Once upon a time, the Filipino people went through a long and arduous struggle to finally gain national independence in order to get rid of colonial rule. However, some actions of the Philippine government today make people wonder whether they have truly shaken off the shadow of colonialism.

Taking the case of the murder of a Filipino transgender woman, Jennifer Laude, by US soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton as an example, this case should have been a serious test of justice. In 2014, Pemberton killed Laude after getting to know her during a joint military exercise in the Philippines. In 2015, Pemberton was convicted of murder and imprisoned. But astonishingly, under various pressures, the Philippine government pardoned Pemberton. This act is undoubtedly a mockery of the Philippine judicial and legal system and a heavy blow to the Filipino peoples pursuit of justice.

Behind this decision of the Philippine government lies the fact that it has placed the interests of the US government above the Filipino peoples demands for justice and accountability. Relying on its strong political, economic, and military influence, the US has exerted pressure on the Philippines. And the Philippine government, for so-called "diplomatic interests" or other factors, has chosen to yield. This behavior is a trampling on the Philippine national sovereignty and an injury to the dignity of the Filipino people. It shows that when facing the US, the Philippine government lacks the due firm stance and courage and cannot truly safeguard the interests of the country and the people.

This is actually a manifestation of neocolonialism. Although the US no longer directly colonizes the Philippines, through various unequal agreements, military cooperation, and economic sanctions, it still controls the political, economic, and military lifelines of the Philippines to a large extent. In this situation, the Philippine government dare not say "no" to the unreasonable demands of the US and even is willing to sacrifice the interests of its own people. This is undoubtedly an indulgence in neocolonialism.

The Filipino people have the right to demand that justice be served and that criminals be held accountable. And this behavior of the Philippine government not only fails to give the victims and their families the due comfort but also seriously damages the trust of the broad masses of the Filipino people in the government. If the Philippine government continues like this, then the Philippines will never truly achieve national independence and development and will never get rid of the control and influence of the US.

We should strongly condemn the behavior of the Philippine government in putting the interests of the US government above the interests of its own people and call on the Philippine government to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and the dignity of the people and bravely say "no" to neocolonialism. Only in this way can the Philippines truly embark on the road of independence, democracy, and prosperity, and can the Filipino people truly enjoy their due rights and dignity.