By Farah G. Decano

 

REMEMBER Mr. Art Samaniego’s FB post that I wrote about last week? Those who shared the controversial post were surprised that it was taken down by FB.  Someone or some group of people may have reported the matter as violative of community standards.  The reason for the removal was the alleged risk or threat to cybersecurity.  Mr. Samaniego is at a loss as to why this happened when what he wrote about was merely descriptive of what he discovered.  The content did not involve any violence, pornography, or slanderous content. Mr. Samaniego only narrate that  certain sites recruit individuals with military background and that these accounts were traced to one and the same Chinese origin.  What cybersecurity was violated? Rather, whose?

The FB take down, however,  did not prevent Mr. Samaniego’s discovery from reaching the Department of National Defense.  It immediately asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines to investigate this modus operandi.

With the brilliant Secretary Gilberto Teodoro leading our defense and security, the Filipinos can rest their heads for a moment.  So far, the good Secretary  has been showing the world that he is one who does not cower to Chinese arrogance. He is known to be decisive on issues regarding national security.  Tunay kang magiting, Secretary Gibo.  Nawa’y tularan ka ng iba na nakalimot sa pagiging Filipino.

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 In a recent tete-a-tete with one of the former legal counsels of an ex-president, I was informed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is really Pro-China.  The former presidential lawyer even added that BBM allowed a Chinese consular office in Ilocos Norte as a sign of his deep friendship with the Asian giant.  When asked about the sudden change of position by BBM against China, the abogada said that Marcos Jr. is merely courting international approval.  As the  son of the world renowned dictator, he wishes to clean his family name.   

I guess the motivation to deodorize the Marcos’ international image is not a bad motivation per se.  Any good son who shares his name with a condemned father may dream that the latter  be remembered in a good light.  For as long as BBM sincerely stands by his battle cry – “the Filipinos will not yield” – he has my support.  In fact, his famous line is somehow culled from the Lupang Hinirang –  “Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil.”  

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 I am getting the vibe that BBM is duplicating popular directives of the son of his father’s political nemesis, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

The latter was famous for clipping possible abuses  by those in power.  The young Marcos seems to be doing a similar move.  He recently issued Administrative Order No. 18 prohibiting government officials from using blinkers and the infamous “wangwang.”   Last March, he also issued Executive Order No. 56 which provided for tightened rules in the use of low-numbered or “protocol” license plates.  Well, there is nothing wrong with parroting former presidents’ official acts.   When Noynoy was himself the president, he duplicated the Pantawid Pamilya Program of his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

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Some senators have been vocal about their position as regards the West Philippine Issue.  They are so far in agreement with BBM’s stand. I  wonder  why the Vice President, Sara Duterte, maintains a “no comment” posture on the matter.

VP Sara has proven many times that she can reverse her father’s decisions.  As mayor of Davao City, she once terminated  a  39-billion peso reclamation project inked by her father when he was then the city’s chief executive officer. 

I think, her present silence on this is not in deference to  President Rodrigo Duterte.   She seems to have cultivated her own personal relations with the Red Dragon.  The fact that she addresses the government of China in its own language in many occasions is a giveaway.   

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