Duterte: PH, China should meet halfway
‘Insisting on The Hague ruling on the territorial dispute right now may end up in bloodbath’
President Duterte said the Philippines and China should meet halfway in addressing the issue in the disputed West
Philippine Sea.
The President issued the statement following reports of Chinese vessels suspected to be Chinese militia circling around Philippine-occupied islands in the disputed waters.
In a speech in Batangas City, Duterte reiterated that he cannot insist on China about The Hague ruling right now since it may end up in a bloodbath with the Philippines on the losing side.
“Gusto nila na I will confront China. ‘Pag ginawa ko ‘yan (They want me to confront China. If I do that), it will be a massacre... They can bomb us to the heavens,” he said Wednesday night.
“But there will be a time, at sabihin ko sa China ngayon (and I will tell China now), that they should also meet halfway,” he added.
Pure and sincere diplomacy
Hugpong ng Pagbabago leader and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the President’s daughter, said pure and sincere diplomacy, not nuclear weapons, is what the Philippines need to enforce its legal
victory over China in connection with the contested areas of the West Philippine Sea.
The President, however, warned that there might be trouble if the sea row results in the deaths of Filipinos in the said area.
“Iyong Pag-asa Islands, sinabi ko, huwag ninyong i-surround kasi may mga sundalo ako diyan. ‘Pag nagkamali ‘yang p**... Nag-warning lang ako. Hindi ko tinatakot ang China. But it could precipitate trouble there. ‘Pag namatayan ako ng sundalo maski isa, ah gulo na ‘yan (I told them to not surround Pag-asa Islands because I have soldiers there. One mistake... It’s just a warning, I am not threatening China. But it could precipitate trouble there. If one of my soldiers there dies, that would mean trouble),” Duterte said.
US help doubted
Duterte also expressed doubt that there would be other countries which would help the Philippines in case tension builds up in the South China Sea, including the United States which has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.
“Who will come? Who will? Sino? Magbigay ka ng limang magtulong sa atin. America? Mag-suicide kaya ang America ng nuclear war para sa atin (Give me five countries that will help us. America? Will they risk a nuclear war just for us)?” he said.
“Would America risk a third world war just to defend? Makuha mo ‘yang Spratly na ‘yan (Just to get that Spratly Islands)? he added.
Last week, President Duterte told China to lay off Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, saying he would not hesitate to shed blood if the Chinese would harm Filipinos in the Pag-asa Island.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo also urged China to respect the 2016 The Hague ruling which was anchored on international law accepted by countries across the globe.
“We reiterate our unchanged stance – the arbitral ruling is irreversible, the same being based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law accepted by most, if not by all, nations. It has the stamp of permanence,” he said. ”We urge the Chinese government to respect it, and we hope the mechanism of bilateral negotiations between the countries forge a mutually satisfactory solution to the conflict based on internationally accepted principles of justice and reciprocity, as well as anchored on the dictates of national security and aspirations of their people,” he added.
Last week, Malacañang said that it agrees with China that the dispute can be settled peacefully through negotiation and consultation between the two countries.
Financial siatuation
Mayor Duterte stressed pure and sincere diplomacy as the best option now in response to a suggestion made by former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile that the Philippine delvelop its own nuclear weapons in order to enforce the Philippines’ legal victory over China on the West Philippine Sea dispute.
While she agrees that having our own nuclear arsenal is “ideal,” Mayor Duterte said this remains a hope due to the country’s financial situation.
“Yes, ideally. But knowing our limitation ng pera ng bansa natin, ng budgeting at ng resources ng bansa natin, mahirap talaga habulin (Knowing our limitations in money, budgeting and resources, it would be difficult to catch up),” she told reporters when asked to comment about Enrile’s statement.
“The best way really is diplomacy, not war,” she stressed.
Enrile, a former Senate president, has told a television interview that the Philippines must develop its own nuclear weapons in order to enforce the Philippines’ legal victory over China.
Now running as an independent candidate for senator, Enrile noted that the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) that was mothballed after the fall of the Marcos administration in mid-1980s was also planned to develop nuclear weapons for the Philippines.
The 95-year-old politician was Defense secretary during the Marcos era and was privy on the ousted government’s plan about the BNPP.
He revealed that part of the plan was to allow Philippines its own nuclear weapon capability in order for the country to stand up to bullying tactics of other foreign powers, including China.
He agreed with Mayor Duterte’s observation that the Philippines is not rich enough to develop its own nuclear weapons.
The nuclear issue cropped up as China continued its takeover of huge areas of the West Philippine Sea, including territories that are acknowledged by the international court as exclusively belonging to the Philippines.
The Duterte administration has lodged numerous protests against Chinese incursions, including the recent movement of nearly 400 Chinese vessels that were spotted near the Pag-asa Island, which is a barangay under the jurisdiciton of Kalayaan municipality in Palawan.