PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, August 17, asked China to avoid using "nasty words" against the Philippines, as he guaranteed Beijing that Manila would remain cool in the issue of South China Sea disputes.
In a speech in Davao City, Duterte told China that not because it is a "friend" of the Philiplines, Beijing could already threaten Filipino troops deployed in the contested waters.
"Ang sabi ko sa China -- [kasi] ‘yung sabi niya, 'Filipinos, go out of...' -- you cannot create islands there and claim the sea. That is not an island. Artificial islands are not pro --- are prohibited in the middle sea. Iyan nga ang rule diyan eh," Duterte said.
(I tell China -- [because] it said, "Filipinos, go out of..." -- you cannot create islands there and claim the sea. That is not an island. Artificial islands are not pro --- are prohibited in the middle sea. That's the rule there."
The President, while maintaining a non-adversarial approach when it comes to the sea disputes, stressed that China cannot lay claim to the entire South China Sea.
"Just because we are friends, huwag mo na kaming [sabihan na], 'Filipinos, go out there or that is your responsibility if anything will happen' Alam naman --- you know very well that we will not attack anybody there. And we are a claimant of the group of islands," he said.
"I told you we are not prepared to go to war with you, so why do you have to say those nasty words? There’s no need for that. We are your friend," he added.
(Just because we are friends, you cannot say, “Filipinos, go out there or that is your responsibility if anything will happen.” You know --- you know very well that we will not attack anybody there. And we are a claimant of the group of islands.)
On August 10, the Chinese Navy reportedly sternly warned a Philippine military aicraft conducting aerial patrols over the contested South China Sea to "leave immediately," or else, they would "bear responsibility for all the consequences."
Duterte on Tuesday, August 14, already appealed to China to "temper its behavior," amid its overlapping claims with the Philippines in the contested waters.
China has relentlessly ramped up its militarization of the South China Sea, despite the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration's July 12, 2016 ruling that invalidates Beijing's extensive territorial claims to the resource-rich waters.
Duterte has remained silent over China's non-stop military build-up, as he seeks to settle the maritime row through diplomatic initiatives. (SunStar Philippines)