(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, April 21, called out the United States and the administration of then-President Benigno Aquino III for “doing nothing” while China was building islands in the West Philippine Sea.
“Why didn’t the Philippine government go there at the site with its ship and ask China ‘what are you doing here?” Duterte asked, noting that China had been conducting its construction activities even while the Philippine case against the Asian giant in the Permanent Court of Arbitration was still being heard.
He said the same goes for America.
“And now that the islands are built up and military facilities are war-equipped they ask me to go there,” Duterte said, maintaining that war was not the answer.
He reiterated there was no assurance America, which has signed the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, would come to the aid of its ally in the event of a war.
“That’s the truth,” he said.
The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against China over the presence of Chinese vessels near Pag-Asa Island.
The Palace has said another protest would be filed if reports on the presence of Chinese vessels near Kota Island were proven.
