Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. TETCH TORRES-TUPAS/INQUIRER.net
A joint military exercise with China does not make sense, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Monday.
“It is like someone is robbing your house and you have to look for someone to help you. You do not go to a robber to help you, you go to your neighbor or to the police,” Justice Carpio said during the Meet the Inquirer Multimedia event.
“If we invite China to military exercises with us in the West Philippine Sea, we are inviting the very State that wants to seize or grab West Philippine Sea. It does not make sense,” Justice Carpio added.
The Philippines and China have been locked in a conflict over the West Philippine Sea.
READ: Philippines wins arbitration case vs. China over South China Sea
The International Tribunal has already ruled in favor of the Philippines but China refused to recognize the decision.
President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has maintained friendly relations with China, even expressing openness to a joint military exercise in Mindanao. JE/rga
READ: AFP, DND open to conducting PH-China military exercises
RELATED VIDEO
[ventuno id=’OTQ2MTUyfHwyMzY4fHwxMDg2fHwxLDIsMQ==’][/ventuno]
