Options in Trillanes China initiatives




BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO 
 
            LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…” (Ephesians 4:29, the Holy Bible).
 
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            OPTIONS IN THE TRILLANES CHINA INITIATIVES: It is really immaterial whether it was Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV who asked Malacanang, or whether it was Malacanang who asked him, to negotiate with Chinese officials to find a purported settlement of the Scarborough Shoal dispute.
 
            What is material is that, Trillanes’ 15  or 16 travels to China showed he was more trusted by the government in finding a solution to the problem, over and above the trust that should have been given to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario.
 
            At this point, Del Rosario’s only option, if he were to retain his respect for himself and the respect of his peers, as well as his integrity as a foreign secretary, is to resign immediately. On the other hand, the only option now for Trillanes and Malacanang is for them to come out with the full details of the senator’s  travels and negotiations.
 
                                                            -ooo-
 
            WHY WAS TRILLANES PICKED TO TALK TO THE CHINESE? Indeed, why was Trillanes even authorized to talk with Chinese officials about Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys issue? What was it in Trillanes that qualified him to talk with the Chinese, even at the back, and presumably, without even the knowledge, of top foreign affairs officials like Secretary Del Rosario?
 
            I am sure there must have been some very important reasons why a neophyte senator, whose only experience in government was his being a navy lieutenant, was trusted with the very sensitive and ticklish job of resolving a dispute which has the potential of plunging the Philippines into a nuclear war and the resolution of which appears to have eluded even Del Rosario.
 
            What were Trillanes’s instructions from Malacanang? What did Trillanes tell the Chinese? What did the Chinese say in return? What happened to the meetings of Trillanes with the Chinese? Who financed Trillanes’ trips? Are we now nearer to peace because of Trillanes’ initiatives, or are we nearer extinction from a nuclear war?
 
                                                            -ooo-
 
            TREASON IN THE SCARBOROUGH CHINA ROW: Trillanes earlier accused Del Rosario of treason, and yet he is now himself being accused by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile of the same treason because of his “back channeling” efforts. Enrile claimed Trillanes is working for China, and even hinted that it was Beijing which paid for Trillanes’ trips.
 
            What is treason under Philippine laws? Art. 114 of the Revised Penal Code says treason is committed by any person who, owing allegiance to the Government of the Philippine Islands, not being a foreigner, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort within the Philippine Islands or elsewhere.
 
            The Code imposes the penalty of 12 years to life imprisonment for any person found guilty of treason. According to Art. 114, a person accused of a treason can be convicted on the testimony of two witnesses or on confession of the accused in open court.
 
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            REACTIONS? Please call me at 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193 or 0922 833 43 96. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.

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Mga opsiyon sa Trillanes-China issue
 
 
 
            INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “… Huwag ninyong hahayaang mamutawi man lamang sa inyong mga labi ang anumang di kanais-nais na salita, kundi yaon lamang nakakatulong sa kapwa upang matugunan ang kanilang mga pangangailangan, at upang magkamit sila ang pagpapala…” (Efeso 4: 29, the Holy Bible).
 
                                                            -ooo-
 
            MGA OPSIYON SA TRILLANES-CHINA ISSUE: Hindi na talaga mahalaga pa kung si Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV nga ang humingi sa Malacanang, o ang Malacanang ang humiling sa kanya, na makipag-negosasyon sa mga opisyales ng China upang humanap ng solusyon sa nagaganap na away sa Scarborough Shoal.
 
            Ang mahalaga, ang labinlimang biyahe ni Trillanes sa China ay nagpapakitang mas pinagkakatiwalaan siya ng pamahalaan sa paghahanap ng solusyon sa problema, at mas malaki ang tiwalang ito kaysa sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob ng gobyerno kay Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario.
 
            Sa puntong ito, ang tanging magagawa ni Del Rosario upang mapanatili niya ang kanyang respeto sa kanyang sarili at maging ang respeto ng iba, kasama na ang integridad ng kanyang pagiging kalilim panlabas ng bansa, ay ang agarang pagbibitiw. Sa kabilang dako, ang tanging magagawa naman ni Trillanes at ng Malacanang ay ang ilabas ang buong detalye ng ginawang pakikipag-negosasyon ng senador.
 
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            BAKIT NAPILI SI TRILLANES NA MAKIPAG-USAP SA MGA CHINO? Tunay nga, bakit ba binigyang-karapatan si Trillanes na makipag-usap sa mga Chinese officials ukol sa Scarborough Shoal at sa Spratly Islands? Ano ba ang meron si Trillanes na nagbigay-karapatan sa kanya upang siyang makipag-usap sa mga Chino, sa likod pa mandin ng matataas na opisyales ng Department of Foreign Affairs, katulad ni Secretary Del Rosario?
 
            Sigurado akong may mahalagang dahilan kung bakit ang isang bagitong senador, na ang tanging karanasan sa gobyerno ay ang kanyang pagiging navy lieutenant, ay pinagkatiwalaan ng isang napaka-sensitibo at napakabigat na responsibilidad upang makahanap ng solusyon sa isang away na maaaring magsubo sa Pilipinas sa isang giyerang-nuclear, at away na tila hindi nakayanang hanapan ng agarang solusyon maging nina Secretary Del Rosario.
 
            Ano ba ang kabuuan ng mga utos ng Malacanang kay Trillanes? Ano ang sinabi ni Trillanes sa mga Chino? Ano naman ang sinabi ng mga Chino sa kanya? Ano ba ang naging kaganapan sa kanyang pakikipagpulong? Sino ang gumastos sa mga biyahe ni Trillanes? Mas malapit na ba tayo ngayon sa kapayapaan, o mas malapit na tayong magunaw dahil sa isang nuclear war?
 
                                                            -ooo-
 
            TREASON, O KATRAYDURAN, SA SCARBOROUGH CHINA ROW: Nauna dito, inakusahan pa ni Trillanes si Secretary Del Rosario ng treason o pagta-traydor sa bansa. Pero inakusahan din si Trillanes ng pagiging traydor o treason ni Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, dahil nga sa kanyang pakikipag-usap sa mga Chino. Ayon kay Enrile, kumikilos si Trillanes para sa China, at, ipinahiwatig pa ng Pangulo ng Senado na ang Beijing ang nagbayad ng mga biyahe ni Trillanes.
 
            Ano ba ang treason o katrayduran sa Pilipinas? Sa ilalim ng Art. 114 ng Revised Penal Code, ang treason o pagta-traydor ay nagagawa ng isang tao na bagamat may tungkuling maging tapat sa pamahalaan ng Pilipinas, at hindi isang banyaga, ay nakikipag-giyera laban sa gobyerno o di kaya ay tumutulong sa mga kaaway sa loob ng Pilipinas o sa iba pang lugar.
 
            Ayon sa batas, may parusang mula 12 taon hanggang habambuhay na pagkakbilanggo ang sinumang mapapatunayang nakagawa ng treason o ng pagta-traydor. Ayon sa Art. 114, maaaring masentensiyahan ang isang akusado ng treason batay sa deklarasyon ng dalawang testigo mismo, o sa pag-amin ng akusado sa hukuman.
 
                                                            -ooo-
 
            REAKSIYON? Tawag po sa 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193 o 0922 833 43 96. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.

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