Tag: DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

Posted on

Lacson Ensures ‘Lower-Ranking’ Soldiers in Indo Fishers’ Rescue are Equally Recognized

More than the commanders, the soldiers on the ground who risked their lives deserve to be honored.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this as he pushed for the inclusion of more than 50 soldiers’ names in a resolution citing Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana for the rescue of Indonesian fishermen from the Abu Sayyaf in December 2019.

“Praise the commanders to high heavens if we must; just don’t forget the soldiers who literally risked their lives to make the feat happen,” Lacson, who heads the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, said on his Twitter account Monday afternoon.

Related: Deserve! Papugay Para sa mga Sundalong Nagsugal ng Buhay Para Sagipin ang Indo Fishers sa Abu Sayyaf, Tiniyak ni Lacson
Continue reading “Lacson Ensures ‘Lower-Ranking’ Soldiers in Indo Fishers’ Rescue are Equally Recognized”

Posted on

Ping, May Payo sa Commander-in-Chief sa Sigalot sa WPS

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.

Related: Lacson: Commander-in-Chief Cannot ‘Surrender’ on WPS Issue
Continue reading “Ping, May Payo sa Commander-in-Chief sa Sigalot sa WPS”

Posted on

Lacson: Commander-in-Chief Cannot ‘Surrender’ on WPS Issue

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.

Related: Ping, May Payo sa Commander-in-Chief sa Sigalot sa WPS
Continue reading “Lacson: Commander-in-Chief Cannot ‘Surrender’ on WPS Issue”

Posted on

On the Continued Presence of Chinese Ships at Julian Felipe Reef

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.

*****

Posted on

On the Actions of DND Secretary Lorenzana and Lt. Gen. Parlade

DND Sec. Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr.

While Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana should be commended for taking a step backward in agreeing to open the lines for future discussions with University of the Philippines President Danny Concepcion in finding a common ground to resolve the issues involving the state’s security concerns and the UP alumni’s time-honored academic freedom, Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. keeps opening new fronts for the defense establishment to address which could have been avoided but for his careless and insensitive remarks.

Coming at a time when the Solicitor General is defending the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 against 37 petitions, particularly on the issue involving “overbreadth doctrine” among others, such remarks from a high-ranking military official is uncalled for and totally unnecessary.

There are basic freedoms that remain to be protected and upheld under RA 11479, foremost is the freedom of speech or expression. Accusing a journalist of “aiding the terrorists by spreading lies,” assuming that such comment was accurately attributed to him, surely does not help the government to convince the magistrates of the Supreme Court to rule in its favor.

At a time unity is needed against threats such as terrorism, actions that threaten to divide are the last thing our country needs.

*****