FOR former Department of National Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, the Philippines’ weakness is why it is susceptible to being exploited by other countries and drawn into conflicts.
For him, the recent bullying by China does not yet constitute an actual threat of war.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Department of National Defense (DND), and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) strongly condemned the illegal and aggressive actions of China near Ayungin Shoal on June 17, which resulted in damage to a Philippine ship and injured a navy personnel.
Due to this recent incident of China’s bullying, many Filipinos are once again angered and want to engage in war with the stronger China.
However, for former Department of National Defense Secretary and National Security Adviser during former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration, Filipinos should not give in to China’s bullying.
In an exclusive interview with SMNI News, Gonzales stated that what China is doing in the South China Sea cannot yet be considered an actual threat of war.
“I think we should not give in because we are being bullied, right? We should not engage too much because we know that China’s actions are more bullying than an actual threat of war,” according to Norberto Gonzales, former Secretary of National Defense.
Gonzales explained that the issue over disputed territories is unresolved because large and wealthy countries do not respect the Philippines.
“It seems that until now, the policies in the West Philippine Sea are unclear because of one important element. You know, in negotiations, if your counterpart does not respect you, the outcome will not be good. The negotiations right now are not fruitful because other countries, not just China, have a low regard for the Philippines as a country,” Gonzales remarks.
He added that the change in leadership of the Communist Party of China, which aims to be recognized as a superpower, has further complicated the situation.
“We can’t say that this is happening now by coincidence. Right after GMA, when PNoy was entering, the leadership of the Communist Party of China changed. We need to look at the perspective of the new leader of China. During our time under GMA, it was moderate. Now, the current leader of China aspires to make China a superpower, so his actions are different. It just so happens that to solidify his leadership, China needs an external enemy, and the Philippines is the best choice because it is easy to defeat,” stated Gonzales.
It is not just the weakness of the Philippines that causes us to be caught in wars; we are also used by foreigners like the Americans.
“We should know why we are being used. It’s because we are easy to use, so we need to strengthen ourselves. You know, when you complain but you can’t back it up, it’s very important for us as a people and as a nation to begin to show some substance and strength. You need to show that. That’s why the Americans use us. What can we do? It’s sad that we are being used and treated as servants—that’s the reality because that’s the world’s appreciation of the Philippines,” he added.
For Gonzales, nothing will come out of a dialogue between the leaders of China and the Philippines.
“If you ask me, the dialogue between the two leaders will not be fruitful as of now. What’s important is for the Philippines to show that it deserves China’s respect. Right now, we have not shown that. What we have is an armed forces that lack equipment, is small, and our society is seen as easily bribed, corrupt, and mere servants of the world. That’s how they see us, so how can you negotiate with Xi Jinping, a leader of a large country that wants to lead the world,” he added.
For the former defense secretary, what Philippines should do is stand on its own feet and show the world that even without powerful military equipment, we can still defend our sovereignty through our patriotism.
“If we are to take action, we need to look carefully at what we need to do to earn the respect of other countries,” he expressed.
“To gain respect from China and other countries around us, we need to show that we Filipinos have our own plans and actions that can contribute to preventing war,” Gonzales stressed.
“If we can show that, it will have a significant effect on the dialogue. That’s why I advocate for the return of mandatory military service during this time because that is our major advantage,” he ended.
