One thing that has become clearly obvious in reading the astonishing tale of China Crisis this week is that very few, if any, people in this country actually grasp the enormity of the disaster. The credibility of the Philippines as a sovereign nation has been utterly shattered, and the blame for it, whether it was done through well-meaning naiveté, arrogant incompetence, or actual malice, falls entirely on the President of the (Former) Republic of the Philippines.
The motive is actually irrelevant. For what it’s worth, I’ll choose to regard the President as a sincere dolt doing what he honestly believed was the best for the country, because at this point condemning him for immature self-aggrandizement or more nefarious intentions would just be piling on; the consequences of his decisions are their own indictment.
According to Senator Sonny F. Trillanes, he was enlisted by the President by way of Executive Secretary Ochoa to serve as the clandestine negotiator with the Chinese regarding the standoff over the Scarborough Shoal. The Office of the President, through spokesman Ed Lacierda, refuted this, saying it was Trillanes who approached them and lobbied for the job; Trillanes has all the credibility of an e-mail from Nigeria, so this latter explanation made more sense. The President, however, explained on Friday that ‘what really happened’ was that
“Senator Trillanes called me up and he was in China at that time. He was approached (and) he was asked on the possibility of him serving as backchannel negotiator,” the President said.
Cazart! In every story, there’s one side and the other side, and somewhere in the middle, the truth. We now have three versions of the story:
- The President recruited Trillanes.
- Trillanes recruited himself.
- The Chinese recruited Trillanes, which is the official version of the story, at least for now.
Of the three, the last one makes very little sense, except as a part of one very disturbing scenario. The Chinese, whatever else they may be, are not stupid or ill-informed about their actual or potential friends and enemies; they undoubtedly have a very efficient process for gathering information about the important issues and personalities in the Philippines, and know exactly who Sonny F. Trillanes is, what influence he has (or does not have), and what they would stand to gain or lose by dealing with him. This is, after all, the civilization that gave the world The Art of War. Everything about Trillanes offends some basic characteristic of the Chinese perspective: His penchant for creating instability, the short half-life of his loyalties within the Philippine political framework, his very junior position within the political power structure, and his mayabang personality.
Under ordinary circumstances – ordinary circumstances being a sincere intention on the part of the Chinese to negotiate some sort of mutually-palatable solution to the South China Sea standoff – Sonny F. Trillanes would be pretty near the bottom of the list of people the diplomatically-sensitive, risk-averse Chinese government would ask to represent the Philippines’ position. Would be, unless the circumstances are not ordinary, and the Chinese determined the most productive outcome for them would be to sow discord within the Philippine government and destroy anything remaining that this country could use to back its position, weak though that already is.
If the ‘official’ version is what happened – and we’ll assume that it did, because the President said so – then either one of two things resulted from the Leader of the (Former) Republic of the Philippines’ decision: Either Trillanes lied to him and he bought it without checking out the story he was being told, or he walked right into a trap the Chinese set for him. Either of which – and the dire consequences that followed – could have been avoided if he had used a single, simple word that he has already demonstrated he has in his vocabulary:
As a result of his not being able to say that, the credibility of the country is ruined. Using a “backchannel negotiator” of any sort undermines the previously-expressed diplomatic position – a position expressed quite stridently and often, actually – that the claims and activities of concerned parties in the South China Sea should be settled according to international conventions. It also undermines the objective of the ASEAN to develop and adhere to a united policy on the South China Sea. The Philippines’ willingness to “go behind everyone’s back” is a signal to the regional neighbors that this country is an unreliable partner; a perception that was in no way disabused by the President’s talking-out-of-school gaffe following the recent APEC meeting, which earned him a stern public rebuke from the government of Singapore. On a larger scale, the discord and lack of united policy in the Philippine government has now been made very public, meaning that any country’s engagement with the Philippines on any matter whatsoever will be viewed with a great deal of skepticism, and other sovereign parties will be inclined to dictate, rather than negotiate, agreements with this country. The President himself has ensured this will happen by inexplicably declaring that Trillanes – despite the controversy that has erupted, and despite the latter’s now being a complete laughingstock in this country – is, for the time being, still the “backchannel negotiator” while sending Mar Roxas as a messenger to Beijing. It rather defeats the purpose of having a clandestine envoy if he is publicly acknowledged, and then (publicly) bypassed in favor of an official whose portfolio does not include foreign affairs.
