NO TO "STRATEGIC GASLIGHTING": 1. It was CHINA's actions that FORCED the Philippines' hands, not the other way around; 2. ASEAN was just as "USELESS" when AQUINO took CHINA to international court, so stop invoking DUTERTE era as an EXCUSE; 3. LACK of CHINESE INVESTMENTS in the Philippines was MOST PRONOUNCED under DUTERTE, who fell for the "PLEDGE TRAP". Let me explain 🧵
@Richeydarian I remember some ASEAN members who supported the Philippines’ case against China during the Aquino III administration. Malaysia and Vietnam ata if I’m correct.
@escalonamar FYI, the arbitration award came out AFTER AQUINO and during DUTERTE... Vietnam vaguely and indirectly supported, but never joined in or filed a parallel case..
@escalonamar And "ASEAN" is the ten-member countries, not just bilaterally with one or two. What on earth did ASEAN say in support of our Arbitration case during AQUINO era again? I wrote a hundred pieces on the issue during those six years