The Friend who is China

Everybody now returns to their usual lives after witnessing the drama of the 3 Filipinos executed in China for drug traficking. As I write this, an episode in Jessica Soho features the lives of these 3 victims. I call them victims because that is what they are. I think nobody among those 3 willingly traficked the drug just for the sake of it or knowing fully well the consequence. A common opinion is that poverty and unemployment pushed them. But that is another topic worth a separate discussion.

The Jessica Soho episode just finished and admittedly, most of us have had enough of its commentary. I don't see the need to go over and over of this tragedy. It may be better to reflect on the future and the implication this incident brought.

For me, it's how the Chinese government acted. Up to the last minute, they stuck to their stand to execute the Filipinos, despite the pleadings of the Philippine government for a clemency. The Noynoy government, I think, took a big diplomatic risk in appealing for a clemency for the victims. But under the guise of law, it fell on deaf ears. Sure, the execution was delayed. But only because a high official, the Vice President himself went to appeal. But technically , nothing changed in the decision.

Sure, they are just following their laws. But it made me wonder, if it happened to an American citizen, hypothetically, will the Chinese follow the same course? The fact is, the Philippines is such a miniature country for them compromise their laws. They can afford to take such a stand.

Even US officials feel that the Chinese action smacked on international diplomacy, considering the risk that the Philippine government took. But of course, the US will not take sides, considering they have their own diplomatic ties with China to manage.

All the lip service that the Chinese are saying about our country, that diplomatic ties will not be affected, redounds to how the Chinese really sees us on how they treated these 3 Filipinos. It's not because these 3 are guiltless with what they did. But the government had made an appeal for clemency, a big risk, and yet nothing has been done to consider it.

It's time Filipinos open their eyes, including Philippine officials themselves, on how other countries treat us. China a friend? Let's think again.