“The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways.”
—Gene Hackman
By Alex P. Vidal
IT’S useless to blame President Rodrigo Duterte why we “lost” the West Philippine Sea.
In 13 months, he is no longer the President.
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was right when he agitated on April 29 that Filipinos should demand for a leader who will defend the West Philippine Sea.
But Mr. Duterte is now like a horse being forced to go to the river.
Once he is in the river, he will not drink anyway; and we cannot force him to drink the water.
We theorize that because of his age and he is now reportedly “sickly”, Mr. Duterte has lost the zeal to defend the Philippine territories in the sea being invaded by China.
He probably thought he couldn’t wrap up the conflict with China before his term expires if ever he decided to berate the Goliath and thus showed some spirit of patriotism—something that most Filipinos have been wanting him to do, to no avail.
The President just can’t fight China.
Either he is “beholden” to the Chinese as many of his critics have been suspecting, or he is just simply not in the mood to act as David for the Filipinos now being bullied in their own territories.
Carpio was actually responding to President Duterte who asked him and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario why the Philippines "lost" the West Philippine Sea.
"Filipinos deserve, and should demand, a President who loves Filipinos first and foremost and who will uncompromisingly defend Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea," Carpio said in a statement.
Reports said the retired magistrate had stressed that he was the one who recommended to the Aquino administration to file a South China.
Sea arbitration case following the 2012 Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal standoff.
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Pointing out that the Philippines won a landmark victory with the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's nine-dash line claim, Carpio noted that Mr. Duterte had announced he was "setting aside" the ruling in favor of seeking loans from Beijing.
Carpio declared: “Today, less than 5 percent of those loans and investments have materialized even as President Duterte is already leaving office next year.”
Carpio also stressed that Duterte allowed China to fish in the country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
"We even import galunggong now from China, the same galunggong that Chinese fishermen take in the West Philippine Sea," he added.
The retired justice also narrated how the Duterte administration remained silent when the Chinese seized Sandy Cay, a sand bar located two nautical miles from Pag-asa Island in Palawan.
If Mr. Duterte is no longer the President, maybe there’s a chance for any Philippine leader to assert our sovereignty and show to China that Filipinos will fight to protect what rightly belongs to them.
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Latest email from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo which he also shared with other New Yorkers:
Dear Alex, The COVID numbers continue to point in the right direction, allowing us to increase economic activity even more. Beginning May 17, the 12am outdoor dining area curfew for bars and restaurants will be lifted. The 12am indoor dining area curfew will be lifted on May 31. We will also lift the 1am curfew for catered events where attendees have provided proof of vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result beginning May 17 (with the curfew for all catered events set to be lifted May 31). Lifting these restrictions will help businesses and bring us all closer to a new normal. However, we will only able to maintain this progress as more people get the COVID vaccine to protect themselves and our communities. With walk-in appointments available at all NYS mass vaccination sites beginning tomorrow—all you have to do is show up. If you've already gotten the vaccine, help us spread the word!
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 3,117, the lowest since November 26. Of the 173,527 tests reported yesterday, 3,146, or 1.81 percent, were positive. The 7-day average positivity rate was 2.02 percent. There were 712 patients in ICU yesterday, down 16 from the previous day. Of them, 444 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 32 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. As of 11am this morning, 45.1 percent of New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 217,141 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 14,920,139 total doses with 32.6 percent of New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See data by region and county on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker.
3. Starting May 3, seating will be allowed at bars in New York City. Lifting this restriction will make New York City consistent with the food services guidance currently in effect in the rest of the state.
4. Catered events can resume at private residences beginning May 3. Events can be held above the State's residential gathering of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, as long as the events adhere to safety guidelines and they are staffed by a professional, licensed caterer and do not violate any local or municipal laws.
5. Erie County is partnering with local breweries to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccines. As part of the "Shot and Chaser" program, participating breweries will set up pop-up vaccination clinics and adults age 21 and up can stop by for a vaccine and receive a beer on the house. The program also applies for the second shot. So far, Resurgence and Flying Bison brewing companies in South Buffalo have agreed to join the effort.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": A gifted 12-year-old is receiving both a high school and college diploma in the same week. During the pandemic, Mike Wimmer from Salisbury, North Carolina, took extra dual enrollment classes and will receive an associate's degree from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College alongside his high school diploma from Concord Academy High School. Wimmer has a deep love for robotics and technology and said "[his] entrepreneurial goal is to build technology that enables people to live better lives."
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates here. Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)
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