(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, May 4, blamed the United States and former President Benigno Aquino III for Chinese militarization in the South China Sea.
The President made the pronouncement following reports the Chinese have been successful in deploying missiles in Subi Reef, Mischief Reef and Fiery Cross Reef, reefs claimed by the Philippines in the Spratlys.
“So Aquino filed an arbitration case. We won. He was still there. Bakit hindi niya ginawa kung yan talaga ang gusto ng…’yan silang mga yellow,” Duterte said.
The ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s claims to the South China Sea was, however, released on July 12, 2016, days after Duterte assumed the chief executive post.
The President also blamed America, saying it was the lone country that could have stopped China’s militarization, but “it did nothing.”
As for him, he said he was looking at the situation.
So far though, he said a war was out of the question.
“If you declare war, (mauubos) tayo lahat. That is the reality of it all,” he said.