Monday, May 20, 2013

Word War! - On Taiwanese and Philippine Coast Guards

I am really fond of reading news feeds especially with regards to the affairs of the Philippines and the problems that hurdles us everyday. I also have a habit of leaving my own comments to some issues. Most of the time, my opinions are met with criticisms. There are times also that my comments can gather as many as 300 likes or dislikes.

Today, my flavor-of-the-day issue is a news article written online by entitled Manila, Taipei agree on ‘cooperative’ probe. 

(Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/75075/manila-taipei-agree-on-cooperative-probe#comment-903647120).

So, what I usually do is read the comments and compose my own. In this particular topic, during the course of the discussion, I realized that there are Filipinos who prefers to side with the other country than the Philippines. I am actually very saddened by this fact. And there are people who are very responsive that it actually challenged me to think.

I am really enjoying this mental intercourse because it helps me to enhance my skills in debating on issues that matters to our nation. I will say no more at this point but please take time to read the argument I had with some people like me who loves to discuss on issues. This is quite lengthy but there are areas that are amusing, and funny..:)

kareen 5 hours ago
Why the hell would our coast guard fire upon a manned foreign vessel without sufficient provocation on the Taiwanese' side? I believe our coast guards have protocols to follow before engaging in hostile actions with "intruders". Yes, the Taiwan vessel was an intruder in our Philippine waters and we have the right to protect it. These fishermen should have respected our territory. They took the risk and should bear the consequences. Taiwan's hostility towards us now is just a portrayal of a hurt ego. We should not be sorry. We are saddened by the shed blood but this issue is beyond that. This is about our sovereignty and no one, not Taiwan or any country for that matter, should trample upon it.
 
Jane Tan kareen 2 hours ago
So... you're basically saying its okay for law enforcers to shoot a person that is jay-walking since it's against the law and "they took the risk"?
I mean, come'on, they could have caused a road accident, or worse... got hit by a bus and messed-up the road with their blood and guts.
 
kareen Jane Tan 2 hours ago
That's a very weak analogy. Equating jaywalking to encroaching upon our national territory. We are a sovereign country and we have laws on our national waters. Like I said, without provocation, I don't think our coast guards will fire upon them. Judge it at face value unless a strong evidence will be presented otherwise, the fishermen violated our laws.

Jane Tan kareen 2 hours ago
Well, okay, what if a person tries to beat the red light and is in a direct collision course with a police officer, will it be okay for that police officer to unload multiple shots directed towards their vehicle, but without sufficient training and accuracy, hitting and killing the driver?
Provocation right?
Malabo argument mo. Similar situations involving only Filipinos happen everyday. That doesn't make it right to take out your weapon and use it just because this time it was Chinese foreigner. Would they have done the same thing if it was an American or a Filipino?
Best thing to do is to stall judgement and wait for the results of the investigation. If there is indeed enough evidence to prove that the fishermen were attempting to ram the boat, then their shooting would be justified (though I'm not sure about the multiple shots towards the cabin, and not the engine room).

kareen Jane Tan 2 hours ago
No, he won't be shot because it is not a sufficient provocation. But he will be arrested. In the case at hand, if the fishermen refused to be taken into government custody and act in defiance, as coast guards, will they just leave them be and continue to violate our law? I don't think so.
Jane Tan kareen 2 hours ago
If you're saying he won't be shot, then you're being a racist. Breaking the law and running over the police officer with your car is pretty much the same thing the Taiwanese vessel did (according to the PCG's claims).
\\as coast guards, will they just leave them be and continue to violate our law? I don't think so.\\
As police officers, will they just leave road hazards be and continue to violate our law?
Same situation. The only difference is that, when it comes to Filipinos, your answer to your own question is "yes" instead of "I don't think so".
If a policeman, according to you, shouldn't do it. What gives the coast guard the right to do so? Should we start assigning coast guards to police our roads too? That would be a sight to see.
Mind you, I am a Filipino. I just don't believe its right for us to judge foreigners when our own people are complacent and incapable of following our own laws.
 
