Duterte sees Philippines' new aircraft, says he can't be brave vs. China

President Rodrigo Duterte said he could ill-afford to confront China lest the Philippines faced consequences it wouldn't be able to handle.

Duterte made the remarks at the Clark Air Base where he inspected the Air Force's new aircraft and drones from the US, Poland, and Brazil on Friday night.

"I cannot be brave in the mouth against China because we are avoiding any confrontation that would lead to something that we can hardly afford, at least, at this time,” Duterte said.

Duterte repeated the lines he had been saying since he assumed office in 2016, weeks after the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest versus China's new law which allowed its coast guard to shoot at foreign ships in waters which it claimed.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also expressed concern that the law could lead to an "open conflict" in the region. 

Among the aircraft inspected were one unit of C-130H, six units of S70i Blackhawk Utility Helicopters, six units of A-29B Super Tucanos, six units of Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and four units of Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

The President did not mention the West Philippine Sea, but his administration has been widely criticized over the President’s refusal to condemn aggression of Chinese military and vessels against Filipino fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea.

Critics and maritime and international law experts professor Jay Batongbcal as well as retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio have been warning the Duterte administration that shelving the country’s July 2016 unprecedented legal victory before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague will undermine the Philippines' position, even if it has a strong legal anchor.

In the Hague ruling, the court upheld the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in West Philippine Sea and rejected China’s expansive nine-dash line claiming the entire area.

The same ruling also declared that Spratly Islands, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank as all within the Philippines' EEZ and that the Panatag Shoal is a common fishing ground.

Friend to all

The President then said that he is a friend to both China and the United States—countries which have differing positions in the West Philippine Sea which forms part of the South China Sea.

China has refused to recognize the Hague ruling and is claiming sovereignty in the entire South China Sea. The United States, on the other hand, is for freedom of navigation in the area.

“Kaibigan ako ng Amerika, kaibigan ako ng China. I am not against China, hindi ako pro-American,” Duterte said.

“I am just a Filipino government worker working for the interest of my country, Duterte added. --NB, GMA News