In trying to save face, the President has pointed out that, subsequent to Trillanes’ “discussions” with the Chinese, tensions on the Scarborough Shoal were reduced by the departure of a couple dozen Chinese ships in the area. What reduction of tension that actually represents is a mystery because in the time since, the Chinese officially established a city over part of the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea, and the President was snubbed by his Chinese counterpart at the APEC meeting. The Offices of the President and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs bravely tried to pass off that latter slight as a “scheduling conflict”, but in light of what has been revealed this week that is an even more ludicrous explanation now than when it was first offered. Tensions are eased by national leaders getting together for a few moments to exchange handshakes and pleasantries; “tell him I’m busy” is not a sign that one of those feels it is important or desirable to talk to the other.
What should be of immediate concern to the government and frankly, the ordinary Filipino whose lesson about the ramifications of making poor choices at the ballot box is only beginning, is the impact this will have on the country’s tenuous economy. The recent ‘threat’ by business tycoon Manny Pangilinan to withdraw from the Philippines should not be taken lightly, or as the casual frustration of just an individual. MVP is a smart businessman who does not make rash decisions, and would not even consider – let alone utter publicly – such an earth-shattering idea if there was not a great deal of information and thought behind it; what those inputs might be, we can only imagine, but they cannot be good for the country if they’ve led one of the Philippines’ top investors and biggest employers to even idly consider physically abandoning the nation. The fact that he even brought it up is, at a minimum, a signal to everyone else – foreign or native – doing or thinking about doing business here to seriously reconsider it.
This is one calamity the country, particularly under the direction of the government who caused the disaster, is not going to easily recover from, if that is even possible, which at this point seems unlikely. A friend of mine who spent some time with the President once described him as, “the sort of friend you keep around because he’s always got beer money.” Pity to think that may be the best the whole country can now aspire to being; when a country cannot be regarded as a peer by other nations, it ceases to be a sovereign nation in fact if not in name – a hanger-on in the world community, treated with kind indulgence, perhaps, when it’s to others’ benefit to do so, but taken no more seriously in running the global household than the family dog.
Ben Kritz
#1 by angela on September 23, 2012 - 4:50 pm
yes, there seems to be even more going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about but mvp does. what a mess.
#2 by thesocietyofhonor on September 23, 2012 - 6:20 pm
Well, I have three reactions.
One, your tone is unnecessarily hysterical which I attribute to a pre-conceived bias to ream the President of the Philippines at every opportunity, and this is a juicy one.
Second, IF you read any of the “insider” books about the American political scene or dicey international engagements, you find that you almost ALWAYS have different agencies and different egos in mucking up the national pie. Like generals in Afghanistan who disagree with Obama and get relieved for what they say. Most of the tensions simply stay hidden. The Trillanes back channel episode got blown wide open by Senator Enrile, who I think just last week crossed the line into senility. But the incident is really no big deal, and like Wikileak revelations that occupied headlines for months, it can be cured and life with China will go on just fine.
Third, the incident indeed reflects an Aquino weakness: his tendency to go with loyalties to his buddies rather than be disciplined and, as you shout in rather large font, say “no”. I give the guy the benefit of the doubt. He was sitting on a situation quite explosive and if Trillanes could get the pressure off, why not take a run for it. Unfortunately, Trillanes is a loose cannon and he has been rolling all over the deck looking at things to smash.The President screwed up by taking this out of the proper channel through Del Rosario.
It is not worth apoplexy. It is simply an incident, reflective of a weakness to lay beside the President’s strengths. Those that are blocked by your super powerful Ray-Ban specs.
#3 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 6:29 pm
And it is that sort of perspective that will lead people to being totally mystified a month, six months, a year down the road when the economy is still bumbling along at break-even (or worse) levels, the ASEAN proceeds to accommodate China at the Philippines’ expense, and the government acts at an even slower pace than its glacial speed now due to all the infighting. For all your benefit of the doubt, this President continues to step on his own dick — I’ve just concluded this time is the one he won’t get over. Maybe I’m wrong; I don’t think so, but up or down I’m comfortable with throwing it out there and seeing what happens. I’ve been right more than I’ve missed the mark.
#4 by thesocietyofhonor on September 23, 2012 - 6:53 pm
You may indeed be right, but I think you underestimate the Filipino penchant for forgiveness. Examples being all the thieves, coup plotters, confirmed liars and hot-tempered malcontents apparently infesting the legislature. I don’t think ASEAN will dump on the Philippines, but I could be wrong . . . too. I think China is very, very good at its divide and conquer strategy and I would look to them as the villain in this drama, not President Aquino.
