Duterte vows to defend PH territory in disputed sea

DAVAO CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte reaffirmed his commitment to defend the Philippines’ territory in the South China Sea even as he received an official of the Chinese Embassy on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, Duterte said he did not mention the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines during his meeting with his Chinese guest, whose name was not released to the media.

Duterte entertained officials from the Korean, Japanese and Chinese embassies at a guesthouse in Davao City, where he has been holding court weeks before he assumes office.

“I refused to discuss South China Sea. It’s something that is also dependent on the development of the arbitration case we filed,” Duterte told reporters, referring to  the Philippines’ challenge to China’s claim to almost all of the South China Sea in the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

China refuses to recognize the case, but the court is expected to hand down a decision in the coming weeks.

“I cannot talk to them (China) about anything until I get hold of the verdict, whether it’s favorable or not. Because then I’ll confirm our position,” Duterte said.