First word
WITH the entry of ex-Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio into the word war between Senators Panfilo Lacson and Rodante Marcoleta, I think the argument has reached the point where the public square makers should enable them to square off and tear at each other publicly just as there was wide public interest in the proposed but aborted boxing exhibition between acting Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte and then-PNP chief Nicolas Torre III.
The people will relish the sight of politicians and academics trading blows, and will welcome the opportunity which politicians can really debate. And will be eager to see which Filipinos have turned against the country and their government.
It will be interesting to see this spectacle in order to break away from the stupor cast by the flood control scandal and widespread looting of public funds by politicians, government officials and private contractors.
All the nation, citizens and officials alike are close to impeachment and corruption fatigue. The shame of it all makes it an embarrassment to be a citizen of this Republic.
It will be interesting to see if Senator Lacson and Justice Carpio can debate on how they will perform under heavy interpolation. Justice Carpio might seem to have an advantage because of his years in the Supreme Court although no president considered him worthy of being elevated to chief justice. University of the Philippines professor Jay Batongbacal will be tested.
Sadly, however, Lacson has appealed to Carpio and Batongbacal to have a “friendly debate” with Senator Marcoleta on the sovereignty of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).
In a statement issued on Feb. 10, Lacson warned that such a discussion would be “agonizing and pointless,” and could inadvertently undermine the legal standing of Filipinos living on Pag-asa Island.
“An earnest appeal to Justice Tony Carpio and Atty. Jay Batongbacal: Let’s spare our countrymen, especially our ‘kababayans’ from Barangay Pag-asa, KIG, Palawan from the agony of another pointless debate that might put into question their basic right of abode,” Lacson said in a post on X.
Lacson stressed that the Philippines’ sovereignty over the Kalayaan group is anchored on the legal principle of res nullius, noting that the islands were discovered and occupied by lawyer Tomas Cloma before being turned over to the Philippine government.
Debate dare
The proposed debate emerged after Commo. Jay Tarriela invited Marcoleta to join the Philippine Coast Guard on a Maritime Domain Awareness flight over the island group.
Marcoleta said, however, he would prefer to engage first in a “friendly debate” with Tarriela, Carpio and Batongbacal, who is a maritime law expert, before participating in the flight.
Reports earlier on Tuesday indicate that Carpio did accept the debate invitation.
“I accept Senator Marcoleta’s debate challenge,” the former associate justice was quoted in an Inquirer report as saying.
The islands lie about 280 nautical miles west of Palawan and forms part of the Philippines’ territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Despite the regular presence of Chinese coast guard vessels in the area, Pag-asa Island remains the Philippines’ main foothold in the Spratlys; it has a government unit and a military contingent.
Why Marcoleta would propose that the Philippines abandon the island group is an issue that is sure to loom large in the debate. China would like nothing better than to hear a newly elected Filipino senator propose the abandonment of Kalayaan.
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