#5 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 6:58 pm
The ASEAN is already dumping on the Philippines. I’ve gotten a couple calls this week.
#6 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 7:00 pm
It’s not about Filipino forgiveness, Joe. I fully expect this matter to blow over here within a few days. That is a small matter. The relationship this country needs to have with the region and the rest of the world is not, and that’s really where the problem lies.
#7 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 6:55 pm
“He was sitting on a situation quite explosive and if Trillanes could get the pressure off, why not take a run for it.” Um, because he has a Department of Foreign Affairs constitutionally-designated for the task? Like I said in my other article earlier this week, regardless of the motive and where the idea first came from, how he imagined that Sonny F. Trillanes, of all people, could ease tensions in anything is simply baffling.
#8 by thesocietyofhonor on September 23, 2012 - 7:33 pm
Well, I fundamentally agree about Trillanes. Baffling. Friendship and opportunity, bad outcome. Chinese ships are still there I think, occupying Philippine territory. How would you get rid of them?
Sorry to hear that you’ve gotten calls about ASEAN dumping. I suppose after the pushiness at the last ASEAN meeting, and this, the Philippines must look a tad, ummm, ego bound.
#9 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 11:57 pm
There are people like me in most of the other ASEAN countries (I don’t know anyone in Brunei or Cambodia, though), we keep in touch. Apparently, business and political people in other places are having a field day with this.
#10 by Bill Steffen on September 23, 2012 - 6:27 pm
Wel Ben, have you discovered the Formal surrender date yet? If so please inform me by email so I can get a ticket back to Atlanta.
#11 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 6:32 pm
We might have missed it. But let me know if you’re going, I’ll be headed for Orlando so I’ll tag along.
#12 by Angel C. de Dios on September 23, 2012 - 8:51 pm
“Keep people emotionally-charged, and they are less likely to think,” benign0 writes in his blog. It is a fundamental flaw in Philippine society for decades now. There is that illusion of curing all ills of society by just pretending to be honest and sincere. Not seeing that incompetence is a real plague keeps the Philippines where it is now, left behind in the 20th century and unable to stand with its neighbors.
#13 by Amir al Bahr on September 23, 2012 - 9:11 pm
Ben,
This line made my day: “Trillanes has all the credibility of an e-mail from Nigeria”
No doubt BS Aquino would never have imagined that his rabid attack dog Sonny would eventually bite him in the ass. And he went to so much trouble to free him from the pound too!
Trillanes has managed to piss 4 people off and get “disavowed by the Secretary” because his “Mission Impossible” was exposed. I’d say if he were really commissioned by the Chinese now’s a good time to run to them.
#14 by lauro gamboa on September 23, 2012 - 9:45 pm
I COMPLETELY DISAGREE. Trillanes is the best choice for the chinese because they know that he cannot be pressured by business interests or by the Americans … or by anybody for that matter … looks like he is the only person who can think objectively. if you were the chinese, who would be the better person to talk to aside from Trillanes? tell me …
#15 by Ben Kritz on September 23, 2012 - 11:54 pm
Wow, the guy who switched political affiliations four times in five years cannot be pressured, huh? The guy who ran away from an argument with an 87-year-old man? No, if I were the Chinese, that would be exactly who I’d want to talk to — I would get everything I want and give nothing away. That actually is the possible scenario here, you might have picked up on that from the article.
#16 by nildags on September 24, 2012 - 5:40 pm
Think Objectively!? hey have you done this?! YOU tell me!
#17 by Ben Kritz on September 24, 2012 - 9:17 pm
Why don’t you go back to your TV program or whatever, and let the grown-ups have a conversation, okay?
#18 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 5:49 am
Interesting perspective. Trillanes’s strength is also his weakness. In thinking for himself, he doesn’t care that he offends others. But I suspect this whole incident started out with good intentions. Trillanes had a contact in China of some importance and asked President Aquino if he could pursue it to try to take the heat off a very tense situation. The President said yes. Some ships were removed, but not all the Chinese boats left (perhaps Trillanes’ contact was overruled in the fractious political/military scene that is China), and Trillanes got pissed because Del Rosario kept speaking up (being blind to the whole deal). It seems to me the mistake was not appointing Trillanes. It was not bringing Trillanes under Del Rosario.
