(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday (September 13) announced his desire not to join any joint patrols on the Philippine territory.
“We will not join any expedition of patrolling the sea. I will not allow it because I don’t want my country to be involved in hostile act. Patrolling kasi, when you patrol not only high seas but somebody else’s territory. Whether it is really owned by us, which the judgement says atin iyan, entitlement sabihin naman ng isa, China. That’s besides my point. The point is I dont want to ride gung-ho style there with China or with America,” Duterte said in his speech during the 48th anniversary of the 250th Philippine Airlift Wing in Villamor Air Base.
“I just want to patrol our territorial waters… We do not go into patrol or join any army because I do not want trouble,” he added.
In the same speech, Duterte reminded China to follow the Hague ruling favoring Philippines over China in the territorial dispute.
“So may I remind China again, beyond the territorial waters are the entitlement of the sea. Yung napanalo natin, but it is not part of our territory. It is part of our exclusive economic zone, iyong mga isda, ano ang mga nakita mo diyan, pati yung sa baba, yung oil pati gas kung meron. Territory is limited to the 12-mile limit. That is ours. Hanggang diyan lang tayo,” he said.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced in April that American and Filipino troops would conduct joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea.
On Monday (September 12), the President said he will push on making the country’s own independent foreign policy, following his announcement of ‘pack-up’ directive to the United States (US) Special Forces deployed in Mindanao.
A day after, Palace officials clarified that Duterte’s orders were not yet a formal policy.
