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Monday, December 20, 2010

Why we need capable leaders

Wrong reasons for ‘boycott’; South China conflict
FROM A DISTANCE By Carmen N. Pedrosa (The Philippine Star) Updated December 19, 2010 12:00 AM

My sources at the Department of Foreign Affairs wished President Noynoy could just have kept quiet. Our ambassador to Oslo could not attend the Nobel awards ceremony because of a previous engagement – period. That would have been polite and acceptable. After all, no one should dictate what party we go to whether the host is Chinese or American.

Leadership - Share your piece of the truth - not the untruth. Be a bringer of light - not the darkness.

President Noynoy would have spared himself unwanted criticism if he left it at diplomatic level, but he went on to say that the Philippines was ‘boycotting’ the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for the sake of five Filipinos in the death row. The five were accused as drug mules and in China that is punishable by death.

In the first place, China had already made it clear that they were not boycotting the ceremonial awards. They just did not agree with the award to Lin Xiaobo citing Alfred Nobel’s own criteria for the peace award. That was conveyed to the selection committee after the decision to give the Chinese agitator the peace award two months ago.

Of the other countries that did not come to the awards we can only guess why but none made any statements or gave any reasons. As a Chinese friend said to me, how could China pressure Russia to “boycott” the ceremony or Saudi Arabia or Egypt? For whatever reason it is understandable for Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran to skip the event.

Maybe he was trying to do an “Arroyo” by saying the Philippines boycotted the awards for the sake of five Filipinos in the death row accused of being drug mules in Beijing. Remember that the former president was vilified in the Western press for standing by Angelo de la Cruz but he was a hostage, not a drug mule.

Foot In Mouth - Aquino's Communication "Style" - style bulok

The Philippine president was not being asked to give a reason. I doubt very much if the Philippine absence in the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo could help the Filipinos sentenced to death. The government should have just given them a lawyer to show their concern in what is obviously a violation of Chinese rules whether offenders were natives or foreigners.

What showed up yet again was the immaturity of Filipino leaders who think political one-upmanship in local politics can be played equally in geopolitics. Unfortunately, it requires skills and the mind to interpret nuances, none of which was present in handling the Nobel issue.

* * *

We had better get it right with a graver issue already on top of us – the South China sea problem. Diplomats or advisers to President Noynoy should prepare themselves to know the issue thoroughly and how the Philippines can maneuver between the competing powers for hegemony in the region.

The integrity of Philippine sovereignty and the ability to assert it must not be sacrificed.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fired the opening salvo at a recent ASEAN regional meeting. “Resolving disputes over the South China Sea was “pivotal” to regional stability and suggested an international mechanism to solve the issue.

The United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, open access to Asia’s maritime commons, and respect for international law in the South China Sea,” Clinton said at the meeting. In short the US wants a role in what happens to the resolution of the problem. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has replied to the Clinton remarks in a recent article.

He warned some countries (meaning the US and other countries) not to “internationalize” the territorial dispute over the South China Sea that Beijing faces with its neighbors.

He does not think that “internationalizing” the problem is the way to go. “It will only make matters worse and the resolution more difficult,” Yang said.

In his view “International practices show that the best way to resolve such disputes is for countries concerned to have direct bilateral negotiations.” The two views are on collision course.

China has disputes with a few Asean member countries including the Philippines. But these disputes do not come in the way of navigational freedom. Obviously, these are differing positions that will need utmost tact and diplomacy to resolve. Are we ready for it?

“Trade has been growing rapidly in this region and China has become the number one trading partner of many countries in the region,” Yang said. “In my bilateral discussions with both Asean colleagues and others, they all say that there is no threat to regional peace and stability.”

Perhaps, of all the Asean countries, the Philippines has the biggest dilemma. If the US forces its hand and asks the Philippines to draw the line on the dispute, there will be risks. It cannot be approached recklessly by making provocative statements or taking sides. Yang does not believe Asean is the appropriate forum to resolve the issue.

“China and some Asean nations have territorial and maritime rights disputes because we are neighbors. And those disputes shouldn’t be viewed as between China and Asean as a whole just because the countries involved are Asean members,” he said.

The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was signed by China and Asean member countries in 2002. It was intended to contain regional conflicts and prepare for high-level meetings when it becomes necessary.

In the declaration, the countries pledged to “exercise restraint, and not to make it an international issue or multilateral issue.”

* * *

MISCELLANY: My friend Butch Juinio sent me through email his column in the new magazine Opinyon his take on Imelda’s remarks to the press about the return of Olot to the Marcoses.

Richard Gordon, “the candidate referred to by many as their candidate but did not vote for because he could not win” was on Sentro ng Katotohanan, DWBL on 1242 kph (every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 for those who want to tune in.) It was a wide-ranging, no holds barred exchange.

