Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a speech at the provincial capitol of Rizal on March 7. INQUIRER PHOTO
It’s the President’s fault.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday blamed President Benigno Aquino III for the ongoing reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
During his miting de avance at Luneta, Duterte said Aquino ordered Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to do back channel negotiations with China at the height of the Philippines’ maritime dispute with the giant nation.
The tough-talking mayor said the President stopped former Navy officer Nicanor Faeldon from going to Scarborough Shoal in 2011 so as not to preempt the negotiations done by Trillanes.
Faeldon followed the orders of Aquino.
Duterte questioned Trillanes for travelling to China 16 times.
He said after Trillanes’ negotiations and series of travels, China started its reclamation on the shoal.
If elected president, Duterte said he would launch an investigation on Trillanes and Aquino.