Trillanes is the reason why we lost Scarborough

Scarborough Shoal before being 'artificialized' by China.
Image Source: Youtube/Manila Bulletin

There are lots of tensions going on in the Philippines, finger-pointing has been made back and forth on whoever is to blame on the occupation of China on Scarborough Shoal. But in the middle of this territorial crisis is a man of fraud and cowardice-- and that man is Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. He is instrumental in how China built its structures on the West Philippine Sea.

Trillanes the 'special envoy' to Beijing

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV

On the height of the Philippine-China standoff, Trillanes traveled to China, approached by the unnamed Chinese official(s), and asked President Aquino to be a backchannel negotiator. Aquino was prompted to avail of Trillanes' offer since there were no 'existing diplomatic channels' beforehand. China asserted its rights to Scarborough, shut down its diplomatic channels, and chose to have a backchannel talk with the Senator of the Philippines which has no jurisdiction over the matter. That itself bugs my mind. On the other hand, Trillanes claims he was sent there by President Aquino for a confidential mission. They are both pointing-fingers against each other.

President Duterte also revealed that Trillanes went to China 16 times before the Philippines lost Scarborough Shoal (Panatag) to China. 

The Brady Notes

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile disclosed notes written by Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady that showed Trillanes was working with Beijing on behalf of President Aquino. He also said that Trillanes is a fraud and a 'fifth columnist'. Then Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario complained about how Trillanes caused a division on the diplomatic talks and the Philippines should have a 'one voice' when it comes to dealing with China on the standoff.

According to Enrile, the items in the Brady report dated Aug. 17 purported to show:

• That the Chinese wanted the Philippines to “tone down the rhetoric” on its incursion in Panatag Shoal.
• That Trillanes suspected that the United States was involved in creating tension in Panatag Shoal and that Del Rosario was “committing treason.”
• That Trillanes  “was protecting the Chinese,” “was alarmist” and accused Del Rosario of “creating a war event.”
• That Trillanes asked businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, a close friend of Del Rosario, to advise the secretary “to keep quiet, to quiet down” apparently because the secretary held a press conference decrying Chinese presence in Panatag Shoal
• That Trillanes stated, “no one cares about Panatag Shoal in the Philippines.”
• That Trillanes said the Philippines “cannot enforce coastal protection” since fishermen subsist only on fishing and cannot venture far out.
• That Trillanes boasted that he was able to make 40 Chinese ships leave Panatag Shoal.
• That Trillanes volunteered to become the “direct channel” between China and Malacañang.

Trillanes is a traitor with a poker face

Trillanes contradicts himself, he said that Duterte is China's lapdog, blaming the President for the installation of a military base in Scarborough, but according to the Brady notes, Trillanes wanted the Philippines 'to quiet down' on the presence of China in Panatag Shoal. Now he wants to act tough in order to cover his treason in favor of China.

The question is, if Trillanes' backchannel talks were successful, then why:

1. China proceeded to establish a base in Panatag Shoal after his visits?
2. Filipino fishermen were barred from fishing near the shoal?

Maybe it was successful for China through the efforts of Trillanes. Foreign Secretary Del Rosario once assured that Beijing would pull out of Panatag, prompting Manila to withdraw its ships after a two-month standoff. But after withdrawing, China then started to build artificial islands on the shoal with no competition. It is either Trillanes failed the mission he is not supposed to be involved in, or that he was paid by China for the Philippines to lose Panatag Shoal. 

Trillanes deserves to be punished, he had a history of occupying a hotel with his Magdalo crap that fooled the Filipino people which in turn made him a Senator. The Philippines is in a situation it cannot revert, that is why we should just stand down and strengthen our economy and military force or face a war we cannot win.