#19 by Bill Steffen on September 24, 2012 - 6:07 am
Kind of like sending Jane Fonda to negotiate with Ho Chi Minh.
#20 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 6:14 am
Yes, Bill. Kinda like that. But I don’t think the fishermen are circulating racy photos of Trillanes.
#21 by Bill Steffen on September 24, 2012 - 6:32 am
Maybe so, but Fonda posed on an NVA anti-aircraft gun,-and betrayed the POWs… Trillanes turned his weapons on his own countrymen. As much as I hate Fonda, I have to say Trillanes is the more evil of the two..
#22 by CARLOS on September 25, 2012 - 2:41 am
Chinese speak to the ambassador of the Philippines to China. Last I heard, Sonia Brady hadn’t been replaced yet.
Also, Trillanes was part of a group that after the Oakwood mutiny, tried to sell out the country to the communists: http://pcij.org/blog/wp-docs/afp-presentation.pdf
#23 by Omar Munde on September 24, 2012 - 1:59 am
With all the exchanges between the ‘BS Aquino’ apologists and those who can see thru his avowed ‘sincere and honest’ tag line, and reveal the incompetency of the man, I dread what the next three years holds for my beloved Philippines and Filipinos. Wake up fellow Filipinos anywhere you maybe in the world, and more importantly those in the 7107 islands of this once ‘Pearl of the Orient’ and so the next time you cast your vote, don’t be misled by surnames, but more importantly, chose experience, integrity, leadership abilities, and proven record of results and achievements…. enuf sed
#24 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 6:10 am
Not quite enuf.
I always thought Saigon was the “Pearl of the Orient”, so named for its French architecture and elegance in the days before American engagement there drew10 million people in to the city seeking safety, and made it the Stench Pool of the Orient. The rivers through town flowed black with sludge.Manila was a main shipping hub, undermined by airlines and more competitive Hong Kong and Singapore.
President Aquino is what he is. An honest man of no great ambition before being thrust into the presidency by the will of the people who respected the good heart of his mother and the courage of his father. He has done a remarkable job of stabilizing the government and removing its own peculiar stench, top-level corruption. He has hired fundamentally honest and well-intended cabinet executives, and they are getting a lot of good things done. Alas, he has his weaknesses, He reacts to situations publicly rather than keep his yap shut (Corona, Arroyo). He prizes friendship and loyalty over competence (Puno, Trillanes), as do most Filipinos. So in that regard, he is trapped by his (and your) culture. Just as you prize your allegiance to the critics of Aquino more than objectivity.
I’m no apologist for Aquino, neither am I blind to the fact that investment ratings are up, corruption rankings are down, the finances of the nation are stable, real estate is booming, and red tape is being reduced. The poverty of the nation and its penchant for unbridled sex and the attendant over-birthing are big buzzards hung like an albatross around the nation’s neck. The nation is dynamic. It is not dull. I like it here, and feel no need to apologize for feeling that way.
#25 by Jetlag807 on September 24, 2012 - 9:12 am
Joe; your conclusions regarding Aquino are completely baseless and, in some cases, incorrect but I won’t argue those points here. The point here is the extremely precarious position that Aquino continues to place the Philippines insofar as the world stage is concerned. There is NO excuse for sending a rank amateur to conduct back channel negations with China. There is NO excuse for the administration to pile on lie after lie in order to make the situation more palatable for the weak-minded populace of the Philippines. There is NO logical justification for this president to seek back channel negotiations led by a mutineer when REAL experts in the game are doing what is needed to be done. Aquino, along with making the Philippines (once again) a source of comic relief to China, has succeeded in alienated himself and this country from the REAL allies who would have been able to assist (and indeed were assisting up to this point). The fact that Aquino was pushed into office is NO excuse. The fact that he is a “special child” is NO excuse. The fact is; its the people of the Philippines who voted this nut into office and, being faced with blunder after blunder (locally and internationally) still find excuses for him. Since this issue came to light, the stories coming from the palace have changed (how many times?) yet, there are people still willing to accept the latest story as fact until a new palace fairytale is presented. It would seem that you (Joe) along with the vast majority of Filipinos are unable to see the forest beyond the trees…
Ben; Great article! Very informative but I feel the gist of it will fly way over the heads of most Filipinos.