It is not right for you to judge our coast guards as well and our police officers for that matter. Not all law enforcers in the Philippines are what you think they are. If you, a Filipino, doesn't believe that our coast guard acted on our defense, then foreigners will always bully us and disrespect us by virtue of our division. They won't believe us and they won't give us the respect that we deserve. We should stand our ground in times like this. We do not have strong military capacities in terms of weapons but if the neighboring countries will see that we are one in advancing our national interest, they will hesitate to subject us to their inflated ego. Yes, there are violators of the law. Many of us are not following our own laws. But in terms of national interest, we gotta stand on our own ground. Especially that Taiwanese people are hitting us by abusing our OFWs in their country.
 
Shuami kareen 40 minutes ago
"They won't believe us and they won't give us the respect that we deserve."
Show some evidence to back up your claims, such as releasing the video footage for the incidence, then people will believe you and will respect you.
Given PCGs reputation and past records, it's hard to believe them just based on their claims, especially when they run opposed to the evidence available, That act by itself (i.e. refusing to release the video) is hard for anyone to demand respect.


kareen Shuami 27 minutes ago
That's why there are investigators from both parties to refute or confirm claims of each side. I think that if the video footage will be released for the public to see, both Taiwanese and Filipinos, it could give birth to more problems especially that people's way of viewing things could not be controlled by both governments. If the footage is too damaging to Taiwan or to the Philippines, will it make the situation better? Notice how Taiwanese react despite the absence of sufficient evidence that the Pinoy coast guard killed one of them with premeditation..they are turning their heads to our OFWs who did not do anything but work for a living. What if we turn the table and Filipinos subject the Taiwanese people to harassment? Will the Taiwanese take it lightly? Maybe, PCGs reputation precedes them. But that doesn't mean this is the case here. If the fishermen respected our laws, will there be bloodshed in the very first place?

Shuami kareen 10 minutes ago
" If the footage is too damaging to Taiwan..."
Let the Taiwanese worry about that as they are the ones that demand the release of the video, how's that?!
"...or to the Philippines,..."
Now you are talking.
"...will it make the situation better?"
I believe so. Only the TRUTH and not just YOUR truth can calm this down.
"PCGs reputation precedes them. But that doesn't mean this is the case here."
But you REALLY need to PROVE that it is NOT the case, BECAUSE of PCG's reputation that precedes them.


kareen Shuami a minute ago
Why is it that the Philippines are being asked to explain and justify the incident when the Taiwanese are the ones who entered our waters illegally? The only truth here is that the Taiwanese invaded our territory without apparent reason but to exploit our natural resources. The real truth here is that our coast guards defended our rights over own territory. The truth here is that the killed Taiwanese fisherman was not killed due to a murderous plot by the coast guard because logic would tell you that if our PCGs are trying to kill the intruders, why discriminate and kill only one? Finally, the truth here is that Philippines is not sleeping and that we are ready to defend our country at all cost. Deal with that.
 
Jane Tan kareen 7 minutes ago
I'm not judging them before they do anything. In this case, they already did something, which is to shoot instead of arresting a law-breaker. That's abusing their authority as enforcers.
I never said all law enforcers are like that. In fact, I'm the one telling you that all law enforcers aren't like them. Why do you think this is so? Obviously because, if every single one of our law enforcers would shoot law-breakers instead of arresting them, everyone would revolt.
The Taiwanese abusing our people are a direct result of this incident - because some idiot coastguards, instead of considering the consequence of unloading on unarmed fishermen, did so without any thought. This is their fault, not the Taiwanese. I agree that the actions against our OFWs are petty acts of vengeance, but you are pretty much the same as they are. "We should stand our ground in times like this."? Seriously? I suppose you're one of the people who don't agree with Pnoy's decision concerning the Sabah incident. And, its people like you that create more conflict in the world, simply because of your ego.
If you really want to hit a country where it hurts, you prove they violated international law and bring it upon an international stage. You don't go in guns blazing. Look what happened to the Sabah incident. Can we still lay claim to the land? No. Because the country that first resorts to violence is always the one in the wrong.
 
kareen Jane Tan a few seconds ago
Like I said, I believe our coast guards did not act without sufficient provocation. Do you really think that our PCGs are stupid enough to assault surrendering lawbreakers??? You have little faith in our people.


At this point, I was beginning to get bored with the topic and with the discussion.  

But I suggest you make this a habit also. This will not only keep you abreast with the affairs of our country but can also help you improve your communication skills and logical reasoning.

I do not wish to insult anyone by my opinions. I just want to share it.

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