Phl
will not withdraw from contested waters in West Philippine Sea, President
Duterte tells China
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President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency
Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the
MalacaΓ±ang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in MalacaΓ±ang Park, Manila on May 13, 2021.
ROBINSON NIΓAL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
Philippine maritime assets will continue patrolling the country’s territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has said, reiterating he will not compromise national sovereignty.
In
his taped address to the nation Thursday, President Duterte described the 2012
standoff in the Scarborough shoal “a poor man’s gamble,” where the Philippines
lost control over the sea feature to China.
“Kaya
ako sabihin ko sa China ngayon, as I’ve said before to repeat: I am not ready
to withdraw. I do not want a quarrel, I do not want trouble, I respect your
position and you respect mine. But we will not go to war,” President Duterte
said.
The
President insisted there’s nothing wrong in admitting the country’s inferiority
in terms of might and power, but this shouldn’t give China the right to bully
smaller nations like the Philippines.
“Hindi
naman masama magprangka ka, ito lang talaga ang kakayanan ko. Pero huwag mo
naman akong kayahin. Ngayon, hindi talaga ako aatras. Patayin mo man ako kung patayin
mo ako, dito ako. Dito magtatapos ang ating pagkakaibigan.”
With
regard to the possible intervention by the Americans, in which the Philippines
maintains a mutual defense pact, the President said he has no intention of
toeing the US’s line.
“Please
do not include me with you. Baka tingin ninyo sa akin kagaya nitong mga
insurektos na ito. Hindi mo ako mapasunod diyan. Basta sinabi ko, you stay put.
I die there, we die there,” he said.
The
Philippines sent coast guard assets after Chinese vessels entered and remained
anchored for some period of time in the country’s territorial waters in the
West Philippine Sea.
Defense
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told the President that the Philippine sea assets
continue to patrol the area.
“Paikot-ikot
diyan sa may bandang Kalayaan Island Group natin, Mr. President, hanggang diyan
sa Mischief Reef, ‘yong maraming shoal doon, nagpaikot-ikot sila doon,” he
said.
The President considers China a friend, particularly after the Asian economic giant donated COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines in March. Vaccines from pharmaceutical firm Sinovac continues to form part of the country’s inventory of COVID-19 jabs. PND
