Big brother

Until the Aragoncillo-Aquino caper in America about violations of US law on espionage, my idea of this cloak and dagger term is confined to its purely legal connotation that merely involves activities of undercover foreign agents gathering confidential information relative to the defense and security of an enemy country. Now, the term has acquired a much more extensive nuance that somewhat creates an incongruity between its traditional and contemporary undertones. "Espionage" as presently understood is not confined anymore to the spying activities between enemy States. Even friendly nations now conduct espionage activities among each other as in Big Brother meddling into the affairs of the Kid Brother on the block. And they accept them as legal and factual part of International relations. Somehow I am beginning to see connections among our seemingly endless political turmoil, the worsening economic problems and the recent unfolding events of Filipino spies in America as well as the Venable LLP and other lobby contracts. I have no pretense of knowing how to interrelate these various events. Let me just quote an e-mail I received in reaction to my column last Monday, entitled "Who Is Spying Whom". It came from somebody who answers by a name that sounds as mysterious as a spy, "Anna de Brux". Anna’s observations may not be new to some of us. But it is still worth retelling for the information of others. Here’s what Anna says:

"I have no doubt that Americans will continue to play "Big Brother" (big brother can be terrible bullies you know), to the Philippines whatever it takes – continuing espionage included. Their motive had nothing to do with commercial or financial interests – it’s purely and genuinely tactical with a big T.

The Philippines is an important military defense ball game for the US. It represents a strategic outpost for the US because it is a buffer between the Muslim world in the South and the rest of the Pacific region. They need a friendly government in our part of the world for their sea lanes of communication, to allow their naval fleet to reach the Indian Ocean, say from Australia all the way to the Gulf. Without Philippine support, their forces will not only be battling it out on hostile waters, they will also be forced to go halfway round the globe to reach the Gulf in case of conflict. To do so will stretch their forces unnecessarily and thinly. They cannot allow such thing to happen.

Hence, the US will do anything and everything to maintain a government in place which will put and accept the principle that US interests are "foremost" whatever it takes.

Mr. Sison, America’s very existence depends on their espionage activities all over the world; it is also a key transit area for its intel assets.

America will never want the Philippines to be "more" independent. But of course, I’m one with you in thinking that we should let the Americans know what we know."

"Anna" reported many more "chilling" information in her e-mail convincingly proving the bitter and cold facts of geopolitical life in which America plays the role of "Big Brother". They are too "classified" for publication because they entail factual verifications regarding very important political personalities she mentioned. On the whole, the image coming out about our country is not something which every freedom-loving Filipino can be proud of. It seems that even as we want to believe that we are an independent Republic where sovereignty resides in the people, that sovereignty is somehow restricted. I am almost convinced that the cause of the political and economical turmoil now taking a heavy toll on our country and people is not purely domestic in nature. More chilling is the sort of confirmation that the coming and going of some of our past presidents at the expense of impairing some of our democratic institutions, and even the exit or survival of the present incumbent, may really be "pakana ng kano". If this is true, then let’s try our best to foil them this time.

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