A US drone was found by Pinoy fishermen floating in Pinoy waters and ended up on the front pages of Pinoy newspapers, not to mention in the mouths of Pinoy leftists, who denounced the drone as proof of the violation by our only military ally in the world of Philippine sovereignty, which is repeatedly violated by our communist neighbor without a peep from local communists.

As a result, the US had to explain that the drone was unarmed, was used for target practice, had dropped in US waters off Guam, and drifted 2,500 kilometers into our waters, where it was fished out and gutted by local media.

Now our common enemies know the range of US drones, thereby decreasing their tactical deterrent value. Our common enemies also know that it is the Philippine position to deny its only military ally and protector on the planet, the American 7 th fleet, the use of advanced weaponry for military purposes like spying on or destroying enemy targets.

The hesitant trust shown by the Philippine government of US intentions with regard to its weapons alerts our common enemies about the limitations imposed even by a total dependent of the US. That decreases the strategic deterrent value of US military presence in its vast, but now it appears limited, network of international alliances.

With friends like us, America does not need enemies. When we need America to protect us from being enslaved by a neighbor, will America save us? When we won't even help America save us with new weaponry? But instead expose our only ally's military limitations to our common enemies?

In a modern state, revelation of state secrets, especially of another state's secrets, that is benign to us, is treason.

Good night and good luck.