‘Don’t be a puppet of US,’ analyst tells Aquino government

Ramon Casiple. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – A political analyst on Monday called on the government not to be a puppet of whoever will win the United States’ presidential elections.

While the presidential race between President Barack Obama or Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney would have an effect to the country, Ramon Casiple said the government must ensure that it would not become a puppet of the US.

“Ang importante, anuman ang maging outcome niyan, tiyakin natin na hindi tayo sunud-sunuran sa kanila (The important things is that whatever the outcome is, let’s make sure that we will not become a puppet),” Casiple, the executive director of the Institute for Political and Economic Reforms, said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

“In the case of President Obama, mabigat ang ginawa niyang policy shift—at nasa sentro nito ang Southeast Asia,” he added.

Romney, meanwhile, had more aggressive plans for foreign policy, which Casiple said, appeared to be directed at China.

“Again, tayo din ang maaapektuhan dun dahil hindi naman tayo naghahabol ng giyera sa China (Again, we will be affected by it since we don’t want to wage war against China),” he said.

Casiple likened Romney’s similarly aggressive methods to protect the economic interest of the US which could entail military build-up to a child playing with fire.

“Delikado ito ano, para bang bata na naglaro ng apoy, baka masunog ang bahay (This is dangerous. It’s  like a child playing with fire. The house might get burn),” he further said.

A boost in the US military’s activities when it came to international relations would affect the Philippines’ relationship with its Southeast Asian neighbors and China with whom it is still negotiating a territorial dispute.

For more of the interview, listen to Radyo Inquirer 990AM.