(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his stand he was “not prepared to go to war” amid criticisms the Philippines was not doing enough to protect its claims in the South China Sea.
“We just don’t have the capability..,” the President said in a speech at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command Headquarters at Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City on May 1, Tuesday.
According to Duterte, in the first place, America should have done something while China was undertaking its construction activities in contested areas.
“(Former President Benigno) Aquino (III) was correct that the only entity that could stop them at that time was America. Wala nang iba,” he said.
He said for his part, he has secured a promise from the Chinese that there would no longer be construction activities on Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal), in which the Philippines has a stake.
He said he was also going to the Philippine Rise because it was its “anniversary.”
“I am not prepared to go to war just to lose,” he said.