Sison says VP Robredo would do better defending the country

EXILED COMMUNIST leader Jose Maria C. Sison said Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo could better in defending the country’s territory in the highly-contested West Philippine Sea than the “traitor, coward or moron” President Rodrigo R. Duterte. In a statement issued July 6, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder said the government of the United States could easily instruct its following within the country’s security forces to have Mr. Duterte taken into custody as a “traitor” and have Ms. Robredo take over the leadership. “On behalf of the Philippines and in accordance with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the [PCA] (Permanent Court of Arbitration) judgment in favor of the Philippines, Robredo can order the filing of cases in the US and other countries, where China has substantial assets, in order to compel China to pay rent for occupying the artificial islands and compensation for the serious damage to the marine environment in the West Philippine Sea,” said Mr. Sison. He made the statement after Mr. Duterte challenged the US to fire the “first shot” at China over sea dispute. BusinessWorld sought for comment from Ms. Robredo’s office, but has yet to reply as of this posting writing. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras