PARA naman sa isang political analyst, kuwestyunable ang plano ni US Vice President Kamala Harris na magpunta ng Palawan.
Lalo na’t batid ng US Government na sensitibong lugar ito dahil sa territorial conflict ng Pilipinas at China sa West Philippine Sea.
“The question is why would you go there? In the first place when you know that it’s a sensitive area. I think Filipinos is okay to visit that area but someone like a United States official, a high-ranking official, or the vice president is going there. For what reason? For what? For talking to the fisherfolks? For what? I mean, those are the questions that I think are in the mind of some people,” ayon kay Prof. Anna Malindog-Uy, political analyst.
Para din kay Malindog-Uy, dapat maging sensitibo ang US Government sa usapin at huwag nang magpunta pa sa Palawan.
Lalo na’t damay lamang ang Pilipinas kung magsasalpukan ang China at Pilipinas.
“I think for sensitivity’s sake, we should… I think the Vice-President should think about this no. I mean because it’s not them who are in the middle of all of these things. It’s us the Philippines. If in any case let us say I’m not saying that that will happen but if in any case, China let us say will get a little irritated about these things, and if it happens during the time of Harris in the Philippines. I mean we are also dragged into that kind of irritation. They will be irritated probably by the United States and not the Philippines. But at the end of the day, we allowed it to because we can control that. We can tell her you can’t go there. Probably you should limit your visit to Manila and to the officials. So in a way nadadamay ka eh. Nadadamay yung ano eh, yung Pilipinas sa mga ganitong moves,” dagdag pa ni Malindog-Uy.
Naglaan ang US Government ng USD 82 million para magpatayo ng EDCA facilities sa iba’t ibang military bases sa bansa.
Kasama na rito ang Antonio Bautista Airbase sa Puerto Princesa.
Nauna nang sinabi ng White House na ang biyahe ni Vice President Harris sa Pilipinas ay tanda ng paggiit ng Amerika sa isang matibay na ugnayan sa Pilipinas sa pagharap sa common security challenges.
