By Robert B. Roque Jr.
It is nothing new to hear China playing dirty and finding no shame in targeting one of its nearest, weakest, and poorest neighbors, the Philippines.
I’m talking about the reality unveiled with the arrest of five Chinese nationals caught spying on Navy and Coast Guard assets in Palawan last week.
How these five frequent visitors from the Mainland embedded themselves in Philippine society with spotless records should alarm every Filipino.
It is espionage at its best, relaying real-time intelligence they had gathered using drones and strategically placed CCTV cameras, all pointing at the West Philippine Sea.
The arrests confirm what many of us already suspected: Beijing knows too much, too fast, about Philippine maritime operations.
The big question now — who’s backing them? The government hesitates to name China outright, but let’s be real: rogue individuals don’t run covert surveillance rings on military deployments for fun.
This is not just a security breach; it’s a violation of sovereignty. That these spies operated undetected for years, under the guise of business and charity work, should force a reckoning – if not at the hands of our superpower friends, then before the hand of God.
Showbiz Senate
Ever heard of this tongue-in-cheek commentary: “Politics is showbiz for ugly people?” Not meaning to be more profound, let’s take this in the literal sense. Hahaha!
Well, however biting or close to the truth this aphorism may sound, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on the standing of senatorial aspirants appears to tell a different story. Based on the poll, it’s the actors and entertainers who took the biggest hits.
Action star-turned-Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. and TV gameshow host Willie Revillame — magnets of mass appeal — saw their numbers nosedive from last year’s survey and fall on the edge of the Magic 12 circle.
Another action star, Lito Lapid, though seems to be perpetually popular in the Senate. He who barely speaks in the sessions somehow saw his numbers leap, landing him in 3rd place. Perhaps, his gunslinging image is more reassuring than actual governance.
Then we have Tito Sotto whose Eat Bulaga wholesome vibe proves to carry his old-school credibility up the ranks from 5th place to 2nd place in the latest poll.
I don’t know if we could still consider big sister, Imee Marcos – who has some acting chops to her name — a “showbiz personality.” But while she is close to the arts, one could surmise fatigue, perhaps, over her oft-dramatic appearances that may not be convincing in terms of her friendship with the Dutertes and her animosity with Speaker Martin Romualdez. This sister act has now brought her poll ranking to 12th-14th place.
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