At the height of the student activism, our student leaders were either labeled Marxist-Leninist or Maoist. Those who fed on the books of Karl Marx, principally the Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto, were called, by their peers and by the establishment, as Marxist-Leninists. In a manner of speaking, their political belief was anchored on a theory that was actualized by the lifestyles of the Russian Bolsheviks. On the other hand, the student leaders who read the “Red Book” of Mao Tse Tung, the leader of Communist China, or were indoctrinated in the philosophy of Chairman Mao, were called Maoist. If the pronouncements of government intelligence agencies were to be believed, the Maoists also received ample funding and other logistical support from Communist China.
It was quite easy to realize that the common enemy of the student activists was the USA. Whether they were Marxists-Leninists or Maoists, all their propaganda efforts were aimed against the Americans. There was no let up in their street demonstrations against the US Embassy in Manila or the US Consulate here in Cebu City. No week passed without our seeing them parading the streets denouncing the ugly Americans. To them, not only could America do no right, she was evil personified.
To make sure that there was something recognizable that protesters had to rally against, the mass actions of those activists harped on such plausible issues as American imperialism. Oh I reeled at the sight of the Star Spangled banner being burned or the effigy of the US president being spat on each time US navy vessels sailed into our ports. Quite frankly, I could not understand the manifest hatred against the US. While their teachings tried to instill among the student peers the feeling that our country was exploited by America, I did not see the light that our remaining as a poor country was the direct result of American exploitation of our resources. But, whether they were right or wrong was not an issue to me. What mattered most was the exercise by our activist brothers of their democratic freedoms.
These past few days, I saw something calling for us to jell together as one nation. Our country has lately been humiliated by a real villain who happens to be a world super power. Not far away from the seat of our government and certainly within the world recognized 200 mile exclusive economic zone, lies the Scarborough Shoal. For years, the Philippines asserted, without question, its sovereignty over this chain of islands. Yet, this part of Philippine territory has been lately intruded into and usurped by China.
The best solution to this territory dispute would have been by way of the International Court of Justice, if only both countries agree to its jurisdiction. That mechanism being cumbersome, I doubt if this Chinese communist regime would yield to the authority of this court. Frankly, they don’t have to risk a certain judicial debacle because they know that we are unable to offer even a token of a resistance to protect our territorial integrity and realistically, in international sphere, power is almost everything.
In this face of seeming helplessness, what can we do?
First, let me call on our activists, the Marxists-Leninists and Maoists in our midst. Here is an issue that you are most familiar with. Lead our people into daily demonstrations to denounce the militaristic adventurism, fascism if you may, of Communist China. This time, you will not stand alone. We will fill the streets with millions of warm bodies unseen in history, in support of your leadership.
Second. The issue strikes at the core of our sovereignty. Our elected leaders should put aside their politicking as they join hands pushing for other peaceful settlements short of war. Impeachment and demolitions of squatter shanties cannot risk our statehood but surely the intrusion of China into our territory threatens our national existence.
Third. We can never hope to win a war against a giant. But, the option to let go a part of our territory without a fight is not acceptable. If Filipino blood must first be spilt to let the whole world take a stand, let it be done soon while we still can.