We’re back to being America’s ‘muchacho’ in Asia

FOR a while, during the administration of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines got a reprieve and briefly regain the respect of the global community for his ‘independent foreign policy’ that is accentuated by his no-holds barred criticism and verbal abuse of foreign meddling in our internal affairs, especially from our true sovereign, US Imperialism.

Thus, we are saddened that near the end of his term, he has no choice but to vow to the wishes of Uncle Sam, led by its local minions in our defense and foreign affairs departments, to cancel our helicopter purchase deal with Russia using the threat of including us in Western sanctions against Russia over its special military operations in Ukraine last February 24, 2022.

The shameful admission by then defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana that we had no choice but to cancel the deal or be whipped up our ass by Washington that we really had no actual say on the matter of upholding a sovereign deal with another country, is equally match by the shameful message we delivered to the rest of the world that our so-called ‘independent foreign policy’ can only go as far as what Washington wants it to be.

If this is not disaster enough, we are equally ashamed that under President Bongbong Marcos (PBBM), America has again entrenched its control of our foreign and security policies, with national defense officer-in-charge Jose Faustino, reported by the mainstream media, as “agreeing” to a “joint planning” with the US in relation to its planned military aggression against China using Taiwan as the excuse.

As was also reported, the Philippines also agreed to a further increase of joint military exercises with US Imperialism of upwards to “500 military exercises” next year and the stationing in our shores of some 16,000 US troops.

As there are only 365 days a year, this would mean an unprecedented increase in US military operations inside the country with one military exercise happening every day of the year—with plenty to spare.

We are also saddened that when Russian ambassador Marat Pavlov pointed out recently that we have not, all these times, officially notified Russia of the chopper deal’s cancellation—a diplomatic insult, actually, when you only get to read the bad news in the newspapers and not thru official diplomatic channel—it was none other than PBBM who confirmed that the deal is truly off the table—and added that the new supplier would be, who else, but the United States.

Whether our officials are conscious that this is adding a ton of salt to the injured pride of Russia, we do not know.

But rest assured that from hereon, what we have been showing, thru our actions, would give the lasting impression that we are a nation of plain blabber mouths whose words cannot be trusted.

Because for all intent and purpose, we remain, as before a mere “muchacho” of imperialist America. That is what we were before and sadly, that is what we are still today.

With the world edging towards more wars and catastrophe, President BBM must truly wake up before our situation gets more dangerous and untenable. He must reassert our independent foreign policy, both in words and in deeds, now!