A number of speculations has surfaced from the continuing controversy on the Julian Felipe Reef in the South China Sea. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana appears the most persistent in hammering on the issue in the media so that one sector believes the incident has given him the opportunity to craft his political designs, i.e., running for president in 2022. A popular radio commentator, who pretends to authority on diplomatic matters, confided to me recently that it is all about the procurement by the Armed Forces of the Philippines of allegedly five patrol boats from the United States. Considering that driving away the Chinese from the South China Sea has been America’s magnificent obsession, hyping the incident in the media becomes an effective bargaining leverage in the deal. In other words, make it appear that China is intruding into Philippine territory, which the US does not want to happen, and with the Philippines combating such intrusion, it can get those needed patrol boats at a bargain.

Samonte, M. G. (2021, April 17). How Julian Felipe Reef brouhaha impacts on CPP-NPA-NDF insurgency. The Manila Times, pp. A5, A6.