A lesson in Duterte diplomacy

President Rodrigo Duterte has at one time confessed that he is no diplomat — his foul mouth and penchant for obscenities and controversial remarks are proof. But his approach has proven to be far more effective than all the brouhaha attempts made by the Aquino administration. Three years into his term, President Duterte has the US, Republic of China, Japan, Russia, Middle Eastern countries and our ASEAN neighbors wrapped around his fingers and he wasn’t even trying. PNoy, on the other hand, conceded almost everything and anything to Americans and to no other country, but got nothing in return from the Americans, except empty promises.

“PNoy must be kicking himself silly as he never got this commitment from the Americans during his term from Obama.

The Aquinos are known lapdogs of the Americans. In fact, the events of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, for instance, are sponsored by the US Embassy and well-attended by rich donors of the Liberal Party. PNoy’s crowning glory — the favorable arbitral decision of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea (WPS) — remains unenforced due to the obvious incapability of the Philippines to do so under threat of war from the mighty Republic of China, coupled with the passivity of the Americans. We all knew that the arbitral decision is mere “paper victory” whose purpose is merely to enrich the jurisprudential decisions on international law.

Conversely, the hard stance on diplomacy of President Duterte has led the US, under the administration of President Donald Trump, to commit its assistance to the Philippines in its claims over the disputed islands in the WPS, far greater than what President Barack Obama did for PNoy. To recall, Obama did nothing, except make vague statements on the US position on the disputed islands. In the end, nothing happened, like most things at the end of the Aquino administration.

In the recent visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the provisions of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) were specifically cited as basis for the US obligation to come to the rescue of the Filipino troops in the event of an attack in the WPS. Specifically, Pompeo stated: “Any armed attack on any Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense obligations under Article 4 of our Mutual Defense Treaty.”

Wait, what? Did Pompeo say the US is obligated to defend the Philippines in the event of an attack in the WPS? Absolutely. To further clarify the stance of the Americans, he said, “China’s island-building and military activities in the South China Sea threaten your sovereignty, security and therefore economic livelihood, as well as that of the United States.” Was he serious? Most definitely. To further simplify and emphasize, Pompeo, in his conversation with President Duterte, assured this by telling him: “We have your back.”

PNoy must be kicking himself silly as he never got this commitment from the Americans during his term from Obama. Early in his term, Duterte got a visit from Obama’s Secretary of State John Kerry, who brought with him fake promises and guarantees. All this has been overshadowed by the strong words of Pompeo which we hope the US would honor if and when the time comes.

An example on how eager to please PNoy was to the Americans, he came up with the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the supplemental agreement to the Visiting Forces Agreement entered into during the Estrada administration and the MDT. It was said that PNoy and his henchmen even had to do some lobbying in the Supreme Court to ensure the affirmation of its constitutionality which it did in an underwhelming 10-4 vote.

Pompeo’s reference to the MDT was welcomed by the Duterte administration’s top officials, but caused them to disagree on whether the treaty must be reviewed or not. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin said no review of said treaty is needed while Defense Secretary Lorenzana wanted a review of the same. In the end, since there is no consensus, a clarification of certain provisions of the MDT must be in order; otherwise, we would be stuck in guessing what the terms used mean. Malacañang lawyers should consider that the MDT was enacted during a different time, with the intention of protecting the Philippines from threats of communism and the cold war. Now, the Philippines faces a different battle that would require President Duterte’s magic touch.

Never fear since President Duterte already got this. The Philippines is in good, yet complicated, relations with the Chinese, despite the awkwardness that any talk on the disputed islands brings. The play is to befriend everyone, a classic political style of locally elected officials who have braved several decades in power, someone like President Duterte.

Sad to say, the play of PNoy was to befriend only one and be begrudging to all the others which was clearly capitalized on by the Americans.