By Herbert Vego
THEORIES about the COVID-19 pandemic as a man-made biological weapon persist. One of them directly alludes to “collaboration” between the World Health Organization (WHO) and China. Indeed, there have been times when United States President Donald Trump held his Chinese counterpart Xi Jin Ping liable.
But some of his own people blame Trump for his inability to contain the contamination. As of yesterday, the United States is No. 1 in the WHO’s COVID count — 7,045,168 total cases, including 204,466 deaths.
China, the original “exporter” of COVID-19, has drastically and surprisingly slid down to the 43rd place with 85,291 cases, including 4,634 deaths.
The Philippines is now worse than China in WHO’s list. As of yesterday, we had 290,190 cases; and 4,999 deaths.
Holding China accountable for the pandemic could appease the disgruntled Americans.
I recently read a Facebook post of Atty. Hector Teodosio on the possibility of Trump launching or provoking a nuclear war with China “just to avert his defeat” in the forthcoming presidential election on November 3.
Atty. Dominador Tersol agreed, adding that Trump would have to “create a confrontational conflict with China to salvage his losing presidential candidacy.”
Former Vice-President Joe Biden, Trump’s rival for the White House post, is allegedly ahead in the surveys.
Could Trump ride on the pandemic controversy to whip up massive public support? Why not, if he could convince the voters that it is a biological weapon aimed at paralyzing the US government and economy?
The pandemic has alerted the US armed forces against China’s insidious aerial and naval build-up at the South China Sea and Oceania.
There is no doubt that most of us Filipinos would side with the US because we perceive Communist China as an aggressor and invader of our claimed territories at the Spratly and Paracel islands, in some of which they have built seaports, airports and buildings which could serve as both defense fortress and launching pads for attacks against the US.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), unfortunately, has turned a blind eye on such structures despite the fact that our country and the US, under the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, are supposed to support each other if either one is attacked.
But that’s easier said than done because China has already invested enormously in “helping” the Philippines – no thanks to President Rodrigo Duterte for closing deals with President Xi Jinping – by way of multi-loans for his ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure programs.
Napapagitnaan tayo ng nag-uumpugang bato.
-oOo-
THIS corner is not surprised that the Supreme Court (SC) has ruled favorably on the constitutionality of the law (RA 11212) granting MORE Power the legislative franchise to be the distributor of electricity in Iloilo City, thus reversing the decision of a Mandaluyong City regional trial court.
What surprises us about the ruling is the “non-unanimity” among the 15 SC magistrates voting en bank. Eight of the 15 justices voted “yes”, seven voted “no” and one abstained.
When we asked for comment from MORE Power lawyer Alyana Babayen-on, she would not because her office had not yet received a copy of the decision.
But she commented, “It is already a landmark case, one that could find a place in the next bar exam.”
Like us, she could not visualize the SC ruling otherwise and giving back to Panay Electric Co. (PECO) the distribution utility, since only Congress has the power to grant a franchise.
More on this matter later.