Manoling Morato also came last week to tell its listeners what was happening in the PCSO that wouldn’t see print or be covered by oligarch owned television. More will be invited in the coming days to the radio program that has become an alternative medium. The program works closely with adherents of constitutional reform and widely followed in the social networks.


About the Author

Carmen Navarro-Pedrosa

Carmen Navarro-Pedrosa has written 11 stories on this site.

Journalist. Book Author.


21 Comments on “Why we need capable leaders”

  • JOSEPH OPULENCIA wrote on 19 December, 2010, 9:05

    Errors are proving to be a hallmark under President Aquino.

    After the tourism slogan debacle that resulted in the resignation of a key Department of Tourism official, now comes geographically-challenged Philippine maps and a rare parrot with the wrong-colored beak that were among glaring errors in new editions of peso bills that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recently rolled out. The Daily tribune-without fear news papers 12-19-19

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  • ben wrote on 19 December, 2010, 9:28

    Nice article… I’m beginning to become a little apathetic towards and tired of this country. *sigh*

    Anyway.. the link to Gordon’s guesting is broken. I’d really like to hear what he has to say.

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  • ulong pare
    ulong pare wrote on 19 December, 2010, 14:42

    daaaaang! flipland’s prez gung gong boycotted, then unboycotted, then boycotted the boycott nobel peace ceremony to show the world the political clout, the military might and the raw gung gong power flips possess… flipland, under prez gung gong’s leadership, is now a force to be reckoned with…. the major players are taking note of what would they becomed without flipland’s participation.. bwa ha ha ha he he he hi hi hi ho ho ho hu hu hu…. (ooooopsie, couldn’t contain myself)

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    Renato Pacifico Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    FILIPINOS NEED CAPABLE LEADERS? Naaaah! Philippines need capable Filipinos to elect capable leaders.
    Renato Pacifico axiom #69 still holds true. ”WHAT GOOT IS A GOOT LEADER IF 99.9999% OF FILIPINOS ARE NOT GOOT”

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 15:36

    Lookit, Marcos was a goot leader. Kill! Kill! Kill! is his motto. Imelda’s is Rob! Rob! Rob! So were Filipinos future heroes, Ramos, serial-failed-coup-de-t’ater Honasan. What Marcos needed then were goot followers. Marcos didn’t have goot followers because the followers were Filipinos. Filipinos has this learning issues and incapacitated with “what in it for me” before they follow Marcos.
    Renato Pacifico axiom #69 still holds true, “WHAT GOOT IS A GOOT LEADER IF 99.9999% OF FILIPINOS ARE NOT GOOT” HA!HA!HA!HA!HA! DON’T THEY GET IT? HA!HA!HA!HA!

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 15:41

    Lookit, Filipinos are goot in nature. They go to America, Russia, Cuba, Europeanese, Japanese and naturally became goot citizen, INSTANTANEOUSLY!!! Because these countries, their people are already goot so Filipino imigs become goot in a progress&Justice-made-ready-for-Filipino-immigs.
    When they come back here, in the FlipLand, they become lawless again. WHY? I am not a social scientist. I am like Manny Pacquiao who dropped out from kindergarten. HOw come I know and peryodistas cum analysts do not? BECAUSE OF PRE-EXISTING MENTAL COLONIAL CONDITION. Goot englsichtzes is high-IQ. They have this ingrained in their head, “BELIEVE ME BECAUSE I SPEAK GOOT ENGLISCHTZES THEREFORE I AM”

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 15:47

    Manny Pacquiao crowd. Charice Pempenco crowd. Arnel Pineda crowd. WoWoWieee crowd. Elected benign0. Elected-via-teks educator, CNN-Man-of-the-year Pinaflorida crowd still elected benign0. The oligarchs elected benign0. The idiot media elected benign0. Atenistas, La Sallites, UPnians elected benign0.
    ANTIPINOYs did not!!!! Because Antipinoy.com is the only function brain left among Filipinos.
    So, when benign0 was elected to be exemplar of honesty and goot government, benign0 did a Denial of Service to Flippinos by acting a lunatic.
    WILL SOMEONE OFFER HIM A GOOT BED PARTNER? So he can focus on mussels.

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 15:49

    Fake-Filipino-Americans also elected benign0! I thoughted Fake-Americans are enlightened ones. STILL THEY ARE NOT!!!! They will be voting for Sarah Palin in nexgt presidential election because BRistol was in Dancing with the Moon. FILIPINO SURE HAS THIS PRE-EXISTING CONDITION, STUPIDITY!

