Duterte wants China to patrol southern Philippine waters
By Arjay L. Balinbin
CHINA MAY be invited to help patrol waters bounded by the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia to get rid of pirates and terrorists in the area, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
“If we are not capable, we’ll just have to call China in and blow them off just like (what it did in) Somalia, that Aden Strait there. Were it not for the presence of the Chinese, the piracy there wouldn’t stop,” Mr. Duterte said in his speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) prior to his departure for the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and India’s Republic Day Celebration.
The President noted that what is mostly being discussed at the ASEAN meeting is “all trade and commerce,” and there is not any “platform for terrorism and other problems of law and order.”
“So what’s the use of meeting just once a year? And probably the ministerial level, once every three months,” Mr. Duterte said, adding that there are pressing security issues with regards to “Celebes, Sulu Sea, and Moluccas.”
“They cannot accomplish anything because ’yung waters natin (our waters are) contiguous to the archipelago of the Philippines is getting to be dangerous. And yet it is only Indonesia who’s active there,” he added.
Mr. Duterte said he wants “extreme measures” to combat pirates and terrorists in the area. “Blow them up in the high seas. Destroy them. Use cannons. Otherwise, if we do not do the extreme measures, we’d always be at the mercy of criminals.”
He thanked India for inviting the Philippines to the summit, and noted the opportunity “that we can do something about the other allied problems of each other’s governance.”
Mr. Duterte also talked about an upcoming meeting in Australia. “It’s all about security again. Pagusapan na natin dito. (Let’s talk about this.) Let us talk what would be the platform that we will represent. Otherwise, ako pa naman nagsabi na (I once said that) I do not want to go to Australia.”
Sought for comment, Renato C. de Castro, an international studies professor at De La Salle University, said Mr. Duterte should exercise “prudence” in dealing with China.
Mr. De Castro also said the President’s pronouncements could have something to do with the “economic interests” that his administration has been pushing, specifically the “Build, Build, Build” program as it involves China.
“If it wasn’t for the report of Magdalo Representative Gary C. Alejano, we wouldn’t know that China is conducting research on Benham Rise,” Mr. De Castro noted.
For his part, National Security Adviser Roilo A. Golez said calling China to patrol the area should be a “collective effort” among the countries involved, especially where “international waters” are concerned.
