Mas matatag na paninindigan laban sa bullying sa West Philippine Sea at pagkakaroon ng balance of power ang isa sa mga gagawing prayoridad ng administrasyong Lacson sakaling palarin na mahalal si Senador Ping Lacson sa pagka-Pangulo.
Ayon kay Lacson, bagama’t kailangang panatilihin ang ating pakikipagkalakalan sa China, hindi dapat isakripisyo ng ating bansa ang karapatan at soberenya.
“Tinuturing nating kaibigan ang China pero ang turing ba nila sa atin kaibigan? Dapat equal footing, hindi one way,” ani Lacson sa kanyang panayam sa Radyo 5.
A tough stance against bullying in the West Philippine Sea, anchored on maintaining the balance of power in the area, will be prioritized under a Lacson presidency, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday.
Lacson said that while the Philippines should maintain trade relations with countries like China, it cannot sacrifice its sovereignty and sovereign rights for this.
“Tinuturing nating kaibigan ang China pero ang turing ba nila sa atin kaibigan? Dapat equal footing, hindi one way (We treat China as a friend, but does China treat us that way? Friendship should be on equal footing, not one-way),” he said in an interview on Radyo 5.
Bukas si Senador Ping Lacson na pumasok ang Pilipinas sa isang joint venture agreement kasama ang China sa pagde-develop ng West Philippine Sea – sa kondisyon na dapat sundin ng China ang 60-40 provision sa ating Konstitusyon.
Ani Lacson sa isang presidential forum, ipinapakita nito na pagmamay-ari ng Pilipinas ang naturang teritoryo at may soberenya tayo rito.
“As long as they adhere to the Constitutional provision of 60-40, I am all for it. If it’s 60-40 it shows we ‘own,’ we have sovereign rights over the area,” ani Lacson sa isang forum na inorganisa ng Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Cignal TV at The Manila Times.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is open to the Philippines entering a joint venture agreement with China to develop the West Philippine Sea – but so long as China follows the 60-40 provision in the Philippine Constitution.
Lacson, speaking at a presidential forum Saturday evening, said this would show that the Philippines owns and has sovereign rights over the area.
“As long as they adhere to the Constitutional provision of 60-40, I am all for it. If it’s 60-40 it shows we ‘own,’ we have sovereign rights over the area,” he said at the forum organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Cignal TV and The Manila Times.
“Next to the long-standing relationship with the United States, the Philippines’ most important foreign relationship will be that of China,” ayon kay Ashley Acedillo, tagapagsalita ng kandidato sa pagka-Presidente na si Senador Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
Katulad ng mga nakaraang pahayag ni Lacson sa isyu, naniniwala si Acedillo na kailangang maging praktikal at maliksi ang ating bansa sa pakikitungo sa China lalo na sa usaping seguridad at teritoryo.
Ang pagiging maagap ay pagiging aktibo sa paghahanap ng oportunidad na bantayan ang mga kaganapan sa mga lugar na may hidwaan tayo sa China at pagsasaayos sa sitwasyon sa ating maritime domains para malagay sa mas maayos na posisyon ang ating bansa sa oras na magkaroon ng mga diskusyon sa China. Kasama rito ang pagiging bukas sa anumang polisiya at hindi lamang puro sound bites na maaaring mag limita sa mga ilalatag na opsyon o mas paguluhin pa ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon.
“Next to the long-standing relationship with the United States, the Philippines’ most important foreign relationship will be that of China,” according to Ashley Acedillo, spokesman for presidential candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
Reiterating previous pronouncements of Sen. Lacson on the matter, Acedillo believes that to effectively deal with China on various fronts, foremost among them in the geopolitical and national security fronts, the Philippines must be “agile” and “pragmatic.”
“Agility” or to be agile means actively pursuing opportunities not only to monitor developments in areas of conflict with China, but also to improve the situation in our maritime domains to better position the country in any future discussion with the former. This also requires flexibility in our policy positions, lest we be hemmed in by ill-thought of or knee-jerk policy pronouncements – or worse still, “sound bites” – that either tend to limit our options, or confound the situation.
