Duterte vows to keep China fishers out of West PHL Sea ‘in due time’

The Duterte Administration would stop China from fishing within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone “in due time”, President Rodrigo Duterte promised on Monday, during his fourth State of the Nation Address.

“On West Philippine Sea, it is a delicate balance. Some are saying we should stop those [Chinese] from fishing in our economic zone. Of course, we will, in due time,” Duterte said.

The president, however, did not provide a timeline on when government would take action.

The president was pilloried when he dismissed an incident in which a Chinese vessel rammed and badly damaged a Philippine fishing boat as a mere accident, despite 22 Filipino being left to fend for themselves in the open sea for five hours.

The president then said that he could not send the military to drive foreign fishers out of the West Philippine Sea because it the servicemen would be killed.

“Ipadala ko Marines ko to drive away Chinese? Not one of them will come home alive. ‘Yung bagong frigate? Ubos ‘yan, because there are guided missiles there,” Duterte said.“That missile can reach Manila in seven minutes. Kung supladuhan lang, p_ina mo, leche ka, umalis ka diyan. Bright ako diyan. Pero hanggang bunganga lang,” Duterte added.

Still, Duterte insisted that the Philippines should have a share of resources in the disputed waters.

"I would insist as the owner though conflicting with your stand we must have a share of the resources," he told reporters after his speech.
He cited the "60-40" sharing arrangement in the proposed joint oil exploration in the South China Sea.

"We do not have the resources. We do not have the capital to invest in digging oil. It's so expensive. It can only be done by a huge capital outlay which we cannot afford," Duterte said.

In July 2016, the Philippines scored a major legal victory against China when the Hague-based United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected China's massive claim over the entire South China Sea and declared the Spratly Islands, as well as the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank as all being within the Philippines' EEZ.

Duterte, however, has since shelved the victory in favor of warmer relations with China. —DVM/NB, GMA News