When a politician once accused of impropriety suddenly sounds the alarm that many Chinese dredging ships are national security threats, think twice. There might be some value or something afoot there. Unthinkable that a local issue becomes a national concern just because a politico thinks so. Politicians always have an agenda when they speak.

You’ll hear that the agenda is simply a concern for national security. Dredging ships? National threats? So, if an innocent ship of foreign registry is allowed to enter our territorial waters suddenly comes out and is seen by many bearing, what, a Chinese flag, is that ship already a security threat?

If so, do we classify all ships bearing Chinese flags as national security threats, including cargo ships? Do you know if this policy? Are we so paranoid?

And when this ship, for example, undertakes an act that was allowed by the national and local governments to help in addressing potential or future flooding in the area, just because it is a Chinese ship, there’s already fear that this act concerns national security, is that right, Senator Jinggoy Estrada?

And which is which? Is Mr. Estrada concerned with the environment or national security? His statement today needs to be clarified. It’s like trying to find fault when there is simply none. We will not indulge in doublespeak. What is Mr. Estrada’s concern? The environment or national security? It says in his title, “chair of the Senate’s national security committee.” Okay, so among a myriad of national security issues, Mr. Estrada spent his time alerting us to dredging ships of the Chinese registry and doing activities deemed beneficial by the local government for their constituents. Wow. What does national security have to do with dredgings and reclamations?

We must seriously consider electing people who know what they’re doing. Senator Estrada has been a senator several times, so we presume he already knows the job. It’s sad that Mr. Estrada still seems confused about the term “national security.”  We expect our chairmen to understand the substantive and functional meaning of the subject they are expected to inquire about. However, Mr. Estrada still has time to avoid humiliating himself.