Limang taon matapos na maipanalo ang karapatan sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) sa Permanent Court of Arbitration sa The Hague, kailangan ng Pilipinas na lalo pang diinan ang pakikipaglaban nito para maging ganap ang tagumpay sa pag-angkin sa naturang lugar.
Ipinahayag ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, kasabay ng pagsasabing malaki pa ang kailangang gawin ng Pilipinas dahil patuloy pa rin ang presensiya ng Tsina sa lugar.
“Whatever we have done, or have failed to do, and what we must continue to pursue as part of our prerogatives as a law-abiding, democratic, and sovereign nation under this administration – unfortunately – has accrued little to our ‘accumulated advantage’ in the South China Sea and in the context of Philippine-China relations. On the contrary, we may have done very little in stemming the tide of an increasing Chinese footprint into the ASEAN region’s foreign policy, economy, and security,” paliwanag ng mambabatas.
“Thus, let us see this day for what it truly is: Commemorating a hard-won battle, but a victory still incomplete. We must, therefore, press on to complete the victory,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Five years after its triumph over China in the West Philippine Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Philippines must continue pushing to complete the victory, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Monday.
Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, said much remains to be done amid China’s increasing presence in the Southeast Asian region.
“Whatever we have done, or have failed to do, and what we must continue to pursue as part of our prerogatives as a law-abiding, democratic, and sovereign nation under this administration – unfortunately – has accrued little to our ‘accumulated advantage’ in the South China Sea and in the context of Philippine-China relations. On the contrary, we may have done very little in stemming the tide of an increasing Chinese footprint into the ASEAN region’s foreign policy, economy, and security,” Lacson said.
“Thus, let us see this day for what it truly is: Commemorating a hard-won battle, but a victory still incomplete. We must, therefore, press on to complete the victory,” he added.
I agree with former Senate President Enrile: We should not abandon whatever dealings or negotiations with China are underway or in the pipeline as we speak. Diplomacy should be our first, if not best, option.
But neither should we disregard other options available, not only to finally resolve the West Philippine Sea issue but to provide the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region.
As I have repeatedly suggested, we should build stronger alliances with other militarily powerful and capable countries who may be willing to help our cause as it would also advance their own national interests if they maintain their presence alongside our naval assets in the vicinity of the WPS.
Dahil hindi na nakakagulat ang muling pagkumpulan ng mga Chinese maritime militia vessel sa bahagi ng West Philippine Sea, dapat nang mag-isip ng kagyat at epektibong paraan ang mga awtoridad upang maitaboy ang mga ito, ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson.
Isa sa mga hakbang na nakikita ni Lacson bilang solusyon ay ang paggamit ng parliamentary-to-parliamentary channels o pag-uusap ng mga Kongreso ng mga bansang magkakaalyado, upang matiyak ang balance of power sa rehiyon.
“We are not really surprised. In a way, we even anticipated the return of the Chinese vessels because the vessels that were in the area earlier were most likely just surveying. Their job was to scout the land and not yet occupy. Ngayon nagbalikan na,” pahayag ni Lacson, chairman ng Senate committee on national defense, sa panayam ng DZBB.
The reported “return” of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea should be an urgent wake-up call for Filipinos to unite and come up with one strong stand on the issue, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed Thursday.
Lacson also said it is time to explore further possibilities, including using parliamentary-to-parliamentary channels, to ensure a balance of power in the region.
“We are not really surprised. In a way, we even anticipated the return of the Chinese vessels because the vessels that were in the area earlier were most likely just surveying. Their job was to scout the land and not yet occupy. Ngayon nagbalikan na (Now they’re back),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
First, a public debate is always healthy in a democratic environment – as long as it is limited to the issue at hand, and does not go down to the gutter level.
On one hand, a question comes to mind: What do we gain from the debate, assuming that it pushes through? One other dire outcome is further divisiveness that only China will benefit from.
