In Photo: President Duterte inspects troops during the 81st anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City on Wednesday
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) celebrated its 81st anniversary on Wednesday. And while top defense and military officials were in their jovial celebratory mood atop the stage of the sprawling Camp Aguinaldo parade grounds, soldiers outside the façade were, however, busy doing mental calisthenics trying to understand the reasons behind China’s offer of assistance to the military and the decision of their leaders to accept it.
Liking it to a mission, they rattled up probing questions, which include: Is it part of China’s policy of appeasement? Is it a thank-you gesture for Beijing for being easily allowed to occupy a portion of the Philippine territory, and exploit it against the use of Filipinos? For their senior officers and defense leaders, is it an indirect payment for losing a piece of the country’s sovereignty?
For the foot soldiers, they could not still fathom the wisdom behind the decision of their officials to let them soon use Chinese-made firearms and equipment—not against their pride and, definitely, not from a country that they have considered an “enemy” not too long ago.
The AFP under former President Benigno S. Aquino III has indoctrinated the soldiers that Beijing is a threat, considering its occupation and development of reefs in the Spratlys into huge military bases.
“There must be something out of that decision,” one soldier with the rank of a sergeant said. “They should tell it to the Marines that there is none.”
“It is degrading really that after China has occupied our territory, it offers and let us use its firearms. It is like that we have been totally conquered in a war,” he added.
Officials, however, maintained that such negative thoughts from ordinary soldiers were misplaced, explaining that China’s offer of firearms and equipment was a mere dole-out and was being handed out without any precondition.
Dole-out or grant?
“This is a dole-out, it is a dole-out worth 100 million yuan, which is equivalent to P720 million. They have a list that we are looking into, looking at the equipment that are there,” Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said on Tuesday.
“Maybe, we can get small arms, fast boats or night-vision goggles,” he said, adding the grant was just for a small amount.
The defense chief said China has made its offer during his meeting with China’s ambassador to the country on Tuesday night, the eve of the AFP anniversary. The meeting was also attended by President Duterte.
The military is expecting the delivery of the equipment by the second quarter of next year, as the defense department will still have to send officials to China to check them.
Aside from the grant, Lorenzana also said China has offered to provide the military with a soft loan of about $500 million.
“They want to provide us about $500 million worth of loan, long-term soft loan if we still need equipment,” he said.
Nothing final yet
In providing the assistance, China wanted to help the country in its campaign against terrorism and illegal drugs.
“They will help the President. He [Chinese ambassador] told the President, ‘I know your problem on terrorism, I know your problem on drugs, so we would like to help you,’” Lorenzana quoted the ambassador as saying.
The defense secretary admitted they did not discuss the territorial problem.
Another soldier with a rank of technical sergeant said defense officials should always consider the country’s issue with Beijing every time they will agree to accept any assistance from China.
Fix
“Call it anything you want, but it is really some sort of fixing us. China has robbed us of a territory, a sovereignty, and yet here comes our officials accepting a measly sum in the guise of a dole-out,” he said.
If the country cannot help but accept Chinese assistance, then at least it should not be in the area of defense.
“It is as if we are being made a part of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and that is hard to accept; unacceptable,” he said.
However, Defense Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Material Raymundo D.V. Elefante said nothing is final yet on the Chinese grant.
“It is still in early stage, wherein nothing has been decided yet. In fact, we still have to talk. By the way, the offer being offered is a grant for the military equipment, and not necessarily rifles,” he said.
The territorial tiff with China is making the assistance from China a complicated issue for soldiers, even if it is being given free, and the absence of a clear position from the government—whether it is still interested in pursuing the West Philippine Sea case or not—is not helping.
In his pre-election message in February this year, Duterte said he is willing to talk with China for a joint exploration in the contested territory to resolve the dispute.
Foreign Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay Jr. also said a couple of days ago that while the country will pursue peaceful means in addressing the issue, “it cannot stop China at this point in time,” referring to the continued militarization of the territory by China.
His statement followed a pronouncement made in July that the Philippines is willing to share natural resources in the West Philippine Sea.
However, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio maintained that Duterte, as the Commander in Chief, is mandated to defend the country’s territory.
Failing or refusing to do it is an abdication of his position.
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