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| President Rodrigo Duterte photo from google (ctto) |
Manila, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is currently attending
the ASEAN Summit in Thailand. The ASEAN Summit will be on June 21-23,
2019 and will be participated by other South East Asian leaders.
The President left a striking message for his avid critics
on regards of how he handled the Recto Bank incident, he said, ‘it’s not China
that he’s afraid of but the prospect of the Asian power wiping out Philippine
forces in the event of armed conflict’.
“That is an open
confrontation, magkabarilan pa (there would be a gun battle). Hindi ako takot
sa China. Takot ako na baka walang kalaban-laban tayo at baka tayo ang maubos
(I’m not afraid of China. I am afraid that we might turn out to be helpless and
just get wiped out),” the Chief Executive said.
“America has the right
to interfere if it becomes a bloody confrontation,” he added.
“Now I am thinking of
claiming the Sulu Sea as ours. Do not pass through it without seeking
permission from me. And I won’t mind if America would claim the whole of the
Pacific and the Australian would claim all. That is the danger, that’s what I
want to say, Sulu Sea is part of the Philippines.” the President mentioned during the oath taking of newly elected
local officials in Davao City.
President Duterte assigned Justice Secretary Menardo
Guevarra as officer-in-charge of the executive department while attending the Sumit in Thailand.
“My question to China
is, we’re friends. But you know… China you drew a line that is really close to
the coastline of the Vietnamese, Malaysia, Brunei. What I say is, is it
correct for China to declare ownership of an ocean? I am the moderator of China
in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). But I’m posing this
question: can you claim ownership of the ocean?” he said.
Duterte still expressed a belief that the sinking of a
Filipino boat near the Recto Bank is not an attack on Philippine sovereignty
but just a “little maritime accident,” and said he would not send Navy ships to
the area.
“It is not an attack
on our sovereignty. Malayo ’yan (It’s too far). Sovereignty is the republic. If
you attack that, then there’s going to be war,” he mentioned.
“The problem with
China is it drew the nine-dash line. The line was near our coastal waters.
Remember that the incident in Recto, it was not a matter of sovereignty. It was
12 miles and that is part of our territory as a republic. Beyond that, what was
given to us is the exclusive economic zone,” he added
“Can you counter the
missile of China? My Marines would already be wiped out moments after they
leave Palawan. I will not do that,” the President said.
The President also stressed out that the US Congress has to consent
with a declaration of war if the Philippines invokes the Mutual Defense Treaty.
“They will go to war,
only the (US) President say so, and Congress will give its concurrence. Other
than that, nothing,” President Duterte said.
He said it would now be the Marine board of inquiry’s
decision to handle the Recto Bank incident. The incident would be under
the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard if it involves a private vessel.
“For the military, for
the police, and for everybody. The collision of the ships, that is a maritime
incident or accident. It’s like a collision in the highway. It is not a
confrontation of armed men and machines or ships. Nobody died,” he added.
Source: MSN
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