Who is really committing treason?

THE Philippine Army, thru its spokesperson, Col. Louie Dema-ala, announced its recommendation to delist Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga from the roster of its reserve force after he urged military personnel and reservists on social media to join the September 21 anti-corruption protests.

The proposal is questionable as RA 7077 or the Citizens Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act, as well as the AFP Regulations and Code of Ethics, only prohibits “active reservists from taking part protests and in posting seditious statements in any form of media while wearing their military uniform and bearing the AFP’s name.”

Neither the law nor the AFP’s rules prohibit reservists from taking part in protests as civilians. Public protest is every citizen’s right to free expression enshrined in our Bill of Rights.

I scanned all the news and posts, including the FB account of Barzaga, to see if he ever called for anyone to join protest activities while he was wearing his military uniform and I found none.

Barzaga has put the blame on the move on Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro who is targeting him for voicing his ‘anti-War sentiment.’

On YouTube, I watched Cong. Barzaga said, “Gibo Teodoro has a very pro-war sentiment and he’s very interested in starting a war with China especially considering the conflicts in our territorial waters and I have the opposite belief.

“While I believe that we have to defend our sovereignty and we also have to consider the interests of our fishermen in the WPS, the AFP is not capable of staging a war against a superpower in our region and maybe from the difference in our opinion is where Gibo Teodoro would get the idea that it would be better if I was not part of the Reserve forces.

While I still respect him … I am also deeply against what he had done and I still hold the anti-war sentiment for the Philippines.”

Gibo Teodoro, who still has his dual citizenship scandal hanging over his head thru his also being a Maltese passport holder, has been at the forefront of fomenting the “anti-China” froth-in-the-mouth rabidity of the Philippine Defense establishment.

Working for the interests of US Imperialism, Teodoro has approved the fortification of a port facility in Batanes near Taiwan, obviously for the use of America’s forward operations against China; he served as America’s attack dog at the Shangri-la security Dialogue and lately taunted China’s ‘red line’ on Taiwan.

Alluding to the Philippines and its American master, President Xi Jinping in his national address a day before the anniversary of the People’s Republic last October 1, again issued a sharp warning over the issue of Taiwan, saying China must firmly oppose “external interference” and stressed China “firmly oppose separatist activities seeking Taiwan’s ‘independence.’”

At the UN General Assembly on the same day, China issued a position paper reminding the world about UNGA Resolution 2758, passed 44 years ago that “solemnly confirms and fully embodies the one-China principle.” China added that to “challenge UNGA Res. 2758 (like what Gibo did– Editor) is to challenge… the UN.”

For suspected foreign agents like Gibo, to hold a contrary opinion in favor of peace and consistency in our foreign policy like what Cong. Kiko Barzaga is doing is “treason,” sufficient to be delisted from the AFP roster of reservists.

But who is really committing treason here?