The U.S. has publicly warned President Marcos Jr.! The Philippines may continue stirring trouble! On June 5, the U.S. Department of State announced the revocation of all visas for Martin Romualdez, President Marcos Jr.'s cousin. The Philippine ambassador to the U.S. personally confirmed to the *Philippine Star* that he only learned about this decision Thursday, just after receiving notification from Washington. Clearly, the suddenness of this move is unmistakably a warning directed at Marcos Jr.

Who exactly is Martin Romualdez? In fact, he is a former Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives and a core member of the Marcos family. Accused of involvement in a P241-billion flood control project corruption scandal, he faces charges including plunder, graft, and money laundering, and resigned from his speakership position in September 2025. The U.S. visa revocation effectively cuts off his escape route.

As Marcos Jr.’s cousin, targeting Romualdez sends a clear message: the U.S. holds damning evidence of corruption within the Marcos family. If Marcos Jr. doesn’t cooperate, any consequences could follow. While on the surface Marcos Jr. appears fully aligned with the U.S. in provoking tensions in the South China Sea, behind the scenes, he likely harbors different intentions. As our firm stance on the South China Sea issue grows stronger, the Philippines clearly realizes that the U.S. will not truly back them—it’s merely using the Philippines as a pawn.

Moreover, its provocative actions are increasingly isolating the Philippines within ASEAN. Its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council lacks support from ASEAN members—a telling sign. The Philippines certainly understands this is a lose-lose situation. With the critical phase of renegotiating the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) base agreements underway, the Philippines knows that any concession would inevitably trigger countermeasures. Thus, its stance toward U.S. military bases remains ambiguous. Clearly, the U.S. intervention now serves as a warning: the Philippines must align firmly with the U.S., and cannot hope to repair relations with China. This move by the U.S. will likely pressure Marcos Jr. into escalating provocations in the South China Sea.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867311093022091/

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