Why should we continue to allow the US to use our territory for military purposes when our consideration to do so, the US coming into our assistance, has not been realized?

It took a President Rodrigo Duterte to send the message that the Philippines is no longer a colony of the United States. In response to the 2020 US Budget law that prohibited the entry of Filipinos responsible for the incarceration of accused drug queen Leila de Lima, the President also ordered that the two American legislators responsible for this insertion should also be barred from the Philippines. This is only proper if we want even a modicum of respect from our former colonial master.

And while we’re on the topic of tête-à-tête, another pending issue that we have is Joseph Scott Pemberton who had been convicted of killing Jennifer Laude in the most gruesome manner: dunking her head in a toilet bowl until she drowned. Perhaps the two US senators responsible for the no-entry rule on De Lima should be reminded of how inhumane our fellow Filipino was treated by their national. Well, the problem is Pemberton was only meted the penalty of six to 10 years in jail for homicide, since the judge ignored the qualifying circumstances of abuse of superior strength and cruelty to make it murder.

Perhaps, by way of further retaliation, we should ensure that Pemberton serves the full term of his jail sentence for the following reasons. One, Pemberton has not expressed remorse for his crime.

In fact, he continues to appeal his sentence. Two, he should not be entitled to any allowance for good conduct because he is detained by his lonesome self in a golden cage within Camp Aguinaldo.

Who benefits with his good conduct when there is no other convict detained with him? Three, it will send US legislators the message that the Philippines values human rights — that is the life of Jennifer Laude — and likewise, the rule of law. Because unless he shows remorse, the convict Pemberton should himself not be shown mercy. And four, it will show again the Americans that we have become a truly independent country that will enforce its laws in its jurisdiction.

Moreover, it is high time that with the recent US law De Lima insertion, PRRD should also now consider withdrawing from the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) on which the Visiting Forces Agreement and the recent Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement are both founded upon. Why? Well to begin with, the passage of the recent De Lima legislation clearly shows that the US still considers us as a banana republic subject to their whims and caprices. Without mutual respect on the part of the US and the Philippines, why should we continue to be bound by treaties anchored precisely on bilateral friendship and mutual respect?

Moreover, the MDT, for all intents and purposes, is a superfluity. Gone is the cold war that provided for its context. Besides, it has not drawn US assistance when we needed it badly, i.e. when our islands are being claimed and occupied by China. So why should we continue to allow the US to use our territory for military purposes when our consideration to do so, the US coming into our assistance, has not been realized? Withdrawing from these treaties will also hopefully remind the United States how important we are to them as an ally. Without us, it would have absolutely no military advantage over its current perceived adversary, China.

In the end, withdrawing from these treaties will clearly indicate our displeasure over the De Lima legislation and is a proportional response to the same. Perhaps we may yet thank De Lima because if the President agrees with me, foreign legislation protecting her may just be the reason for genuine Philippine independence — finally.