I could almost imagine the anticipated excitement on the part of the Chinese while watching all these developments as they continue to be busy surveying more shoals within our exclusive economic zone that they can build more garrisons to pursue their expansionist agenda in the West Philippines Sea.
That said, the hype surrounding the debate should not distract us into allowing the Chinese to sneak into our territory while we argue among ourselves. That would be the last thing we need for our sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Matapos matagumpay na maitaboy palayo sa Sabina Shoal sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) ang ilang barko ng Chinese militia, ipinaabot ni Senate Committee on National Defense Chairman Panfilo Lacson ang pagsaludo sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Kasabay ng pagsaludo at paghanga, umaasa si Lacson na itutuloy-tuloy ng dalawang puwersa ng pamahalaan ang masigasig na pagbabantay sa mga bahagi ng WPS na lehitimong pag-aari ng Pilipinas.
Ayon sa senador, kailangang dapat na palaging alerto at listo ang puwersa ng PCG at AFP na nakatalagang magbantay sa mga bahaging pag-aari ng Pilipinas upang hindi sila masalisihan dahil hindi malayong pumasok ang mga dayuhan kapag sila ay nakalingat.
“We must not let our guard down. Since the 1990s, China has already made three incursions into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and now, Julian Felipe Reef. They are likely to do so again if we relax,” pahayag ni Lacson.
After driving away Chinese ships off Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard should keep up the good work of watching over the area, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Thursday.
But Lacson stressed our forces must keep alert over our territory and maintain such an approach to intruders, lest they sneak in when our guard is down.
“We must not let our guard down. Since the 1990s, China has already made three incursions into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ): Mischief Reef, Scarborough Shoal, and now, Julian Felipe Reef. They are likely to do so again if we relax,” said Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense.
Ito ang nagtatakang tanong ni Senador Panfilo Lacson bunga ng patuloy na pangangamkam sa sakop ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas, pang-aagrabyado at pagkibit-balikat ng China sa mga protestang inihahain ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) dahil sa mga ginagawa nito sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Bunga ng mga naturang pangyayari, iminungkahi ni Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, na muling pasadahan ang mga nilalaman ng diplomatic ties ng dalawang bansa.
Sa kanyang Twitter post, nanawagan din ang mambabatas sa mga kasamahang senador na suportahan si DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. sa pagpalag nito sa isa sa pinakahuling ginawa ng China sa mga Pinoy na nasa WPS.
“Maybe a review of the country’s diplomatic relations is timely and called for. All the diplomatic protests that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs filed have been ignored as if nothing was filed at all. The continued incursions and bullying finally got his goat. The Senate must support him in this regard,” banggit ni Lacson.
What kind of friend – or benefactor – would take what is ours, bully us, and ignore our protests?
On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson is seeking a review of the diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China, in the wake of China’s recent incursions and bullying in the West Philippine Sea.
Lacson also said the Senate should throw its support behind Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who in a tweet had told China to “get… out” after filing numerous diplomatic protests over China’s conduct.
“Maybe a review of the country’s diplomatic relations is timely and called for. All the diplomatic protests that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs filed have been ignored as if nothing was filed at all. The continued incursions and bullying finally got his goat. The Senate must support him in this regard,” Lacson, who heads the Senate’s national defense committee, said on his Twitter account late Monday.
Sa halip na magtalo-talo, dapat nang magkaisa ang mga lider ng bansa sa usapin ng pakikipaglaban ng Pilipinas sa China sa karapatan sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, Chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, hindi malayong samantalahin ng China ang sitwasyon kapag hindi pa nagkaisa ang mga lider ng Pilipinas dahil nakikita nilang mahina ang isang bansang may nagaganap na bangayan.
“Ang irony nito at nakakalungkot, sa halip na magtulong-tulong tayong mga Pilipino, especially mga leaders, tayo pa nag-aaway-away sa usaping West Philippine Sea. Dapat iisa ang position natin. Yan ang nagpapakita ng weakness natin sa China,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam ng DZXL.
