In every historical period, since time immemorial, traitors abound and generation after generation of Filipinos bear witness to the shameful and disgusting occurrences in our nation’s existence. With the succession of European, North American to Asian colonizers, the so-called Judases make it easy to overcome the patriotic and defiant Filipinos who refuse foreign rule.

For a couple of years now, in the West Philippine Sea, we have faced the new Asian superpower, the Chinese, who are imposing their will with their military, political and economic might on us, a small, poor and under-equipped state, as well as on neighboring South Asian countries on the other side of the Yellow coast.

The Chinese are, of course, notorious for a lot of talk, who say one thing but do otherwise. Let us recall that these congenital liars told the world that they were just putting up safety sheds for their fisherfolk on the shoals and reefs. Unfortunately, later, we found out that they had created artificial islands on these maritime features and transformed them into military fortresses to assert their control over the vast sea that they claim is within their imaginary nine-dash line. The International Tribunal in The Hague had decided that there was no basis for China’s so-called nine-dash line and declared that the contested area was part and parcel of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Well, with all the lies and machinations, aside from the actual brutal force applied against our small and few Coast Guard vessels and boats delivering supplies to the BRP Siera Madre, some people, Filipinos at that, are talking and acting in behalf of the bully and aggressor China, working under the dictator, whom I call Emperor Xi Jinping.

These traitors to the Motherland mouth the fallacies, lies, misinformation and double talk that serve the interests of their foreign master. One of their organizations is called the Association of Philippine-China Understanding, or APCU for short. I see their posts inviting support for the Chinese and necessarily for their hegemonistic and aggressive actions against the Philippine government and people. These people can be called traitors for serving and acting as mouthpieces of the bully Chinese.

One solon, representing the 1st District of Lanao del Sur, Congressman Zia Alonto Adiong, is disappointed and points to some “portions of our society” who act as China’s mouthpieces. He believes our “kababayan” should support the government stand which is in the best interest of our country and people.

“The worst thing,” according to the Muslim legislator, “is it’s hard to stomach why some Filipinos have become Chinese apologists propagating the wrong China narrative about the WPS. That’s what I am mad and hurt about because we have people, segments of our society (who) are also becoming apologists for China.”

Anyway, this government, despite its limited resources, is doing its best to safeguard our sovereign and maritime rights, and I believe it is taking the right track. While some ultra nationalists hype anti-imperialist rhetoric against the US, to me it doesn’t matter at this point because we cannot do it alone, keeping up with the bully China.

Actually, since we have no other option, it’s a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. It is, for all practical intents and purposes, best to tactically align and ally with the US and countries like Japan, Australia, France and others who share our cause of preserving the peace in the WPS where $6 trillion in trade passes.

The recently concluded Balikatan ‘24 participated in by Filipino, American, Japanese, French and Australian armed forces concretely manifested solidarity among nations of the same belief, and as Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commanding general of the I Marine Expeditionary Force, said during the closing ceremony, “Balikatan ’24 has been a huge success. It has directly built war fighting readiness for us; it has enhanced tactics, techniques, and procedures across a wide range of military operations.”

He added that “Balikatan should also give pause to any adversary who does not believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific, who does not believe in transparency, who does not seek peaceful resolution but will seek to use force to impose their will on other sovereign nations.”

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