The recent verbal wrangle between Senator Nancy Binay and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano seems more like a catfight. Cayetano, not Binay is the “palengkera” each time he opens his mouth.
The root of the problem is the budget for the construction of the New Senate Building (NSB) which was priced three times more from the original cost, from P8.9 billion to P23 billion.
The construction was halted by new Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero and ordered a review of the costs. But, as you know, there is an ongoing turf war between the Binays and the Cayetanos for geographical dominance.
But this is expected from someone who never honored a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ on term sharing in the House, so now he brings his snowflake-like behavior in the Senate.
Remember when he showed shameless disrespect toward then Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile over some petty matters?
Cayetano is known for this attitude and behavior, and he will continue to do so every time he does not get what he wants.
Both Binay and Cayetano have already had past differences. Cayetano led a 2015 probe over the construction of an “overpriced” Makati building which was linked to the Binays.
As this is a developing turf war, let us hope that other than the new Senate building, these two Senators finally put to rest their long-running love-hate relationship for each other.
And we thought we saw the last circus under the hearings conducted by Sen. Bato dela Rosa and the childish tantrum of Sen. Raffy Tulfo.
I dunno, but it must be the bottled water that they drink in the Senate that makes them weep or walk out more often than expected. Let’s ask Lucio Tan’s Asia Brewery, shall we?
Hope they didn’t forget to talk about Sabah
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently met with visiting Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Seri Utama Haji Hasan in Malacañang. Both leaders discussed bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia, among other issues.
I hope the issue on the Sabah claim of PH was also on the table as “the president is looking forward to keeping itself in constant communication with Malaysia on current developments.”
Both nations inked their diplomatic ties in 1959 with the establishment of the Philippine legation in Kuala Lumpur.
But do you recall some years back from a previous administration which was critical of Malaysia. This was at the height of Martial Law when propagandists were floating the possibility of war with Malaysia just to divert the people’s anger from military rule.
The proposal was defeated by a narrow vote mostly from peaceniks who said the consequences might become too horrible to handle.
Even as far back as the regime of the late President Carlos P. Garcia, war with Malaysia was also discussed mainly through a former newsman who had become one of Garcia’s trusted advisers and who served as a diplomat in that country.
The thorn in the relations between these two countries was the claim to oil-rich Sabah, traditionally a part of the Philippines until ceded to Malaysia by the British when they pulled out of that country. This was bitterly contested by the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, the recognized owners of the island.
There are more than half a million Filipinos living and working in Sabah. This has prompted Kuala Lumpur to beef up its military facilities there to counteract the Pinoy presence. Malaysian officials had admitted that if armed hostilities break out in the island, it would be a walk away for the Philippines due to the huge group of Pinoy settlers there.
Malaysia has ordered modern air and naval craft and weapons from the United Kingdom, which has caused grave concerns in Manila. But times have changed and now we could also have an ally toward a present threat from an expansionist nation over our disputed territories.
Let’s hope for the best for our two nations.
Imeesulsolusyon
Senator Imee Marcos recently frightened the nation with her revelation that Chinese hypersonic missiles are now pointed at EDCA sites in the country numbering to around twenty-five.
But the National Security Council (NSC) was all too ready to downplay this saying that there is “no threat of any imminent attack” from China.”
Furthermore, the NSC said that it will “reach out to Senator Imee to get more information on her statement because we are unaware of any of the security threats she mentioned.”
On these supposedly target EDCA sites, no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered specific areas and have given access to the United States namely, the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, the Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela, and Balabac Island in Palawan.
The other EDCA sites are Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Air base in Cagayan de Oro, Antonio Bautista Air base in Palawan, and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
So yes, they could be targets from an enemy in the event of war, but I hope the Senator reveals the source of her information in order to pinpoint the root of the rumor to check for credibility.
-o0o-
Random Memorandum: We should also have a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with China, just in case the US decides to invade us under Donald Trump (he’s the clear winner in November after that debate) simply because McDonald’s can never beat Jollibee as the preferred choice of Filipinos when it comes to fast food stores.
-o0o-
Factoid: Manila became the center of anti-Spanish sentiments in the 1890s, and the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896 sparked a year-long insurrection. At the onset of the Spanish-American War, the Spanish fleet was defeated at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, and on August 13, Manila surrendered to US forces, which thereafter became the headquarters for the American administration in the Philippines.
(Leslie Bocobo is a former Special Assistant to the Secretary at the Office of the Press Secretary, Malacañang, and a former Public Affairs Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.)
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