Ayon pa sa mambabatas, hindi rin dapat idinidikit sa usapin ng agawan sa WPS ang mga bakuna laban sa COVID-19 na donasyon ng China sa bansa dahil papalalain nito ang hidwaan sa pagitan ng mga lider.
“Dapat magsimula tayo na nagkakaisa tayo na dapat ipaglaban natin ang ating sovereignty and territorial integrity. Dapat walang kinalaman ang bakuna sa usaping territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” banggit ni Lacson.
The Philippines’ top leaders must come up with a united stand on the West Philippine Sea issue instead of bickering, lest it exposes a weakness that China can exploit, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said over the weekend.
Lacson also stressed China’s donation of COVID-19 vaccines should not be connected to the issue of our sovereignty and territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea, as doing so may cause division.
“Ang irony nito at nakakalungkot, sa halip na magtulong-tulong tayong mga Pilipino, especially mga leaders, tayo pa nag-aaway-away sa usaping West Philippine Sea. Dapat iisa ang position natin. Yan ang nagpapakita ng weakness natin sa China (The sad irony is that instead of coming up with a united front, we – especially our leaders – are bickering on the issue. What we need is a united position. Otherwise, we are just showing our weakness, one that China could exploit),” Lacson, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense, said in an interview on DZXL radio.
“Dapat magsimula tayo na nagkakaisa tayo na dapat ipaglaban natin ang ating sovereignty and territorial integrity. Dapat walang kinalaman ang bakuna sa usaping territorial integrity and national sovereignty (Our stand must start with upholding our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Vaccines have nothing to do with this issue),” he added.
Chinese vessels at Julian Felipe Reef. Image Courtesy: AP
Hindi nararapat para sa Commander-in-Chief na maglabas ng mensaheng magbubunsod ng interpretasyon na tila sumusuko na ang pamahalaan sa pakikipaglaban sa Tsina para maangkin ang bahagi ng West Philippine Sea.
Ito ang naging tugon ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, Chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, makaraang ihayag ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na maaring mauwi sa madugong sagupaan ang situwasyon kapag pinilit ng Pilipinas na igiit ang pang-angkin nito sa mga lugar.
“He’s the leader of our country and he’s the commander-in-chief of our armed forces. He can think of anything and speak about anything except surrender. Remember, we have an arbitral ruling in our favor and it’s permanent although it’s unenforceable. There are so many things to think about except surrender. We cannot wave the white flag, so to speak,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam ng CNN Philippines.
Ayon kay Lacson, posibleng malagay sa alanganin ang kasarinlan ng Pilipinas kapag hindi ito nasolusyunan.
“I am not saying the President is actually raising the white flag but that’s the implication. If the officers and men of the AFP would take it that way, it could be disastrous to Philippine sovereignty,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Chinese vessels at Julian Felipe Reef. Image Courtesy: AP
The Philippines’ Commander-in-Chief cannot afford to send the wrong message – especially implied surrender or resignation – on our territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said this after President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday night that the Philippines may risk bloodshed and a no-win situation if it asserts its jurisdiction.
“He’s the leader of our country and he’s the commander-in-chief of our armed forces. He can think of anything and speak about anything except surrender. Remember, we have an arbitral ruling in our favor and it’s permanent although it’s unenforceable. There are so many things to think about except surrender. We cannot wave the white flag, so to speak,” Lacson said in an interview on CNN Philippines.
“I am not saying the President is actually raising the white flag but that’s the implication. If the officers and men of the AFP would take it that way, it could be disastrous to Philippine sovereignty,” he added.
Diplomatic protests may not be too helpful anymore as China continues to ignore the same. Further, while it is a standard document used to call the attention of the other party, China’s consistent attitude of taking for granted such action taken by the DFA reduces it to a mere point of information.
That said, perhaps China would not be so dismissive if we and our allies, both in the Asia-Pacific and the west, show we can band together to maintain a balance of power in the region, including the West Philippine Sea.
Filipinos should stand foursquare behind DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for making known his strong position in defending our country’s sovereign rights over the Whitsun Reef (Julian Felipe Reef) – and before that, the Mischief Reef, occupied by the Chinese during the period 1994-1995 and the Scarborough Shoal, which China cordoned off in 2012. All these have legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the existing arbitral ruling in our favor.
