Yes Jose, it was just a “piece of paper”

PRESIDENT Duterte has again been criticized for remarking that the “victory” we purportedly gained in 2016 at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) over our territorial dispute with China at the South China Sea is “just a piece of paper.”

Over this remark, the communists, their allies in and out of Congress, along with the other puppets of US Imperialism in and out of the government, had another field day assaulting the Chief Executive.

But heck, when you get down to the bottom of it, dear readers, Pres. Duterte is correct. The PCA “award,” indeed, is just a piece of paper.

If only our media colleagues would stop swallowing hook, line and sinker, the perjured and sometimes, outright lies being peddled as “press statements” by the likes of ex-Associate Justice Antonio Carpio or that certified “Amboy,” ex-DFA secretary, Albert del Rosario, and start reading—for their own and the public’s enlightenment—the texts of the PCA award, they would definitely come to the conclusion, like Pres. Duterte that, yes Jose, we spent P1 billion in “fees” to foreign lawyers and wasted a lot of time (over 3 years), over a piece of paper.

This is because first of all, the award never settled the issue of “ownership,” our ownership, of several “rock features” at the South China Sea.

Indeed, in the opening paragraph, the PCA award was emphatic in stating that the PCA would not discuss any issue regarding our sovereignty of those “islands.”

And in the concluding paragraphs (‘Dispositiff’), the award, while pointing out that China has violated several relevant provisions of the UNCLOS, did not call for the sanctioning of China nor called for its withdrawal on areas we are claiming as ours and which China (along with Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei) has occupied.

And so, what kind of ruling is that?

Ano ang gusto nitong mga “tolongges” na bumabatikos kay Pang. Duterte na “ipatupad” niya na “panalo” (daw) natin sa PCA, aber?

As Pres. Duterte repeatedly stated, he is not abandoning, nor has he abandoned, the PCA ruling, even mistakenly saying that is now a part of “international law.”

But what he is also saying is that, the time to insist on our “rights” in the disputed “territories” is not now. Why? Because we are militarily weak.

Senate Vicente Sotto, asked last week about his take on the presidential quip, stated what Pres. Duterte has also repeatedly said and this is, we only have, really, two choices. War or diplomacy.

Translation? Diplomasya o giyera.

But of course, the traitors that the critics are, they would readily plunge the country in a war against the world’s second military power with the “help” of the United States.

Well, this is stupidity more than 10 times over, really.

For if we look back in our own history and relationship with the United States, it has always been an unequal partnership—we have always been ‘cannon fodder’ to US Imperialism’s aggression against other countries, from Korea to Vietnam.

Indeed, why would America come to our aid when it never helped us—it helped Malaysia instead—when Malaysia took over Sabah.

In our past skirmishes with China at the South China Sea, was the United States there to help us? No.

And when that totally useless PCA award came out in 2016, did the United States, as our military ally and “closest of friends” took any step to force China to vacate those areas that the PCA said falls within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ)? No, it did not.

But yes, the United States is presently preparing for war against China, with the Philippines being considered as part of its “firs island defense chain” against China to include Japan and Taiwan. That is why thru its local stooges and minions here, it is now pestering Pres. Duterte to provoke a conflict with China.

But heck, dear readers, are we really ready to die in defense of US hegemonic interests? And over a piece of paper?