Amigo: Another test for Sec. Llamas’ grit

Thursday, February 2, 2012

PRESIDENT Noy thundered in his inaugural speech: “Kayo ang Boss Ko!”

Oft and again, this line has been followed to the letter by the Chief Executive through his relentless effort of going after perceived “enemies” of his admin, alleged plunderers, unworthy public officials and the like.

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Thing is, we the “bosses” are getting hungrier as the days pass by, jobless; nothing to eat, nothing to buy while he, the Chief Executive and his minions, are busy pursuing alleged grafters of the past regime backstopped by no other than former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

At present, they are oh so… engrossed, entwined at removing CGMA’s “crown prince” in Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Applause but not applause when people are losing their jobs, prices of commodities are skyrocketing and the like.

So, where do we go from here?

Only the Chief Executive can answer that.

He did, too, the hard work explaining his political adviser’s latest booboo as of no importance to his administration’s programs.

Applause but no applause because his pol ad in Sec. Ronald Llamas and his administration is slowly being dragged into a bigger issue, a political issue while they are at it busy removing Corona from office.

This is the United States’ silent but firm request from Malacañang to allow a possible redrafting of the infamous VFA (Buwisiting, este, Visiting Forces Agreement).

News item: The US is negotiating with the Aquino government for an increase in its military presence in the country through more frequent joint military exercises and other military cooperation activities, and an increase in the number of US troops rotating in the country.

Bulatlat.com also claimed, “Recent policy pronouncements and visits by American officials have been leading to this point.”

It may be recalled that several US dignitaries paid courtesy calls to President Noy in succession recently. Among them was US State Secretary Hillary Clinton. This was followed by a delegation of US Senators that included former Republican presidential candidate John McCain of Arizona, Senators Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut), Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island) and Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire).

But this is understandable given our country, the Philippines’ military might amid China’s stand on the Spratleys.

This may even come as a very welcome move by the US government, a relief for President Noy.

Thing is, however, this could also be a test of mettle for his political adviser knowing his anti-US leanings.

Only last week, militants let their sentiments out in Mendiola (a thoroughfare in Manila that directly leads to the doors of Malacañang) against the growing intent of the US only to be driven away by Malacañang police.

What could Sec. Llamas say about this when he use to organize similar mass actions or demonstrations against anything with stars and stripes.

Of course, we are just asking. We could only hope Sec. Llamas, who happens to be a friend of this corner, will have ready answers to the press when press becomes a shove from militants questioning his very stand on US military presence.

Surely, the Aquino administration will have a hard time finding a strong negotiating position at a time the country needs Big Brother presence.

I doubt if Sec. Llamas can give a sound political advice to President Noy when he has no love lost to anything US unless of course, this has mellowed through time.

Indeed, eventually, all of us get eaten up by the system we abhor. As the saying goes, if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em.

Anyways, everything is fair in love and war.

Check out GlobalSecurity.org and look for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization which traces its roots to Shanghai Five that is made up of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and you will find why the US seems too concern anew on increasing its military presence in the Philippines.

So who is the real boss now?

(Mobile: 0915-5517486; email: esns03@yahoo.com)