(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 17, said he would wait for the results of the probe into the Recto Bank incident before issuing a statement.
“The only thing that we can do is to wait and give the other party the right to be heard. Importante ‘yan eh,” he said.
He, however, urged the Navy to “stay out of trouble,” and to “not make it worse.”
“With all the galit and one national official even urging sending the grey ships, warships doon sa China Sea. Alam mo gusto ko ‘yan. Kung ako lang pipiliin ninyo, gusto ko ng action, but I am not in my boyhood age anymore. You do not send grey ships there. Banggaan lang ng barko ‘yan,” he said.
Earlier, the Palace denounced the incident which saw a Chinese vessel hitting a Filipino fishing boat and leaving the 22 Filipino crewmen “at the mercy of the elements.”
The crewmen were saved by a Vietnamese vessel.
The Chinese embassy has admitted a Chinese vessel had hit the boat, but added that the former had been “besieged” by seven or eight Filipino boats while “at berth.”
The embassy added no hit-and-run took place as the Chinese vessel made sure the Filipino boats were rescuing the 22 crewmen before leaving.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed a diplomatic protest in connection with the incident.