#26 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 3:39 pm
Or maybe we are looking at the forest, which is growing better than it has for years, and are thankful for a President who is not ripping fruit from the trees and stuffing them in her own pocket. If you are President, and China has moved warships onto your shoal, of course you would know how to deal with the situation without causing either chaos or capitulation. The President placed his confidence in a trusted colleague, who said he might be able to help, but it didn’t work out. So we are going to climb all over our President so the Chinese can have a really good bellylaugh at how they were able to sow discord amongst the ever-fractious Filipinos. Way to do what the Chinese want, you and Ben Way to fall for the Chinese strategy of divide and conquer.,
#27 by Jetlag807 on September 25, 2012 - 6:51 am
Joe; The “game” is called CHESS not checkers (to coin a phrase from one of my favorite movies). Its like Nixon sending Elvis Presley to negotiate with Viet Nam instead of Henry Kissinger. The very idea is enough to make those with half a brain cringe! So P-Nut, instead of sending an EXPERIENCED diplomat or, at the very least, someone who is well versed in International Affairs, sends a failed mutineer/coup plotter/ex-convict/soon-to-be failed senator. Like giving a hand grenade to a kid, you just KNOW this won’t end well.
Never mind questioning why was there a need to back channel the talks in the first place since the allies of the Philippines were assisting in the effort (what is going on between Japan & China now is NO coincidence), all P-Nut had to do is sit back, drink a nice hot cup of Shut The F* * K UP and let the Pros handle it but, its too late for that now. P-Nut has proven himself to be a unreliable partner in the ASEAN and the world. But I digress…
As to “the forest”, I must disagree. The ONLY (I say again ONLY) investors that have and will prosper during the reign of the Nut are those closely allied with his family. Foreign Direct Investment continues to drop (more like free-fall). Foreign mining investors and corporations are making plans to seek life elsewhere. I say “foreign mining” since the local “yellow friendly” companies have free reign. Why does the Philippines need foreign mining? Other than the obvious financial windfalls which would have been HUGE, the other is procedures. PHILEX is still struggling to cap a leak in one of their open pit mines and, it was reported, are seeking the assistance of a FOREIGN mining consultant to solve the problem. The BPO industry, though a big boom to the economy, is not something that should be considered as permanent and, in the long run, are not sustainable forms of employment. Even India knows that. No. Foreign Direct Investment wise, the only businesses that thrive here are 1) the BPO Industry which is temporary at best and 2) the Illegal telemarketing scams (Boiler Rooms) which are based here… Get Real.
#28 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 8:08 am
Jet, several issues there. Trillanes and back channels. FDI. Mining.
As I understand it, Trillanes was not appointed, but was in China and called the President to say he might be able to help out. Back channels and spies exist, and they exist for a reason, to pass information and get things done in private, or complete secrecy. In this case, it was to try to find a way around the public posturing that was at a dangerous loggerhead. Watch China and Japan in their current dangerous face-off. You are saying they should NOT try every channel to reduce tension? Public negotiation is fraught with “face” and nationalistic emotion that needs to get taken out of the picture. The mistake was not putting the back channel under Del Rosario, and now proposing to keep a discredited loose cannon like Trillanes in place. He was “outted”. Like Wikileaks, schtick happens. I’d say to the critics, take care, support your country, don’t undermine it. Don’t do it like Enrile.
FDI. Needs attention. New laws and time. Indeed, the economic burst keyed on the call centers is thin. Get the damn casinos built already, press forward with the tourism thrust. Don’t be Republican and expect a 100 year economic disaster to right itself in 3 or 6 or 10 years.
Mining. I did a blog proposing that mining be nationalized so that the Philippines can get full value of its minerals, which, once dug out, are gone forever. Not 2%, not 5%. All of it. I agree mining is a mess.
Good of you to take care of readers and protect them from JoeAm’s thinking.
#29 by Jetlag807 on September 25, 2012 - 11:00 am
Obviously, you prefer the game of Checkers over Chess. Elvis over Henry. So be it. You like the Yellow Army are, of course, more than welcome to overlook each and every blunder this nit-wit has made and continues to make. China, on the other hand, is Laughing Out Loud. The US is shaking its head in disbelief. The ASEAN Nations are adjusting their plans to exclude the Philippines from any future actions or discussions on said actions. Those in the Philippines who have even the slightest glimmer of common sense can see through the forest beyond and know that this country is in serious trouble! You guys make excuses for Pnoy like he’s the “special child” of a family maker who constantly runs into walls. He’s the President of the Philippines and, as such, needs to man-up to the job and leave the tough stuff to the professionals! Anything less, any further acceptance of his constant failures and blunders only serves to make the problem worse! The problem is; this country is being run like a Circus being led Clowns instead of a Ringmaster. But its OK because the kids in the audience love the Clowns!