A sad reality is that while the ruling is permanent, it is unenforceable. The situation is made worse when our country’s leaders and foreign policy decision makers resort to acquiesce bordering on implied derogation of our sovereignty.
Even amid this pandemic, such “health crisis opportunism” being applied by China does not speak well of the assumed trust and goodwill between the two Asian allies. That said, our country is losing tens of billions of pesos a year in “stolen” aquatic resources, not to mention the wanton destruction of corals within our Exclusive Economic Zone that threatens our food security.
The fact that we are a militarily weak country that cannot match China’s military power should compel us to resort to establishing stronger alliances not only with other Asia-Pacific neighbors like Australia and Japan and the other ASEAN countries, but our long-standing western allies like the US and Europe.
Only through a clear message that the presence of “balance of power” in the West Philippine Sea can help us in this regard.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson expressed thanks over the weekend to the donors of COVID-19 vaccines that arrived in the Philippines recently, saying these give Filipinos hope of recovering from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
Lacson said the vaccines from China-based Sinovac, as well as AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVID-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), will help achieve herd immunity that is a key to resuming economic activities.
“Always grateful to China and COVAX AMC for making us see a sliver of hope to achieve herd immunity,” he said on his Twitter account Friday evening, adding the P2.2-billion daily loss in household consumption and the 9.5-percent economic contraction was driving the country a step closer to insanity until the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines arrived.
Malinaw na nakasaad sa Saligang Batas ang karapatan ng Senado sa pagpasok ng ating pamahalaan sa mga pandaigdigang tratado lalo na kung nakasalalay ang pangmatagalang kapakanan at interes ng bansa, katulad ng Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
“I may not be a lawyer like the President. But last time I read the Constitution, a senator has something to do with international agreements. The President should refresh his memory by reading Article VII, Sec. 21 of the 1987 Constitution. It says: No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate,” banggit ni Lacson.
No less than the 1987 Constitution gives senators a say in the Philippines’ international agreements like the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement, especially if they affect the country’s long-term national interest and security.
“I may not be a lawyer like the President. But last time I read the Constitution, a senator has something to do with international agreements. The President should refresh his memory by reading Article VII, Sec. 21 of the 1987 Constitution. It says: No treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate,” said Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense.
Mas epektibo ang sibil, madiplomasya at magalang na paraan ng paghahatid ng mensahe sa isang matagal nang kaalyado gaya ng Estados Unidos, lalo sa usapin tulad ng Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
Binanggit ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, dahil para sa kanya ay hindi dapat presyuhan ang kahalagahan ng VFA sa Pilipinas.
“The President may have used strong words to send his message across to the US. But certainly, there is a more civil and statesmanlike manner to ask for compensation from a longtime ally using the usual diplomatic channels and still get the same desired results,” banggit ni Lacson.
Why use strong words to send a message to a longtime ally when a civil, diplomatic and statesmanlike approach can be more effective?
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed this Sunday as he pointed out one cannot put a price tag on the value of the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement on the Philippines.
“The President may have used strong words to send his message across to the US. But certainly, there is a more civil and statesmanlike manner to ask for compensation from a longtime ally using the usual diplomatic channels and still get the same desired results,” said Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense.
Mas magkakaroon ng balance of power sa South China Sea ngayong higit na pinahalagahan ng bagong administrasyon ng Estados Unidos ang US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty.
Ito ang nakikita ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, bunga na rin ng komunikasyon sa pagitan ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at US State Secretary Antony Blinken.
“There you go. The US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty is one yet untapped weapon in our arsenal. I certainly hope we do not draw that weapon. Meantime, we might as well keep it there,” banggit ni Lacson sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Twitter account matapos ang pagpupulong nina Locsin at Blinken.
With the importance placed on it by the Biden administration, the US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty will help maintain the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific – including in the South China Sea, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.
