WHISTLEBLOWER

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[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’Spilling the beans’ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”]
BY ERICK SAN JUAN
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Thursday, December 29, 2016
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CERTAIN issues with the US verbalized in a not-so-nice way by President Rody Duterte — plus his name-calling like a kid engaged in a petty quarrel — has backfired through former United States ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg.

Anybody who has dealings with the US should be careful. We know their ways and sentiments, especially when it comes to character assassination, so to speak.

In an article in the Manila Times, Dr. Dante Ang reported that the US ex-envoy was plotting Duterte’s fall. Goldberg has allegedly outlined a list of “strategies” to undermine President Duterte and even oust him. The blueprint allegedly had a timetable of one-and-a-half years.
Quoting Goldberg, part of the article read, “Political actors (the opposition) would need all the political weapons in their arsenal to replace the Duterte administration and replace it with something more to the opposition’s liking.”

It was noted, however, that “(deposing Duterte) would be a challenge for the opposition.”

Goldberg allegedly analyzed that Mr. Duterte “has no real friends” outside of his region due to his propensity to mock and ridicule people close to him.

The envoy also allegedly stated that the President’s “views are shaped not by ideology or personal ambitions but by old-fashioned nationalism where he holds the United States accountable for the Philippines’ current state of poverty and dependency.”

To bring down Duterte, the alleged Goldberg plan called for stoking public dissatisfaction with the President over unfulfilled election promises, isolating the Philippines from the rest of the Asean by extending military assistance to member countries except the Philippines, and/or through economic “blackmail” that aims to limit trade by some Asean member countries with the Philippines.

Goldberg also reportedly encouraged support for the opposition through aids and grants, sowing discontent among the Duterte supporters and cultivating cleavage between congressmen and senators over the Charter Change issue.

In brief, the plan called on the US government to employ a combination of socioeconomic-political-diplomatic moves against Duterte “to bring him to his knees and eventually remove him from office.”

I did my part of reminding the President of the undercurrents that will translate to something else if not handled properly, locally and in the global front. The writings on the wall are very clear — signs of an impending storm.

The alleged plot of Goldberg had “strategies to be employed” and these were:

* Political and economic isolation of the Philippines in the region by engaging the leaders of Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and by “highlighting the basic question of the risk of doing business in the Philippines.”

* Enhanced US military relationship with members of the Asean community except the Philippines.

* Blackmail neighboring countries so they would turn against Duterte by reducing trade with the Philippines in favor of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

* Deepen ties with Philippine officials (the opposition), the police/military and leaders in the region who share the US concerns over Duterte.

* Track corruption cases and highlight the failures of Duterte.

* Focus on the needs of the people at the grassroots and assist opposition groups in delivering those failed promises through USAID — such as alleviation of poverty, housing and education — to name a few.

* Utilize the media to expose the truth about Duterte — “his false vision for the Filipino people and his dangerous international relationships with China and Russia.”

Some might ask what will the new Trump administration will do, and in the process, who will benefit from the alleged plot?

Christmas in the Philippines is never postponed despite the unusual typhoons but let us all be prepared for the coming storm in the new year./PN
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