#30 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 12:29 pm
Jet, yes, I would not expect us to find agreement here, as our perspectives are so far apart. That’s okay, we are speaking mainly to ourselves. But I would clarify, I am not one of “you guys”. I just represent myself and come down on things differently than you. It is your need to cast those who disagree with you as a gang of idiots, in the traditional win/lose Filipino mentality. “Yer fer me or agin’ me.”
I don’t have the patience or skill for chess, nor the glazed-over inanity required to play checkers. Angry Birds is my game.
I would just reiterate what I told Angel, below. If you want to find dirt, you will. If you want to find promise, you will. I find the latter more uplifting.
Catch you next argument.
Joe
#31 by Bill Steffen on September 24, 2012 - 4:47 pm
Trying to make your point with Joe is a waste of breath Jet. For the past year and a half I have seen his tired old arguments for giving the Special Child the benefit of the doubt. Joe is having a bout of man love for P Nut. Hehehehe, I think it’s funny.
#32 by Jetlag807 on September 25, 2012 - 6:55 am
Indeed however, my comments are intended more for the benefit of other readers who may need a dose of reality when digesting this issue…
#33 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 5:32 pm
Billy boy, emphasis on the boy, the last I heard we are all entitled to our views, and to speak them. The difference is what creates the tension that impels growth, whilst the small minds that dwell on insults do little but retard progress, emphasis on retard.
The issues is the President’s use of Trillanes, which blew public when Senator Enrile, a hothead like Trilllanes, revealed what I believe was a private set of Ambassadorial notes in a public forum as if he were Assange of Wilileaks having a grand smirk at the expense of national security.
Both Enrile and Trillanes have behaved poorly, as public servants, revealing the Philippine dirty laundry in public and giving the Chinese great chuckles, I am sure. All the President did was seek a way out of a tricky situation.
Let me ask, if it were you in President Aquino’s chair, what would you have done to resolve the situation in the best interest of the Philippines? I personally think it was a dangerous situation and not easy to unwind.
I’m confident you will come up with something smart-mouthed because in the time I’ve run across your comments I’ve never read anything of substance. Just hot head flames and personal comments like the one you just dropped off.
#34 by Jun Viray on September 24, 2012 - 11:48 am
We deserve the pit where we are now. If the surveys are to be believed, then we are propping up into high heavens a leader who does not deserve such accolade. The sad part of it is that we the remaining 20% or more (?) are going to the drain with them without us acceding……
#35 by Angel DeDios on September 24, 2012 - 6:44 pm
China enjoying Enrile-Trillanes rift, Miriam says – When I saw this on ABS-CBN, I had to reread it just to make sure I am reading the sentence right. Even before the rift, China knew all along what was going on simply because they are on the other end of the conversation. The rift between Enrile and Trillanes simply made it known to the Philippine public. The damage was done even before the revelation in the Senate. Ben writes it clearly,
“Using a “backchannel negotiator” of any sort undermines the previously-expressed diplomatic position – a position expressed quite stridently and often, actually – that the claims and activities of concerned parties in the South China Sea should be settled according to international conventions. It also undermines the objective of the ASEAN to develop and adhere to a united policy on the South China Sea. The Philippines’ willingness to “go behind everyone’s back” is a signal to the regional neighbors that this country is an unreliable partner; a perception that was in no way disabused by the President’s talking-out-of-school gaffe following the recent APEC meeting, which earned him a stern public rebuke from the government of Singapore.”
#36 by jojo on September 24, 2012 - 8:16 pm
Sadly, some people are always willing to give Aquino the benefit of the doubt. Why, I can’t really say. The so-called personal honesty, the admiration for both deceased parents, it gets really thin over time. And all the stuff Aquino 2.0 is supposed to have accomplished was either started by a previous government or the work of a private sector that cannot wait any longer for government to get off its butt and do something. The Aquino fans will always find a way to exonerate their idol, as if good intentions will always trump sloppy (or no) execution. And when things get really hot for their boy, they pull out that old argument that goes, “if you were president, would you have done better?” Well, I’m not president, any more than Ben Kritz is. But what would the Aquino fanboys have us do, then? Just accept everything Aquino says, because he has the best of intentions and doesn’t personally steal? Because of his stellar parents, for chrissakes? Because he’s PRESIDENT? Some people really need to take off their dark Ray-Bans. And it’s not the people like Ben who call out the clueless slacker-in-chief when he needs to be called out.