Lacson, who heads the Senate’s Committee on National Defense and Security, said this after State Secretary Antony Blinken spoke with Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
“There you go. The US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty is one yet untapped weapon in our arsenal. I certainly hope we do not draw that weapon. Meantime, we might as well keep it there,” he said on his Twitter account.
Ito, ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, ang unang dapat na isinasaalang-alang ng Department of Health (DOH) at Food and Drug Administration (FDA) para sa paggagawad na ng compassionate special permits upang makapasok sa bansa ang mga COVID-19 vaccines sa lalong madaling panahon.
“Why don’t they exercise their power to issue a compassionate special permit? Their officials keep claiming they are still conducting studies. Mamamatay tayo sa ka-study eh,” mariing pahayag ni Lacson sa panayam ng TeleRadyo.
Ayon sa mambabatas, walang ibang pinakamainam na gawin ang mga nabanggit na ahensiya kundi ang agarang pagpayag na makapasok sa bansa ang mga bakuna.
“We have to start the rollout of the vaccines soonest. Kahiya-hiya ang nangyayari sa atin,” banggit ni Lacson.
It is high time the Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration show a sense of urgency in procuring COVID vaccines, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said the DOH and FDA should exercise their power to issue compassionate special permits especially for those who most need them.
“Why don’t they exercise their power to issue a compassionate special permit? Their officials keep claiming they are still conducting studies. Mamamatay tayo sa ka-study eh,” he said in an interview on TeleRadyo.
“We have to start the rollout of the vaccines soonest. Kahiya-hiya ang nangyayari sa atin,” he added.
Filipinos from both sides of the political aisle should feel proud hearing the President express his strong and unequivocal position on the WPS issue. His statement should erase all doubts on where he stands.
More importantly, I hope that China heard the President’s message loud and clear.
Indeed, it’s long in coming by way of a statement from our DFA secretary. China’s display of arrogance by accusing us of infringing on its sovereignty and security by sending military aircraft into airspace adjacent to Panatag Shoal/Bajo de Masinloc, urging the Philippines to immediately stop illegal provocations, tops it all.
In an interview on DWIZ, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
* Anti-Terror Bill to be questioned before the Supreme Court [10:01]
* goals of Senate inquiry into Jolo incident [34:24]
* PH warning vs China over military exercises [40:34]
* special session for Bayanihan 2 [42:39]
First, just so it is clear where I’m coming from: I am not pro- or anti-American, as in actual fact, they took away my US visa a long time ago. Nor am I pro- or anti-Chinese since I have many friends in and out of Beijing.
That said, the President’s change of heart is a welcome development as far as defense and economic security of the country is concerned. The Philippines needs the Visiting Forces Agreement especially now that Chinese intrusions into our territory, particularly in the West Philippines Sea, have become commonplace.
The last thing that we should lose is the balance of power that the USA, among other allies like Australia and other ASEAN neighbors, can provide to suit our national interest and territorial integrity.
It is a no-brainer that we can’t stand on our own and protect ourselves from harassment coming from those intrusions.
It is a test all right, not of the intelligence of the Filipino people but a test and a challenge as well to our intelligence community to verify what I said, a yet-to-be validated information provided by a reliable source who had given me some accurate intelligence reports in the past.
When an issue that has serious implications – such as the reported presence of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members in the Philippines – is raised, credible information is the best way to resolve it. This is without prejudice to Philippine authorities’ ongoing efforts to verify such information.
In an interview on DWIZ, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– lifting of travel ban on Taiwan
– issues involving P/Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido
– possible actions after VFA abrogation
– franchise of ABS-CBN
Just like the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Philippine government’s travel ban to Taiwan is a policy decision implemented by the executive department which may not necessarily be correct, health-wise and politically.
Politically, it seems that the China lobby has become a very powerful force under this administration. Only time will tell if this major shift in the country’s foreign policy will benefit our people in the medium and long term – even as in the immediate term, the travel ban may already have potentially dire consequences for our Filipino workers there.
