Duterte questions US loyalty amid maritime dispute

Is the United States a true ally of the Philippines?

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday questioned the loyalty of the US amid the maritime dispute of the Philippines with China.

Despite diplomatic protests, China has conducted massive reclamation on the disputed islands, building structures and airstrips in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

China also recently fueled tensions by deploying an advanced surface-to-air missile system to one of the islands it controls in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: China deploys missiles on disputed South China Sea island–report

“Sinasabi ko nga bakit ito dumating sa panahon na ganito. Iyong ginagawa pa iyong Spratly ng China mga structures diyan, nandiyan naman iyong 7th fleet (ng US Navy) nila sa Pacific, bakit hindi nila pinuntahan doon at pinara nila. Na this is a violation of international law, you cannot construct man-made (structures),” Duterte said in an ambush interview at University of the Philippines Diliman.

Is the US not a good ally? “To that extent, yes,” Duterte said. “I am still surprised until now na pinaabot nila iyong problema na ganito kabigat,” he added.

“E bakit noong they were just building those structures there,  pumunta na sana ang Amerika dun.”

But the tough-talking mayor said he would not want the Philippines to go war with China.

“Why should we go to war? What can we gain?” he said.

“What do we get if we go to war? Do you think we can match the military strength of China?”

He said the US would never die for the Philippines.

“And the most critical question is, would the Americans be on our side at that moment? ’Yan ang mahirap,” he said.

In previous statements, Duterte said he was open to a dialogue with China on our maritime dispute, saying he was amenable to a joint exploration on the gas-rich sea. RC

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