#37 by thesocietyofhonor on September 24, 2012 - 8:57 pm
jojo, well, since I am odd man out in this thread, and you mention the Ray-Bans, I presume I am the guy between your lines. I agree that President Aquino has gained from accidental achievement, namely an economy that was moving already (call centers) and financial stability that was an accident of hesitating to spend any money in 2010 because of the fear of corruption. And his bragging at SONA and every other opportunity he can claim credit for something is rather like eating cake with too much icing, the overload of sweets make a person want to gag. Also, he places too much value on friendships when he ought to be doing the people’s business, and he opens his yap when he ought not (China, Corona, Puno, Trillanes).
But that glow you hate so much, because there is no fricking SUBSTANCE to it, DOES have substance in the eyes of the global investment community, which sees honesty in government and likes it. So nice words are written, usually with caveats attached pointing out the depth of corruption and poverty and extradjudicial murders . . . all the normal suspects. And stocks are purchased and money comes in to drive the peso down to 41.6 per dollar and investment ratings are upgraded. That is tangible stuff, all riding on the glow and the injection of honesty into government.
Then you look at the Cabinet and you see decent people working earnestly on doing the public good. And you see break-throughs, more transparency, paring of red tape, jailing of big time crooks and the wake-up call that provokes, and a lot of good works; Robredo, Jimenez, Roxas, De Lima, Morales . . . Fundamentally solid.
Don’t mistake personality for incompetence just because you don’t like someone’s hitched gait or gawky style. And don’t expect Jesus of anybody.
It is amazing to me. The Executive Branch of Philippine Governance is actually doing decent work on the public’s behalf. The Legislature sucks. The Judiciary sucks. And you wankers come along and, for whatever reason, can’t give credit where credit is due. It’s bizarre, truly.
#38 by Bill Steffen on September 25, 2012 - 8:50 am
Well Joe, since you already know you are the odd man out why don’t you go talk to your own kind? Or are you here just to be a pain in the ass troll and try to tell everybody else why they are wrong and you are right?
#39 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 9:24 am
Billy, what business is it of yours what I’m doing? You wouldn’t believe what I said anyhow, so just retreat into the corner and babble some more. I’m still waiting for a discussion of the real issue from you. The issue is President Aquino and the Trillanes back channel. How hard is that to grasp?
#40 by jojo on September 24, 2012 - 9:24 pm
I’ll let the “wanker” dig pass. What I posted to deserve that, I truly fail to see. As for Jesus-with-the-yellow-ribbon, only the faithful see him that way — only to point out that he’s human, after all, when he screws up. Some of us never drank that yellow Kool-Aid and can actually give credit where it is due. Then I look at the Cabinet and I see people paralyzed into doing nothing, for fear of drawing the ire of the man who put them there by actually getting something done. I swear, if I asked you what Robredo et al. truly, concretely achieved (apart from more “glow”), you’d be hard-pressed to tell me. Just one original program, implemented, per Cabinet man is all I ask. Drawing-board press releases don’t count. And incompetence is incompetence, whether it comes in a slick package or advertises itself with the gawky style you mentioned. And I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but the Executive sucks in ways that’ll make your hair stand on end, if you’ll only care to see. L’affaire Trillanes is just the latest of the greatest hits. But you stay yellow. It’s easier, and it makes you believe you’re actually right all the time about everything — and that anyone who thinks differently is some kind of unpatriotic ingrate who can’t get excited by the usual glow. Glow. I can’t believe I’m arguing with someone about measuring success in governance by the amount of glow generated.
#41 by Jerms on September 25, 2012 - 3:03 am
Jojo, I was intent on being a bystander and enjoy the semi-intelligent exchange – semi referring to those who resort to insults when the argument or the argumentee (if such a word exists) by Aquino apologists lose ground. Wanker? Is that the geritol has to offer?
Give me a break!
As for Aquino – his self adoration of his parents is so self serving it gets old! First both never did anything to alleviate the plight of the Filipinos, worse yet, it drove them further into misery so let’s call a spade a spade – Aquinos – since the time of the Japanese occupation, yes the Grandfather of the present Aquino that was Director General of the KALIBAPI in alliance with the Japanese occupational forces- has done little or nothing to help the citizens of the Philippines
#42 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 5:56 am
Jerms, is your family close? Have you lost your parents yet? If not, maybe withhold judgment on the adoration bit. It is not just the President who honors his parents, it is a lot of people, because, frankly, they touched something within them. If you don’t have that “something” to touch, maybe it is best not to presume others do not.
