2 plus 2 is many against one

I had an opportunity to discuss to a motley of interested professionals an aspect of the freedom of speech where I quoted Chief Justice Enrique Fernando, an eminent scholar in constitutional law. According to Fernando, “to expose (a) party availing himself of freedom of speech and xx running the risk of punishment is to make a mockery of (the) commitment to the free mind. For while a few xx hardy souls may still speak out, the ordinary xx is not likely to follow their example.”

Amidst the silence of many Filipino leaders and trusting in the wisdom of that Fernando quote above, I should be one such hardy soul to say again that the China Coast Guard personnel were not unlike the infamous Chinese pirate Lim Ah Hong of yore when they encircled, harassed and eventually boarded Philippine vessels on their humanitarian mission to bring supplies to BRP Sierra Madre on June 17. Like pirates, the Chinese coast guardsmen seized 7 navy rifles of the Filipinos. The piracy was committed within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.

Such barbarity committed by the Chinese bullies against a much restrained Filipinos was seen worldwide thru the magic of modern communications. Naturally, international condemnation followed. In fact, other states even performed diplomatically garbed acts ostensibly to assuage our disadvantaged position.

Philippine-US’ two plus two mantle. My hardy soul is boldened immensely by the indicia of international support for our country. For instance, there was a rather nondescript report of the arrival of Charles Q. Brown Jr., chair of the joint U.S. military chiefs, few days ago, to visit one of the nine designated facilities for American rotational forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and for a series of engagements with Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner.

Brown reasserted the United States' commitment to international law, saying that in the Philippines, the U.S. has a "longstanding, shared interest in regional stability." He said that “the Philippines is one of our oldest treaty allies in the region," referring to the 72-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries.

The U.S. and Philippines are actually in talks to hold a meeting between top diplomatic and defense officials in Manila. American Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are expected to meet with counterparts Enrique Manalo and Gilbert Teodoro. Thus, the conference is called two-plus-two meeting, and is believed to take a stand against Beijing's aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea.

The evolving setting is not just two plus two. There are many states uniting some efforts against this modern pirate of a nation.

1. Philippine-Australia accord. Australia has a defense engagement with the Philippines going back to a 1995 MOU on Defense Cooperation. The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Program outlines key pillars of maritime security and counter-terrorism, among others. Also, the Australia-Philippines Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, offering a comprehensive legal and operational framework for defense cooperation, concluded, in 2022, two additional frameworks to strengthen cooperation: a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and an MOU on Defense Industry Cooperation and Logistics.

2. Philippine-France tie-up. It is reported that the Philippines and France will begin talks on a defense pact that would allow troops from each country to hold exercises in the other’s territory. The French ambassador Marie Fontanel was quoted as saying that officials of both countries will meet and discuss for talks on a visiting forces agreement.

3. Philippine-Japan cooperation. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement, a key defense pact allowing the deployment of Japanese forces for joint drills (including live-fire drills) and Filipino forces to enter Japan for joint combat training. Awaiting ratification by the countries’ legislatures, Kamikawa called the signing “a groundbreaking achievement” that should further boost defense cooperation between the countries obviously against increasingly dangerous and escalatory actions of China.

I hope that the territorial integrity of our country can be maintained by these two-plus-two and many more.