Stop provoking China

Thank God for Alan Peter Cayetano. I loved how the senator handled the China hearing yesterday. Made the real problem very clear: not the ships. The mouth. The Filipinos forgetting they shouldn’t speak like a country.

Tarriela spoke against China as if it were official. In uniform. Cayetano had to step in and remind him who’s allowed to do that.

Uniforms are not for opinions. They’re for absorbing things. Like water. The moment you put on the uniform, your mouth becomes official. The state is legally embarrassed by your voice. Your boat can get shoved. But your mouth? Weapon. Very irresponsible.

Imagine the confusion in Beijing. “Who is this? The Coast Guard? The President? The republic?” China might get the wrong idea. Phones ringing. Generals calling Xi Jinping. “Sir, we can’t tell who’s in charge.”

When Tarriela talked back to the Chinese Embassy, we’re being a bad host. Low-class hospitality. Senator Risa Hontiveros: “They’re being a bad guest.” Guests don’t shout at the house staff. Guests say thank you or they leave.

Total nonsense. Fake news. Won’t happen, Risa. The real word war was started by forgetting they were guests.

I like my patriotism quiet, apologetic, very well-mannered. Being Filipino doesn’t mean siding with wrong Filipinos. I don’t want Filipinos speaking boldly. “Harassment.” “Bullying.” “Ours.” These are official-sounding words. Tarriela was expected to calm down. He was calm. Then they got sprayed. Very rude of the location. Wrong place to be sovereign. Location, location, humiliation.

Remember the Filipino who lost a finger? People went, “A Filipino lost a finger!” Whoa. Language. That sounds official.

Can he still count to 10? That’s what matters.

Before reacting, we must clarify: Was the finger removed in an official capacity? If not, let’s not overreact. Complaining about an occupational hazard might offend someone.

You know that feeling when you really need to go but the CR is locked? That’s Tarriela now. Only guy in the world who can’t even glare officially.

And Brawner. Romeo Brawner Jr. Top general. The man in charge of defending the nation. And the nation watched him get rinsed.

Incredible discipline to stay calm over water cannons, and lose it over a cartoon, like drawings have teeth.

Cayetano gets it. That’s why the people hate him. If someone robs your house, don’t yell. Yelling could be misinterpreted as aggression. First, clarify if you’re acting in an official capacity.

If a dog bites you, don’t scream. Screaming might upset the dog. Instead, file a counter affidavit explaining your skin shouldn’t have been there.

Eventually you realize the strategy isn’t to defend the sea, but to manage the discomfort of talking about the sea.

We’re told “Be careful, or this could escalate.” Escalate into more ships doing what they’re doing already.