Reuters: How the U.S. courted the Philippines to thwart China |
The International News Organization Reuters recently released a Special Report tackling the complex Web of Geopolitics between the Philippines, United States (US) and China under the Administrations of Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) and Bong Bong Marcos (BBM).
It covered a lot of ground, hence I will likely be breaking this Article down into several Parts to highlight its most important Features. One of the most explosive revelations in the Report was how during the entire Term of FPRRD, Philippine Military Officials actively worked to SABOTAGE Duterte’s Relations with China to protect the Interests of the US in the Philippines.
This was according to Philippine Military Officials themselves who said so under the Condition of Anonymity to Reuters. I am putting some selected Quotes from the Article itself for everybody to read:
* “But behind the Scenes, the Philippine Military Establishment was pushing back against Duterte’s Efforts to chip away at the U.S. Alliance, the Filipino Military Official and six others told Reuters.”
* “Duterte at a 2017 Press Conference said "our Soldiers are pro-American, that I cannot deny."
* "In late 2018, China and 10 Southeast Asian Nations convened their first Joint Maritime Drills. Some were held off the Coast of China’s southern Guangdong Province. While other Countries showed up with Frigates and Destroyers, the Philippine Navy sent a single Logistics Support Vessel, according to a Senior Filipino Military Officer with knowledge of the previously unreported Events.
The Official Explanation given to China was that the Philippine Navy couldn’t free up larger Vessels because it hadn’t received enough advance notice of the Exercises, the Officer said. The real Reason, the Officer said, was to avoid looking like a Military Ally of China: “If we sent a Warship, it would not send a good Message to the international Community.” Two other Philippine Officials with knowledge of the Situation confirmed this Account to Reuters.”
* “A Senior Defense Official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters that he pushed back on that Edict and stressed to Duterte the Benefits of the Transfer of U.S. Technologies. The Exercises continued.
Still, to avoid Duterte’s ire, the two Forces ceased Mock Combat Drills, focusing instead on Disaster Response, according to Blake Herzinger, a former Maritime Security Advisor to the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
“We had to rename all the Exercises,” said Herzinger, who was a U.S. Government Contractor working on U.S.-Philippines Maritime Security Cooperation at that time. For Example, long-running Regional Warfare Exercises known as CARAT, or Exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, were ended and reinstated with the Filipino Name “Sama Sama” meaning “Together.””
‘Parting Shot’
This Situation of having Philippine Military Officials sabotaging Duterte’s Relations with China in order to protect US Interests in the Philippines is something that I and I think many also have suspected before, but now it has been confirmed, thanks to some talkative Officials themselves.
They did it anonymously, though, but still since it is a reputable International News Organization like Reuters that released it, then it has a lot of credibility.
But I don’t want to blame these Philippine Military Officials for their Dog-like Subservience and Obedience to the US, this came about I think because the Philippines have long allowed the US to influence them for so long (Decades, probably since the Philippines gained its supposed "Independence") by allowing Scholarships and Trips to the US for most if not all Officers of the Philippine Military.
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