Duterte breaks silence on sinking of PH boat: ‘It’s a little maritime accident’; Go unconvinced China ship purposedly hit PH boat

Duterte breaks silence on sinking of PH boat: ‘It’s a little maritime accident’
Nestor Corrales -June 17, 2019 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1131245/duterte-breaks-silence-on-sinking-...

ANGLEY POINT, Cavite — President Rodrigo Duterte broke his silence on the sinking of a Filipino boat by a Chinese vessel at Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea and called it a “little maritime accident.”

Duterte said in his speech at the 121st Philippine Navy Anniversary here that politicians are just making the situation worse.

“Pero ‘yang nangyari diyan sa banggaan, that is a maritime incident. ‘Wag kayong maniwala sa mga politiko na bobo, gusto papuntahin yung Navy. You do not send gray ships there. Banggaan lang ng barko ‘yan, do not make it worse,” he said.

(What happened there is a collision. That is a maritime incident. Don’t believe stupid politicians. They want the Navy to go there. You do not send gray ships there. It’s just a collision, do not make it worse.)

The President even said the Philippines is not ready for a nuclear war.

“Alam ninyong mga sundalo, miscommunication lang patay na (You know how is it with soldiers, a miscommunication could lead to death). And we are not yet as ready, and we can never be ready in a nuclear war. Because in a nuclear war, kung bitawan lahat ‘yan, earth will dry up and we will all be destroyed, and that is the end of everything,” he said.

Duterte ssaid the public should wait and listen to China’s side.

“Maritime incident is a maritime incident. It is best investigated. And I do not now issue statement because there is no investigation and there is no result. Then the only thing we can do is to wait and give the other party the right to be heard,” he said.

The chief executive said he wants to hear China’s side.

“Oh, China, marami ka man binigay, ano ba dito ang totoo? Oh tapos nag nangyari, ganito… Then let us sort, ano ang ma-sort natin diyan. Ano ang totoo?” he said.

(Oh, China, you gave us plenty, but what is the truth here? What happened? Then let us sort. What is the truth?)

“Dalawang bangka lang ‘yan (There were only two boats involved). Now you go there and create a tension. I said, hindi ako gago na presidente na papayag noon (As President, I cannot allow that). If we have to die, we must have to die in the correct way and to die with dignity. Hindi yung basta bangga ka nang ka-bangga diyan,” he added.

He told the Navy and the troops to “stay out of trouble.”

“Just build on our own. ‘Wag muna tayong makialam (Let’s not meddle). Do not allow a little maritime accident…,” he said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said that a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino boat at Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea and abandoned the sinking ship with 22 fishermen.

“Kung ako lang ang papipiliin niyo, gusto ko ng aksyon (If you ask me, I prefer action). But I am not in my boyhood age anymore. I have a duty that is a burden, sometimes more than I can carry,” Duterte said. (Editor: Eden Estopace)

Go unconvinced China ship purposedly hit PH boat
Marlon Ramos - June 17, 2019 https://globalnation.inquirer.net/176456/go-unconvinced-china-ship-purpo...

MANILA, Philippines — Even President Rodrigo Duterte’s closest aide, incoming Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, apparently remains unconvinced by the testimony of 22 Filipino fishermen that their fishing boat was rammed and destroyed by a Chinese trawler at Recto in the West Philippine Sea.

“We are currently waiting for the result of the ongoing investigation of both the Chinese government and our government to determine exactly whether the collision was a maritime accident or an intentional act on the part of the Chinese vessel,” Go said in a statement issued on Monday.

“This matter should be discussed by the two countries in a diplomatic manner. Should there be findings that there was a deliberate act to harm the Filipino fishing boat, the perpetrators should be made to answer,” he said.

Despite the admission of the Chinese Embassy that the crew of the Chinese trawler did not help the Filipino fishermen after the collision, Go said it should be ascertained if the action of the Chinese fishermen violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas.

He said it should also be determined if the decision of the Chinese crew to abandon the Filipinos in the high seas was “justified.”