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    ulong pare

    ulong pare Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    daaang! …while visiting kalipornya, da flipflams/pekeng merkans embraced da newly minted prez gung gong with open arms… Seafood City played host… hordes of flipflams, mukhang atsay cashiers, stockers, and grocecy carts purshers lined up to get his piktyurs… renpac camped out in the parking lot overnight to meet his flip prez… peks man… i saw him…

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    Renato Pacifico Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 9:32 pm

    I stood in line in the wee hours of the night, thoughting Seafood City will have Black Friday event. Unbeknownst to me they were standing in line for benign0!!!!! :)

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  • ulong pare
    ulong pare wrote on 19 December, 2010, 16:00

    daaaang! flipland has ‘sang tambaks na leaders… flips are all born leaders… during presidential election, ‘sang tambaks na presidential waaaa waaaa wannabes filed their COC-K (certificated of candidacy – kagung gungan) at komisyon sa eleksyon doon sa tap abenyu… COC-Ks range from ‘merkan rejects/merkan wannabes/fliplams to ‘tambay to igorots to doctor santa ate glo, phd to boxing saint manny fcukiao and his entourage…

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  • Hyden Toro wrote on 19 December, 2010, 17:00

    During the Vietnam War. South Vietnam claimed that Spratly Islands; which Nonoy Aquino is claiming now…The Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army were already all over their country. However, the South Vietnamese leadership tried to divert their attention, to the Spratly Islands claim issue. It cannot beat the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. So, it threatened to make war with other claimants of the islands.

    Noynoy Aquino cannot even beat the NPA, the MILF, the provincial warlords, and other insurgents of every kind. He tries to have us have war with Vietnam? The Vietnamese , just will not sell us their rice. We will all starve. We will be defeated, without firing a shot…

    [Reply]

    ulong pare

    ulong pare Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 9:20 pm

    daaaaang! … “Noynoy Aquino cannot even beat the NPA, the MILF, the provincial warlords, and other insurgents of every kind…” the only thing that prez gung gong could beat is his flip d!ck… and still do a lousy job… shalani is a lot help… bwi hi hi hi hi…

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    Renato Pacifico Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 9:36 pm

    HAYDEN, HAYDEN, HAYDEN ,,, of course Noynoy will not beat NPA because his father was NPA. benign0 supplied firearms to NPA. Beat provincial warlords? Why beat them? The aquinos are provincial warlord of Tarlac for eons. Beat MILF? Lookit, listen, yo, Shalani is MILF check MILF on this site http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=milf

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    Hyden Toro Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 11:40 pm

    I overlooked: he is a Coward. He was nowhere to be seen, during the tragic Quirino Grandstand Hostage incident. He sent his trusted people, who went on to feast in the Emerald Restaurant on: Peking Ducks, Siopao, Mami, etc.; while the Hostages were killed by the Crazy Policeman… Maybe these imbeciles will send us to war; make us all be killed; while they feast in the safe places like Malacanang Palace…

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  • Birdigator wrote on 19 December, 2010, 20:52

    To get capable leaders, we need capable voters. The Elite Triad do everything to keep the masses incapable, and therefore limit the information they get to what is spoon fed to them by the Triad’s media arms. No capable masses, no informed voters, no change to the status quo. Facebook, and the internet for that matter, do not reach far or deep enough to make any significant change – Unless it reaches someone with sufficient means and an open mind to spread the word on a national level.

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    Renato Pacifico Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 9:38 pm

    You know why we do not have capable voters? Because of our idiot stupid dumb peryodistas. THAT IS WHY!!!!

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    Renato Pacifico Reply:
    December 19th, 2010 at 9:40 pm

    Lookit, the Ces Drilon kidnapping news blackout was an exemplary high-iQ performance of stupidity by idiot peryodistas.
    Another example is that so-called journalists, Failon. Failon cleaned the crime scene that is a total obstruction of justice which idiot peryodistas should know.
    Another example, outing of rape victim, Nicole. Can never happen in civilized world
    Another example, publication of foreign-educated-ivy-school-graduate Venecia on ZTE. It was simply stupid and idiot peryodistas just so clueless and oblvious about it.

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 21:44

    LOOKIT, ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!! We have capable leaders. We just do not have capable Filipinos. Even former President McKinley nearly gave up on Filipios and Philippines so he can have a goot night sleep.

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  • Renato Pacifico wrote on 19 December, 2010, 22:38

    Ya know what? There are plenty of Filipino haters in Youtube. These are mostly young Filipinos.

    Go http://youtube.com TYPE “FILIPINOS ARE STUPID” !!!!! Hey guys! These are my potential followers and antipinoys!!!!!!

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    Subliminal Messenger Reply:


    December 19th, 2010 at 10:39 pm

    Once you are in youtube, try this, too! ”Filipinos are not asians” THESE FOLKS MUST BE FOLLOWING RENATO PACIFICO

    Ssssssh … benign0 huwag ka maingay!!!!!! HA!HA!HA!HA!

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