Opposition Senator Leila de Lima has called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to make a strong stance against President Rodrigo Duterte’s treasonous foreign policy of subservience and the surrender of the country’s sovereign rights to China.

De Lima said she is astounded at how the AFP has not minced a word at Duterte’s recent “most treasonous statements” that if the Philippines cannot be self-reliant, it should choose between a United States territory or a Chinese province.

“It is astounding how the most treasonous of statements coming from the President himself can be made on national media without the Malacanang-payrolled AFP brass batting an eyelash,” she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame 726.

“But Duterte’s policy of subservience and surrender to China, without China having to fire a single shot, is high treason, plain and simple. We do not need our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) generals to tell us that,” De Lima said.

Last Feb. 26, Duterte declared that the Philippines should opt either to be a United States territory or a Chinese province if it cannot defend its territory as he defended anew his decision to end the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Presidential  spokesman  Salvador Panelo hinted that the Duterte administration might also dissolve the existing 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the US.

De Lima, however, put to task the AFP to defend the territorial integrity of the country under the 1987 Constitution and stop tolerating Duterte’s kowtowing to Beijing and remaining tight-lipped when he goes on-air with treasonous vitriol.

“The generals not telling us that Duterte’s actions smack of treason does not make said actions any less treasonous, it only makes the generals accomplices to his treason,” she said.

“The AFP is the protector of the people and the defender of our country’s territorial integrity.That it has all but become an accomplice in Duterte’s treason by silence, acquiescence, or even affirmation by continuing to receive wads of cash in monthly payola in exchange for shutting their mouths is already a testament to their own role in this administration’s capitulation to China,” she added.

According to the lady Senator from Bicol, the Filipino people should also step up in ending what she referred to as “treasonous buffet” by exercising their right to self-determination, especially in the next presidential elections in 2022, by voting for leaders who will “uphold the Constitution and defend the nation”. “But more than all these, it is public opinion that is crucial in ending this treasonous buffet in our highest executive and defense offices. As long as Duterte remains popular, we are all party to this treason,” she pointed out.

“Today’s Filipino race cannot even be bothered to protest the treason of its officials and reject their surrender to a foreign power. Napakatanga na lang ng sambayanan na sa yugto na ito ng ating kasaysayan, ay Tsina pa ang pipiliin na bagong among pagsisilbihan,” she added./Stacy Ang