President Duterte surprised everyone with his speech in Palawan recently when he threatened to send his soldiers on a suicide mission if China does not pull out its ships near Pag-asa Island which is occupied by the Philippines.
Our people closely monitoring the developments in the West Philippine Sea have long been waiting for our government to make a move concerning China’s blatant aggressive behavior and bullying tactics over the years.
Everyone is aware that China has built and militarized artificial islands to reinforce its control in the area. Beijing announced in May 2018 that it successfully landed bombers on islands under its control for the first time. They also prevented the entry of our fishermen at the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal.
The President’s defiant statement came days after the government claimed that as many as 275 Chinese boats and ships were spotted around Pag-asa Island in recent months.
Duterte drew admiration from the public when he stated: “Let us be friends, but do not touch Pagasa Island and the rest.”
The President clarified that if the Chinese made any moves in the area, he would tell his troops to prepare for a suicide mission. He added that this was not a warning but a piece of advice to his friends.
Pag-asa Island, which has a small Philippine military garrison and about a hundred civilians, lies about 500 kilometers from Palawan. The arrival of hundreds of Chinese boats and ships around it simply could not escape the public eye.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the presence of Chinese vessels in large numbers and recurring periods was illegal and a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty.
An independent analysis conducted by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) on the vessels around Pag-asa Island since January concluded that these were made up of dozens of fishing vessels and ships of the Chinese Coast Guard and People’s Liberation Army.
In an attempt to thwart China’s influence, the United States under President Trump executed freedom-of-navigation exercises in the area.
China clearly has no intention of backing down, however. In a statement to a US official in June 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping said they would not give up an inch of territory.
No one wants war. In the event that it breaks, we may not match China in terms of soldiers and firepower. We can only boast of a fighting heart and our readiness to die for freedom and sovereignty of the Motherland.
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