“President Duterte told military officers in Manila on Tuesday that he would not allow government forces to conduct joint patrols of disputed waters near the South China Sea with foreign powers.”
In behalf of President Duterte, The Philippines could answer the question of Australian Prime Minister Julie Bishop by how the colorful words uttered regarding the U.N. Hague ruling for South China Sea as follow:
1. We have the U.N. that judged the disputes then it must have the U.N. Police to implement the law.
2. It is not right for the U.N. to have the ruling then watch the feuding parties to fight ‘til who would win because they don’t have their police.
3. It is not right for the U.N. to rely on who wants to “Police” to implement their law. Washington, Australia, Japan, Philippines and other countries have their own national interests in the area so what does it mean? The powerful would always win if anyone is allowed to police to implement the U.N. ruling.
4. The ruling of U.N. is just a word without teeth and the Philippines doesn’t want to bite that dust and watch the handful soldiers fight and die.
5. Why should the Philippines joined in patrolling the South China Sea if it is not capable to fight against the worlds’ top most powerful?
6. The Philippines is more concerned on internal issues on the war on drugs and the ISIS linked terrorists Abu Sayyaf, how could the country solve the external issues without addressing first the internal issues?
Julie Bishop issues 'please explain' to Philippines' Duterte
Foreign Secretary Julie Bishop has questioned Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte after he said he won't join US patrols through contested areas of the South China Sea.- WPA Pool
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has questioned Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte after he said his navy would not be joining further US patrols through contested areas of the South China Sea, despite the fact the nation initiated the push back on China's power in the region.
Mr. Duterte, who in recent days has called for US troops to move out of the Southern Philippines and hinted at buying Russian and Chinese weapons, said he did not want his country involved in US freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea.
"We will not join any expedition or [be] patrolling the sea. I will not allow it because I do not want my country to be in involved in a hostile act," Mr. Duterte said on Tuesday.
In July, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled China's claim historic rights within the areas falling within the "nine-dash line" had no legal basis.
Australia has attracted the wrath of Beijing for calling for China to abide by the recent Hague ruling after supporting the Philippines' right to take the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the first place. Ms. Bishop said Mr. Duterte should be questioned over why he does not want to enforce the ruling of the court considering his country brought the case to the court.
"I have been informed that the President of the Philippines has announced that the Philippines, as a claimant state and as the state that instigated the arbitration, has announced that the Philippines will not be sending their ships into contested areas.
"So the question should be directed to the Philippines as to what they are doing to reinforce the arbitration findings," she told reporters on Wednesday.
MS Bishop said she was surprised by Mr. Duterte's latest position.
"Well aren't you surprised that the Philippines is now not going to traverse the territory that the arbitration has just found is in the Philippines EEZ [exclusive economic zone]? And that the arbitration found that China was in breach of the Philippines sovereignty?
"And now the Philippines have said they withdraw from those contested areas the arbitration has found were within the Philippines EEZ?" she said.
Asked whether she was suggesting the Philippines should be being more active in the South China Sea, she said, "Well, the Philippines is a claimant state"
After MS Bishop warned Beijing their international reputation was at stake if they did not abide by the Hague ruling, China said MS Bishop's comment's were "wrong" and "shocking". –with source from Fairfax Media
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