As for rummaging through the family line to find relatives who were scoundrels, so what? That is the Philippines, historical intricacies and accusations and deal making and switching sides. My great great grandfather was court-martialed because he decided he did not really want to fight in the American Civil War. He wanted to run his farm and go to church on Sundays. So you will judge me because he got court-martialed?
#43 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 5:47 am
Yeah, I retract the “wanker” comment. It was tossed in in a moment of literary passion and since I don’t really know you, should not be attached to you based on an argument with which I disagree. I don’t measure success by the glow, but by the impact the glow has on presentation of the Philippines to the investment community. Rather like fine restaurants serve food that looks pretty because it somehow adds an intangible that becomes tangible when the customer tells his friends about it. I measure success by people’s happiness (as in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness),investment indicators like stock values and peso exchange rate, economic values of wealth and growth and employment, various surveys about competitiveness and corruption, the kinds of specific acts carried out (which you ask me to document, but I won’t), and values like intelligence, character and capability of the general population. The wrong-headed generalists among us are not those of us who see the “glow” has having tangible repercussions, but those among us who fail to see the connection between the “glow” and the fact that the Philippines is doing so much better under Aquino than under predecessors. I mean, if he is such a dog, who exactly is driving the nation forward?
#44 by Angel DeDios on September 25, 2012 - 8:21 am
Overseas workers are supporting the country. These are the people keeping the country afloat. “Doing much better” is not supported by real data. The upgrade in Philippines’ credit worthiness, improvement in global competitiveness scale remain potentials – not real measures of progress, especially when the country is placed against its ASEAN neighbors. Education is going down – universities in the Philippines continue to slide in international rankings. From where I stand, I do not really see the glow that you are talking about. And even if there is, prudence strongly suggests not putting up the banner “Mission Accomplished” – we all know what happened after one president placed that banner prematurely on the flight deck of USS Lincoln.
#45 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 9:31 am
Angel, the “glow” is President Aquino’s popularity based on his mother’s good heart and his own determination to run an honest government. It is reflected in numerous articles in international business publications, usually couched with the caveats of “fragile” because of the poverty and thin economic foundation. I suppose facts are what you look for, what you make of them, and where you find them. I think a roaring stock market is good. It is an index. It means something, and it is not saying “recession” or “lack of confidence”. It is saying promise and confidence. I have said over and over again it will take time to build depth into the Philippine economy, more than one President’s term. That is no reason to criticize the existing President. Only God could sweep in and right things with a wand. I think if you WANT to see dirt, you’ll find it. If you want to see promise, you’ll find it, too.
#46 by ChinoF on September 25, 2012 - 3:36 pm
It’s amazing how screwed up this admin has already been acting… REPEATEDLY… and yet people are willing to defend it. Sadly, I feel such people have compromised their principles a long time ago. Otherwise, they would have enough common sense to know their arguments to support Yellow Kool-Aid have nothing backing them.
#47 by thesocietyofhonor on September 25, 2012 - 5:11 pm
ChinoF, I’ve missed your insights. But, alas, I am banned from GRP and must find my amusements where editors are willing to put up with opposing views, you know, in the name of some ideal called freedom of expression. But nevermind, I know the GRP fans love their higher-road ideals where they can sneer at an honest president who has indeed made a host of mistakes that a skilled executive would learn to avoid. But he was shoved into the top job, much to the relief of a population that remains happy to have a President they can trust working on their behalf. Trust is worth a lot, you know, even worth overlooking some muffs that are only really meaningful to the small of heart.
#48 by CARLOS on September 27, 2012 - 9:06 pm
Being trusted and being “shoved” into a top job doesn’t mean competence. I think Hitler and Stalin can share that description, too. Trust can be ill-placed.
#49 by Ben Kritz on September 27, 2012 - 9:57 pm
That’s true, but if there’s anyone still around who actually still buys that “reluctant president” line of BS, I’ve got some beachfront property in Arizona they might be interested in as well.
#50 by mangun on September 25, 2012 - 5:41 am
Kaboom….i follow up a bit on this CHN fiasco in my column tomorrow
#51 by Benigno Simeon on September 25, 2012 - 4:20 pm
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE SON… THIS COUNTRY IS HEADING TOWARDS PERDITION