I don’t envy President Rodrigo Duterte’s position. He reminds me of someone who is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to Chinese incursion at the West Philippine Sea.
But he should not belittle or ignore calls to defend Philippine sovereignty. We all know that we have no chance against the Chinese military might if tensions escalate to an armed conflict.
But it doesn’t mean we can’t bitch about it. The least he can do is to allow the public to vent their anger and their frustration.
I’m sure his Chinese counterparts would understand. After all, aren’t they masters in the art of saving face? China is quick to remind the world about the humiliation it suffered in the last 200 years in the hands of Western powers and later on Japan. It knows how to feel helpless and hopeless.