By Junex Doronio
BRAVING PUBLIC OPINION that it could be tagged as a “China apologist”, a self-styled Manila-based think tank has sought an investigation into what it calls “moro-moro” supposedly hatched by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) when it claimed that it “successfully removed” the floating barrier installed by China Coast Guard (CCG) at the entrance of Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
On Saturday, September 30, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) president Herman “Mentong” Tiu Laurel in a press conference echoed a declaration by the China Coast Guard (CCG) that the claim by PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela, was “fictitious” and “fabricated.”
To recall, last August 11 Tarriela minced no words when he said that Filipinos defending or “making excuses” for China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea are “unpatriotic” and “traitors.”
“If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China’s aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people,” Tarriela boomed on his post on X (formerly Twitter).
Without naming names, some political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that those who side with China could be likened to the Makapili, a group of Filipinos collaborating with the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War.
Laurel formerly wrote a regular column on state media Philippine News Agency. His last piece came out on March 27, 2023. (ai/mnm)
