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Month: November 2016

SC decision on Marcos burial preview of Bongbong’s election protest vs Leni?

How the Supreme Court voted. Infographic from ABS-CBN online.
How the Supreme Court voted. Infographic from ABS-CBN online.

Is the voting in the Supreme Court decision allowing the burial of Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani reflective of the sentiments of the justices towards the Marcoses?

Will that be the same alignment in the election protest of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr against the election of Vice President Leni Robredo?

That is what Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV expects.

In his statement, Trillanes said: “The Supreme Court effectively rewrote history. In their purely legalistic eyes, the EDSA People Power which was emulated globally and which we celebrate yearly, never happened. We should now expect Bongbong Marcos to be the Vice President of the country soon.”

Retired envoys take up cudgels for demoralized active foreign service officers

Retired ambassador Jaime Yambao.
Retired ambassador Jaime Yambao.
Retired ambassador Jaime J. Yambao wrote in his column in Manila Times that the Board of Governors the Philippine Ambassadors Foundation Inc. (PAFI) at its last meeting agreed to “express its alarm and concern over the demoralization in the ranks of career ambassadors caused by the announced and probable appointment of political ambassadors to the country’s diplomatic and consular posts abroad.”

One cannot expect the active foreign service officers to come out about their misgivings with the way things are in foreign service so their “elders”, the retired ambassadors are taking up the cudgels for them because they are all “committed to promoting and upholding the professionalization of the (foreign) service for the effective pursuit of the interests of the country and its people. “

Yambao said, “The board therefore deplores the appointment of non-career ambassadors on the basis of contributions the prospective appointee made to the election campaign kitty of the appointing power or powers, or upon the recommendation of campaign contributors and supporters.

“One such appointment that has not escaped the notice of the PAFI board involves yanking a career ambassador, a former undersecretary of foreign affairs for policy no less and a topnotcher of the Foreign Service Officers examination, from a post at which he is newly arrived and has just presented his credentials. This is almost unheard of, even in the Philippines. Political appointments have always been to vacant or about-to-be-vacant posts.”

Paynor’s ambassadorial assignment to the U.S. on hold

Marciano Paynor, head or the 2017 Asean Organizing Committee.
Marciano Paynor, head or the 2017 Asean Organizing Committee.Photo from ABS-CBN online.
President Duterte has decided that his choice to be ambassador to the United States, Marciano “Jun” Paynor will not go to Washington States this year.

It has nothing to do with the uncertain state of PH-US relations.

Duterte feels that Paynor is needed here for the preparations of the 2017 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting which will be hosted by the Philippines. There will be two summits, one for the 10 ASEAN leaders that will be held mid- 2017 and what is called ASEAN plus –plus meeting involving leaders of other dialogue countries namely Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and United States sometime in the later part of next year.

Paynor confirmed this: “I’m making sure that all the preparations for our hosting of ASEAN 2017 from January to November next year are on stream. I serve at the pleasure of the President and wherever he thinks I can be of help, that’s where I’ll be. “

Paynor said, “That I’m not going to DC till the end of the year is sure, but, that I’ll not be going anymore remains to be seen. “

To each his own version of modus vivendi in Scarborough shoal

Fishermen back from Scarborough shoal with their catch.
Fishermen back from Scarborough shoal with their catch.Photo from ABS-CBN online.

With the confirmation by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the three Chinese Coast Guard ships are still in Scarborough shoal, the statement of China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying last Monday underscored that Filipino fishermen are back in Scarborough Shoal on the benevolence of China.

Asked to confirm reports that China “okayed Philippine fishermen’s fishing near Huangyan Dao, ” Hua asserted China’s ownership and control of the area: “The Chinese side has always been exercising normal jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao. The situation there is and will remain unchanged.”

She mentioned “arrangements” made after the meeting of Duterte and Xi last Oct. 20 in Beijing.

“We have seen all-round improvement of China-Philippines relations following President Duterte’s visit to China. Under such circumstances, the Chinese side makes proper arrangements based on the friendship between China and the Philippines in response to the issue of President Duterte’s concern,”