Pierce Through Chameleons (Tales Of Green Series #1)

Chapter 9

Spiky and Ugly

My eyes are currently glued on the ongoing presentation. Monday na naman and it is Sylvanne's turn today to do the weekly report in our Foreign Relations course. Iyong professor namin, si Dr. Kit, ay ganoon rin ang ginagawa.

He's a respected professor sa department namin. The students fear him but they look up to him at the same time. Well, I can't blame them. Nakakatakot rin naman talaga iyong aura niya. Pero he's actually an effective professor. That's why hindi ko rin makuhang matakot-takot sa kaniya.

'Tsaka, laging interesting iyong class niya. He teaches us hypothetical concepts pero ina-apply niya rin sa contemporary context, or the other way around.

"These claims are not the only existent claims. It is known that Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam also engaged in this dispute," pagpapaliwanag ni Sylvanne sa klase.

Na-distract naman ako mula sa focus ko sa pakikinig nang makita ang reaksyon ng lalaking nakaupo sa harap ni nito. Patango-tango roon si Viper sa lahat ng sinasabi ni Sylvanne. 

Pass sa halata.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o ano. I mean, maganda naman talaga ang presentation. Sylvanne's a good speaker. She knows her report well. Pero parang super invested naman ata niya.

Also, kahit hindi naman kami ganoon ka-close nitong si Viper, lagi ko namang napapansin iyon. He likes her. I'm not sure though if Sylvanne likes him too. 

"Allow me to interrupt, Miss Presenter," putol sa kaniya ni Dr. Kit.

Napaayos naman ng upo ang karamihan sa klase. Alam na nila ang susunod na mangyayari. Once he interrupts, he'd always start asking questions. Ramdam ko iyong namumuong kaba ng iba.

"Would you agree if I say that the claim of China is weak?" Dr. Kit asked. Sumang-ayon naman ang klase. "Why do you say so?"

Natawa naman siya nang biglang mawala na parang bula ang kakasang-ayon lang na klase. Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo sa gilid at inikot ang tingin niya sa klase. Nagsimula namang magmaang-maangan ang iba at pinagbubukas ang mga lecture notes nila. I bet wala namang mga laman iyon.

"Mr. Leraune?" 

Napaubo naman ako nang pangalan ko ang natawag. Parang nabunutan naman ng tinik ang iba sabay paypay sa mga sarili. I composed myself and stood up.

"Rather than weak, I'd say that China's claims are false, Dr. Kit," panimula ko na siyang ikinaangat ng kilay niya.

"Elaborate."

I cleared my throat and continued explaining. Nasa akin na lahat ng atensyon nila.

"China's claims are solely based on their infamous nine-dashed line, which they themselves just made it up," pagpapatuloy ko. "They claimed that everything within these boundaries fall under their jurisdiction, but there is no legal basis to this claim nor there is any justification made before an international tribunal."

Nakita kong tumango-tango naman si Dr. Kit sa kaniyang pwesto. Pero hindi niya pa rin tinatanggal sa akin ang tingin niya. That only means na hindi pa siya tapos.

"Would you also agree that China is violating the sovereignty of the Philippines?" dagdag na tanong nito.

I proudly nodded.

"China has always been a consistent aggressor, harassing our countrymen. This horrible picture alone answers that very question, Dr. Kit," humarap ako sa klase. "The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or the UNCLOS already extinguished all historical rights of other states, including China's claims, within the 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone of the adjacent coastal state. They've entered our EEZ and told our fellows that it's their seas. That's just... absurd, Dr. Kit."