We elected a President who does not appear to give much importance to counsels and consultations with sectors that could very well help him arrive at well-informed decisions. While I do not question his sincerity in trying to solve the problems besetting our country since the time the millennials of the world were not even born, I still hope he can leave his own legacy worth remembering.
Having said that, I continue to support his leadership but I will not stop calling him out on major decisions which I don’t think serve the best interest of our country and people.
The Filipino people are resilient and our soldiers are no different. We will survive, no doubt. We know how to improvise and we can adapt to crises the way we did many times before.
But in the meantime, we remain exposed to terrorist threats, both domestic and foreign, not to mention the continuing security threat in the West Philippine Sea posed by China, and even the need for timely humanitarian response and assistance that the US is capable of deploying during disasters, natural or man-made. Also affected by the VFA’s abrogation is the maintenance and repairs of military hardware, mostly air assets provided by the US under the AFP modernization program.
Exploring other options like inking similar defense treaties with other nations as posited by the AFP Chief of Staff is fine but the reality is, it doesn’t happen overnight. It will take a series of back-and-forth negotiations in pursuit of the concerned parties’ self and national interests before going through lengthy deliberations for ratification by the Senate.
While admittedly, the VFA is not perfect for the Philippines as far as equitability is concerned, the timing and reasons for its abrogation are way off the mark.
The thing is, it is not the smartest move of the President to expose ourselves naked first before looking for other options for cover.
In an interview with Senate media, Sen. Lacson answered questions on the possible implications on national security of scrapping the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement.
Sen. Lacson sponsored the proposed PhP191,340,253,000 budget of the Department of National Defense for 2020. The amount is about 4% of the 2020 budget. The key security strategy for 2018 indicated a minimum of 2% of the budget for the DND.
The DND is seeking a budget of P258.35 billion for 2020, including P119.118B for personnel services; P69.704B for pension; P40.701B for MOOE; and P28.831B for capital outlay.
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– Senate Bill 982, the ‘Designated Survivor’ bill
– Chinese shipowner’s apology over Recto Bank incident
– 4 Chinese drug lords reportedly released
Has the presidential spokesman switched from Chinese embassy defense counsel to spokesman?
What I was pointing out in my tweet is not on the issue of whether or not there is logic in the Chinese ambassador’s statement.
The thing is, the Chinese embassy has its own spokesman who should speak on their behalf because that’s his job. Why would the country’s presidential spokesperson whose salary and other miscellaneous expenses are being paid out of our taxes take on the embassy spokesman’s job?
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– divorce bill in Congress
– President Duterte to bring up Hague arbitral ruling with Chinese President Xi Jinping
– Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s ‘recommendations’ vs non-performing local officials, cops
– corruption at the DOH and PhilHealth
– 2020 budget and guarding against ‘pork’
At the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– dealing with China’s recent actions in the West Philippine Sea
– ‘conflict of interest’ at the DOH involving Sec. Duque, kin; corruption at PhilHealth
– proposals to scrap STL amid corruption row at PCSO
– ‘militarization’ of government with appointment of retired military/police officials
A verbal agreement between President Duterte and President Xi is what it is – a verbal agreement. Is that verbal agreement already part of our national policy? Is it being carried out? It is my humble view that it is not. Why? There is no showing that the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as the Department of National Defense are implementing that so-called verbal agreement.
In fact, on occasion, the two frontline agencies have expressed different views. Having said that, we will be better off to just leave it at that.
Maybe our problem is, we have a spokesman who talks more than he should. He telegraphs every move and every plan that the executive has on issues that need a little diligence and study.
To Malaya Business Insight: This refers to the column of former ambassador and Dean Reynaldo Arcilla, where he tried to inject political color into Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson’s recent statements on the Recto Bank incident at the West Philippine Sea.
On the Mutual Defense Treaty, while my opinion is different from the President’s, it doesn’t matter much which one is right or wrong; it is who is making the decision which in this case, obviously, he is the one.
As for me, I always express my opinion on what I think is right, not when it is popular. In some people’s minds, highly partisan as they are, that is lack of conviction.
