President Duterte has called on the United States to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines amid the tension with China in the West Philippine Sea.
Duterte made the statement days after the Philippines marked the third anniversary of the victorious Hague Ruling recognizing the Philippines’ claim over the disputed waters.
In an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte expressed that he will join the US if they send the Seventh Fleet to China.
“I’m calling now America. I’m invoking the RP-US pact. I would like America to gather all their Seventh Fleet in front of China. I’m asking them now. I will join them,” Duterte said yesterday.
The Seventh Fleet is a military formation of the United States Navy headquartered at US Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Japan, with some units based in Japan and South Korea. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet and has at least 60 ships, 300 aircraft, and 40,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
“I will ride on the boat where admiral of the US. I will drag along Carpio and the rest. When the Americans say, ‘We’re here now, ready,’ I will press them,” he added.
Duterte was referring to Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio who has been urging Duterte to make a stand against China in the West Philippine Sea.
“Maybe that would be the end of Palawan. Palawan may be devastated, maybe occupied, or if there will be nuclear bombs it will dry up. So nothing will grow here, we can just wait, just like a big hole coming our way, to suck us to eternity,” he added. (Argyll Geducos)
