I met my high school history teacher at an uptown coffee shop the other day. Atty. Pacifica Cuizon has aged gracefully as evidenced by the fact that in our brief conversation, she holds intelligent perception of current events. Her recollection of past incidents is graphic and her ideas on late issues are quite updated. I wrote about Maam Pikang some issues back, but I feel the need to thank her again for her help in molding my character.
It was quite a long time ago, school years 1965-66 and 1966-67, to be accurate, that she persuaded us, her students, to read ahead of class hours by simply giving examinations to start our classes. From her, I remember such great names as Khufu and Nebuchadnezzar and famous events as the King Leonidas’ Battle at Thermopylae. Really, she filled our young minds with how, at certain golden era of some nations, renowned leaders accomplished superhuman achievements either for their own personal glories or for the benefit of the people they ruled.
If Maam Pikang were still teaching today, she would have given her students a better insight into an unraveling event in Asia. Oh yes, there are lots of literature on the impending launching by North Korea of its rocket. However it is described, it really is an intercontinental ballistic missile of some kind. It may still not carry any warhead but surely it will have a profound impact on the balance of power or lack of it, on this part of the globe. Unfortunately, there is a seeming dearth of analysis on its whys out of which we could have known its wherefores.
There are only factual reports that we read and perhaps comment on. For instance, the pronouncement by Japan is understandable. If I understand it correctly, the Japan National Defense force is preparing its own anti rocket system. This could probably refer to the Patriot missiles which were successfully deployed in the Middle East theater by countries friendly to the United States only a few years ago. The picture is clear. If the North Korean rocket strays into the Japanese air space, Japan will shoot it down.
A statement attributed to have come from South Korean government officials is no different. While they do not make distinctive pronouncements as to the kind of military armament they will use if and when the North Korean rocket enters its own territorial jurisdiction, it is clear that they too, will shoot it down.
From these declarations, we can conclude that Japan and South Korea will not tolerate any semblance of violation of their air space by North Korea. International law justifies that action. It is a fundamental right of a state to defend itself from any acts of another. By all interpretations, an entry of a North Korean rocket into the Japanese or South Korean aerial space can be considered as aggressive and it behooves upon the latter to resort to all actions to protect their territorial integrity.
But, let us compare the state of mind of the leaders of Japanese and South Korean governments to that of our government officials. A report I have read spelled it quite adequately. But, I swear on my father’s grave that this government’s stand dumfounds me. It betrays our total helplessness to such an extent that it exposes our country to more abuse.
Our leaders warned our own people. In case the North Korean rocket penetrates Philippine air space, our people should stay away from harm’s way. This is the gist of the notice issued by Civil Aviation authorities diverting air traffic. We must be wary of some of the rocket parts that may fall within our territory. We should look to the skies and when we notice them descending in our space, we have to run as fast as we can to save our butts. In other words, our government officials will blame the Filipinos on whose heads some debris of the North Korean rocket literally fall on. Mora man ni ug bugal-bugal!
If I have over simplified my presentation, it is because I see no better way of expressing the situation as honestly as can be. How I wish Ma’am Pikang could put meat into the issue. Anyway, should I be wrong, mea culpa.
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