On the Question of the Spratlys

On the Question of the Spratlys

All nations who are all interested parties to the Spratlys based their claims on history. China which is the oldest says Nansha, as it calls it- says its in South China seas.

The Philippines says the Kalayaan Group and the Mischief Reef belongs to it having the islands annexed in 1971 through a presidential decree issued by Marcos at the same time they put up a military outpost in the area.

But for the Alliance, the Philippines has the strongest legal claim for the two areas being situated within 200 nautical miles under the United Nation Convention on the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS). But legal niceties are for the long term and will last for decades or even centuries.

Although the Alliance believes that the Philippines has a legal claim to the islands nearest or within its border, we compare it to the historic Philippine claim to the Sabah islands. It was even included into the map of the Philippines but was never integrated to the republic and is now a part of Malaysia

It is imperative to discuss the consequences and its historical antecedent to discuss the issues without emotions and study it through concrete analysis. This to discuss possible stand on the issues.

Spratlys History

It maybe too be naïve to believe that the Philippines will win ownership of the islands by simply invoking the UNCLOS. All national interests are won by depending it by force and the sacrifices of the parties concern.

In the first place, it was a Filipino merchant mariner named Admiral Tomas Cloma who planted the Philippine flag in the 45 island/reef chains in the late 60" and from then on the Philippine government to the chiding of the United States who garrisoned the area.

Admiral Tomas Cloma was a Filipino nationalist, the father of the Philippine merchant marine fleet. He was the founder of the merchant marine academy in the Philippines. He planted the Filipino flag in the biggest island which now a Philippine garrison near the island of Palawan. Yet is was Marcos who grabbed the credit for his imperialist masters and claimed the islands for the republic.

Especially the area is know to have the largest oil or natural deposits of mineral and being coveted by six nations in Asia and the most powerful imperialist superpower in the world who has the largest naval fleet outside of its  borders and mainland.

We must accept the reality that the Philippines cannot afford the mighty China in a shooting war. The Philippine Navy has only seven old World War II vintage ships and has no air force to fight any invading nations in that area.

Maybe during the early 1950’s and 60’s, the Philippines has one of the strongest navy and air force. But today we have sunk as Asia’s old man who cannot even defend its immigrants against our neighbors like Indonesia and Malaysia who deports our people at their own whims and will.

We must look at how China has fortified, send a strong naval contingent and has bullied the Philippines, Vietnam and other nations around it. And look how puny and feeble are the Philippine armed forces attempt to defend the area. At most what they can do is to rename the South China Seas as "West Philiippine Sea" as if we can defend the area by renaming it.

Remember the lessons of history

The Alliance-Philippines believe that it will good for the country not to engage the services or the United States or take its assurance that it will defend its own interests by abiding to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the basis of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

We must also fell prey to the jingoism of old anti communist and  anti China people in the United States who are planning anti-Chinese rallies in major cities, They are just provoking more tensions between our people. These “ summer patriots and sunshine soldiers” will be the first to run if there will be tensions between China and the Philippines because they are safe in the United States.

We must remember our history. The United States occupied the Philippines just to abandon it to the Japanese in World War II. They let the Japanese occupy the Philippines for almost three years from 1941-1945 at a gargantuan cost to our lives and properties.

Even at the height of the Philippine claim to Sabah in the tension filled years of 1960-68, the United States let the British jets to refuel in Clark Air Base in route to Malaysia which they supported against the Philippine claim in 1968. The Filipino people will never forget such insult to pass and will always remember how America forsake its supposed ally to side with its British cousins.

Now they are talk of leasing military equipments such as ships and planes to the Philippines at the tune of $ 450 million for AFP modernization. Even the assurance of US officials led by State Secretary Clinton cannot be counted on. It is as vague as any American promise to the moon and the stars.

But the so called AFP modernization has been going on for time immemorial and yet the AFP is not modern or advance in technology even in the terms of arms and equipments. IT will go the graft lords of the government and the pabaon and pasalubongs of AFP generals.

How can we expect to defend and even safeguard our territory much more of our sovereignty and pride?

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Of Pearls and Golds

Of Pearls and Golds

The pearl is derived from the sea,

And gold is mined from the land,

But  does not show itself

And mined as it is,

It takes years of cultivation,

Of building like the character

Of a true men and woman;

It has to go to a process

Like iron to be cast,

And molded into a blade-

That cuts both ways;

One to cut the old,

And carve the new-

And yet gold taels

Heavy and precious

Are nothing for people

Who are hungry,

They served only as decorations

For the rich and the strong

But pearls accentuate beauty

Of the long necks

Of shapely ladies

Only to be cut

By the blade of the gallows

Of justice.

Yes gold is heavier than diamond

But the pearls are more precious

That belongs to the deepest sea,

Only to worn by rich ladies,

While gold can worn

And be adorned

Used as a standard of money

And ruled the world once,

And still is.

When They Never Came Back

Article

When They Never Came Back

J. Luna

“The hardest thing for a leader is to send your men to their death. But that, we must do.”

General Robert Lee, one of America’s best general echoed the sentiment of every revolutionary leader in the midst of battle.

Even in the thick of a fight, you must order your best soldiers to do something to turn the tide of battle in favor of your troops. And in that sense your are ordering him to his death.

Ka. Orlan was one of the four brothers from a barrio who joined the fighting unit. For the last three years, one by one, three of his brother died figuring in battles where they performed heroically. He was the last remaining son from his family.

Because he was with the regional security unit, his superior aware that he was the youngest and the last remaining men from his clan and barrio, made arrangements. that he was to be spared from military action. A decision when it was relayed to him he resent but  he faithfully obeyed.

And in one engagement in 1986, when the AFP launched their operations against the people’s army, they figured in one hot engagement. They engaged one company of enemy but because of their knowledge of the terrain they overcame the enemy.

But Ka. Orlan went to his superior and beg that he be engaged in the battle. The leader was unfazed,. But sensing the eagerness of the fighter, he let him go. So eager and full of enthusiasm he went off to battle as a reserve.

And he never came back. The leader regretted his decision but that was fate.

Another comrade, who just came in from a  long mission in a far away place rejoined his unit. He came from terrible battles but instead of resting, when he heard that the unit was to join the main unit for an offensive, he again volunteered.

“ Please me join them before I make this long rest.” Ka Luna begged the commander. And because he has a soft heart he said okay. Again, he never came back.

He was killed while leading the cleaning team in securing all the firearms seized from the enemy, He was killed by a straggler.

How many comrades that he trained for moths, formed their units and send off and how many came back? Never to be seen again. He always remember their faces.

And yet they called him ruthless. Heartless. The architect of SCO. Blamed him for so many casualties during the deviations and yet they never know his heart bleeds for his losses.




Yes, the hardest decision for a military leader is to send your most able men to perform a duty knowing he will never come back from it. But paramount is the success of the mission. Victory is sweet but no body bother asked how much it cost.

Does the end justified the means? I leave that to you to answer. How can you answer when you expect them to be here and yet they never came back.

Only the rifle, the bandoleer and some of the personal things to be given to the immediate family. A letter too sent or a personal words to speak to remains to be said.

It really hard when you know that when you sent them off with a smile, they will never come back.

Only the tears in his eyes and the wounds in his heart can attest to that.

*****