headway to further bully, confuse and intimidate everyone—but to no avail. However, the matter is not a game of chess. It is a battle. And the battle is between good and evil, between God and the devil.
In the meantime, why is the government not holding former president Rodrigo Duterte accountable for his “gentleman’s agreement” with President Xi Jinping? It was a huge “official” blunder that gave way to bringing Filipinos lingering migraine headaches with China until now.
And to Vice President Sara Duterte: For what good reason, madam, have you been silent over China’s aggressions toward our people and territory? Would you set aside your personal self and political plans and ambitions for awhile? Condemn Beijing and tell them to “stop” and it would surely help clear the air for the Chinese leaders not to expect a probable future Philippine President who can be tricked, tripped and lured to be a traitor (again) to his/her own country—and so that China won’t be hindered now from thinking and doing right. Dear China, you must have fallen asleep again. For the truth to stand out, it needs no propaganda, your propaganda. Neither do any one of your officials need to Google search the truth. Simply look into your heart (Jeremiah 17:9) that is if you care for the truth, and your heart. “The search for truth begins in your heart.” (Rickson Gracie)
Size or power is not might. Truth is. The principal issue for you is not your “nine dash line” or narratives or fiction. It is your covetous, avaricious, barbarous heart. You know it so well. Reason, science and Heaven have long ago spoken, from the time you started building your illegal structures in the said wildly-quarrelled sea.
Are you indeed seriously considering to go to war with the Philippines, side by side (of course) with our allied countries like the US, Australia, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, India, South Korea, G7, European Union, some Arab countries and the rest of Europe and Asia, and those in all the other continents of the world? New Zealand, Hungary, Qatar, Marshal Islands, Indonesia, East Timor, Micronesia, Montenegro and Czech Republic are the latest to express their support to the Philippines. Every single one of these mentioned countries is willing and ready any time—concerned about justice, uprightness, saneness, and world peace and order.
Are you too near-sighted/knuckleheaded not to foresee and calculate the potential destructiveness (uncontrollable and massive), much less the cost of lives (innumerable and unimaginable) both on the sides of our two nations in case a war breaks out? Wise up. Shape up.
Filipinos are determined and serious to fight the war on all fronts till death or till Rapture to defend the motherland, notwithstanding our “inferior” military might. It behooves the whole world, however, to start considering economic sanctions/embargo against China as an imperative and bold but noncombative action/step to take—to prevent war, if war can be prevented still.
Time for all thinking nations to bond together for them to serve collectively as an international police, with the US (most superior militarily) as the “Chief of Police.” Do something also to stop Russia (peacefully) from invading Ukraine as well as stop Israel (peacefully too) from further killing or inflicting harm on innocent civilians and children in its war with the Hamas.
You are an atheistic nation that recognizes no god but yourself, our old friend China. Thus, it would do you well to read the Bible (1 Samuel 17). Little David never got intimidated by the mammoth size of monster Goliath. Almighty God was with him. Discover what happened next as soon as they faced each other in the Valley of Elah. See how the former slew the proud, defiant godless giant. Horrific.
Don’t mistake the forbearance and meekness of Filipinos as cowardice in the face of your aggressions as in the latest Ayungin Shoal incident. One of our navy soldiers lost a finger. But just in case you lost memory of what forbearance and meekness mean for the bullied: Together they mean strength under control, fury and heroism waiting to be unleashed at the right time.
What are you waiting for, China and Philippines? Catastrophe? Certainly not.
But why are you not talking to each other as if one of you is afflicted with Biblical leprosy, when in fact talk or dialogue is the one and only way you need, and will ever need to settle this centuries-old issue once and for all? When that “talk” happens, great! Just be sure to make it fair and win-win for both sides toward a desirable, equitable, happy ending.
Do right, then slice the pie. And so fix all.
