May 2018 – ellen tordesillas

Lost not ‘a single island’ but the whole of Spratlys

Published by Ellen on May 29, 2018

Mischief Reef – lost under Ramos presidency
Scarborough Shoal – lost under Benigno Aquino III presidency
Spratlys including Sandy Cay- surrendered to China under Duterte presidency

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano was being smart the other day when he challenged critics of the Duterte’s complacent attitude in the face of China aggressive moves in South China Sea.

At the flag-raising ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs, he said: “I challenge anyone of them, whatever their profession – justice, politician, newsman, journalist – if we lost a single island during Duterte’s time, I will pack my bags, go home.”

It is a smart strategy because if we go deep into the history of the South China Sea conflict, we will be reminded that it was during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos that we lost Mischief Reef (Philippine name: Panganiban Reef) in 1995 and Scarborough Shoal under President Benigno Aquino’s watch in 2012.

Others may argue that we have not lost Scarborough Shoal. But the fact that Filipinos, government personnel and fishermen can only go there with the permission of Chinese Coast Guard whose ships (at least two) are permanently guarding the shoal means that we have lost control over that feature 124 nautical miles from the shores of Zambales.

In the July 2016 decision of the Arbitral Tribunal in the case filed by the Philippines against China, it was noted that the shoal also known by its Philippine name as Panatag and Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground of Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese fishermen and it should remain so.

The legacy of Ombudsman Carpio-Morales

Published by Ellen on May 28, 2018

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman Facebook page.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales will not see the conclusion of the plunder case against President Duterte, his daughter Sara and son, Paolo before she steps down in July from the investigative body that she has presided with professionalism and integrity the past seven years.

But the fact that she has taken up the case and pursued the probe despite heavy pressure from Malacanang is her legacy to the Filipino people.

Morales has stood up to Duterte, whom she is related by affinity (her brother is the father-in-law of Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio) in the plunder case filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in May 2016 citing the 2015 report of the Commission on Audit of questionable disbursement of some P708 million to contractual employees, many of whom were not identified.

Wasted first two years

Published by Ellen on May 26, 2018

In recent days, President Duterte has been announcing proudly his firing of officials which were rumored to be involved in graft and corruption.

Last Sunday, in his speech during the groundbreaking of Vista Alegre homes for soldiers and policemen in Talisay City, Negros Occidental , he talked about an official who talked with his relative about a government contract:” Humabol sa akin sa Cebu. You go. Both of you, you go. Wala akong, wala kong… I don’t want to work with you. At may isa dito, sinabi ko na. Mabuti kasi may TV. Do not entertain requests or give favors to any of my family. Huwag sa asawa ko, huwag sa akin, huwag sa mga anak ko, huwag sa mga pinsan ko. Now, if you try to say that I asked the help of the first family because you cannot decide on a certain thing, which you think would need, why do you have to consult my sister? Sinabi ko sa inyo — p***** i** ‘wag kayong — if it is a relative of mine, consider it denied”

The next day, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that the President fired Assistant Transportation Secretary Mark Tolentino for violating his order against talking with his relatives on state contracts or appointments.

Fired Transport Asst. Secretary Mark Tolentino in Malacanang last February. Photo from Tolentino’s FB page.

Is Duterte China’s accomplice in SCS military plans?

Published by Ellen on May 22, 2018

The PLA air force planes conducting training exercises, Nov. 19, 2017. The PLA air force recently conducted a combat air patrol in the South China Sea and conducted training exercises after passing over the Bashi Channel and Miyako Strait. Photo by Chen Liang of Xinhua.

Last Sunday, former Solicitor General Florin T. Hilbay tweeted, “12 July 2016 was an interesting day. I, with Justices Carpio & Jardeleza, went to Malacanang to explain to the President the decision in Phils. v. China. I received the decision by email from the tribunal. The President that we briefed was Rodrigo Duterte and his full cabinet.”

July 12, 2016 was the day the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague released the decision on the case the Philippine government filed against China on Jan. 22, 2013, when the president was Benigno Aquino III.

The Philippines asked the Tribunal to rule on three basic issues: the validity of China’s nine-dash line map; low tide elevations (rocks or reefs that can be seen only during low tide and disappear during high tide) where China has built permanent structures should be declared as forming part of the Philippine Continental shelf (200 nautical mile); and the waters outside the 12 nautical miles surrounding the Panatag Island (Scarbourough shoal) should be declared as part of the Philippines 200 nautical mile economic exclusive zone.

Why Duterte coddles Faeldon

Published by Ellen on May 20, 2018

President Duterte’s undiminished confidence on former Customs Chief Nicanor Faeldon even after 604 kilos of shabu worth P6.4 billion got passed his bureau’s watch and ended up in a Bulacan warehouse has been puzzle to many.

Duterte’s lack of outrage over the incompetence of Faeldon and his men rendered his war against drugs which has claimed the lives of some 20,000 suspected drug addicts and pushers a farce.

Not only did he not sanction Faeldon and his associates, he appointed them to other important government positions.

Pres. Duterte at the christeninng of the child of OCD Deputy Administrator Nicanor
Faeldon in April 2018.Photo from DuterteToday

Aside from loans, what support can Xi Jinping give Duterte?

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2018

Pres. Duterte and Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping in Beijing, Oct. 2016.

President Duterte takes pride in his being smart in matters of geopolitics. After all, as he more than once told his captive audience, he is a graduate of Foreign Service at the Lyceum University.

Recently, however, he revised it to just say he took up foreign service after he was exposed not to be in the list of those who graduated from Lyceum with a degree in foreign service.

Last Tuesday he again demonstrated his expertise in geopolitics belittling the United States for having “lost its will to fight.”

Duterte’s achievements

Published by Ellen on May 15, 2018

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced last week that President Duterte’s State of the Nation address on July 23 will follow a new format where he will be talking to the people on matters close to his heart.
He will not be enumerating his achievements, Roque said, adding that that would be done at a separate occasion.

“So iyong mga achievement, siguro may mga ibang pagkakataon nang isa-isahin iyan,” he said.

Critics of Duterte immediately retorted on social media: “What achievements?”

Aba,marami. Plenty, plenty.

Sereno ouster jolts a complacent public

Published by Ellen on May 13, 2018

Democracy in the Philippines did not die last Friday.

It was beaten up and trampled upon by President Rodrigo Duterte through his Solicitor General Jose Calida and executed by the eight justices of the Supreme Court (remember the names: Noel Tijam, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta and Francis Jardeleza) but we deeply value democratic values we will not let them kill it just like that.

What happened last Friday when the eight justices blatantly violated the Constitution they were sworn to uphold and ousted Supreme Court Justice Lourdes Sereno, whom Duterte publicly tagged as “enemy’” last April and declared that she be “out of the Supreme Court” was not a surprise but it was still traumatic.

Month: May 2018