‘Strategic silence’
That did not take too long. Since the other day, opposition mouthpieces about Marcos’ flip-flopping on Ukraine. Previous to this, the Presidential candidates were all pushing for the President to issue a statement of support for the beleaguered country. It was even a question at the much lamented CNN Presidential forum.
Sen. Ping Lacson mentioned that the UN charter compels us to support Ukraine. A former Rapplerette, Camille Elemia, had the temerity to ask the question of Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin why the DFA had not made any statement and the curt reply was because the UN resolution was at the level of the Security Council and not the General Assembly. The Philippines currently does not sit on the Security Council.
Of course the opposition would not let the opportunity pass of tying in Marcos and Duterte to Putin and dictatorship. The Vice-President even issued a statement in support of Ukraine for whatever purpose that served her candidacy. This is par for the vacuous candidate as described by Professor Clarita Carlos.
The good versus evil narrative is what the US is also playing on the global stage. Never mind that the events leading to the Russian invasion of Ukraine has the US behind it since 2004. Again the opposition claims the credit for Ukraine’s Orange Revolution.
In the meantime, not one Presidential candidate has been able to put forth a viable solution to the problem of record gasoline prices affecting every country as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
At the IATF cum Cabinet meeting the other day, NEDA Director Karl Chua mentioned to the President that P5B worth of subsidies can be made available the operators of PUVs. The amount is minimal since there is no end in sight to the increase in the price of oil.
The US has began playing nice to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, in an attempt to get both OPEC member countries to increase their production output to offset the loss of Russian oil in the world market as a result of the sanctions but both the Saudi Crown Prince and Maduro are not moving as fast as the US wants them to. The two know only too well that they have the US over a barrel or barrels of oil. You can be sure they will use the advantage to the hilt.
The campaign has reached its halfway point and the opposition continues with one mistake after the other which leads one to think that there is no limit to their being morons. MLQ3 is hinting about Russian interference in the polls to favor Marcos even if he cannot substantiate the same. There is also the issue of the purchase of utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force. The website he cites does not exist. The Department of National Defense has signed the contract for additional Apache helicopters manufactured in Poland to replace the Huey’s which have been in service since 1969. There is no basis for his claim that the President himself is pushing for the purchase of Russian helicopters.
There is nothing wrong with the Philippines stand at this point. Russia released a list of countries which it deems hostile for acts inimical to their interests and the Philippines is not on it. What is wrong with adherence to the African proverb that “when two elephants fight, it is the grass which suffers?”
The US is pressuring India to take a stand against Russia which Modi has refused given the long history of its trade and defense ties with Russia. China is now acting as a bridge between the US and Russia in an effort to de-escalate the crisis. The events are still unfolding and one never knows what will happen next.
MLQ3 is again crying wolf without basis. All of this is meant to bolster Robredo’s candidacy which is now resorting to smoke and mirrors in an effort to convince the public that the momentum has shifted to them.
Maybe it would be best if Robredo can propound a solution to the serious inflation risk Filipinos face if the price of oil continues to increase to record levels. This question will surely be asked in the Comelec-sponsored debates.
It will help if she starts exhibiting more substance and less form.
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