Pinagpapaliwanag ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang China dahil sa patuloy na konstruksyon nito sa Scarborough Shoal, sa kabila ng arbitral ruling na nagsasabing walang basehan ang territorial claims ng China sa nasabing lugar.

Inatasan ng Pangulo ang Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na ipatawag ang Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines upang pagpaliwanagin na rin hinggil sa presensya ng Chinese vessels doon.

Ang direktiba ay inisyu ng Pangulo sa closed-door meeting sa Cabinet security cluster sa Davao City kahapon ng umaga, ayon kay Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

“Why is China treating us this way? Is it because we are a small country which does not have the capability of standing up to them militarily?,” pagbanggit ni Piñol sa pahayag ng Pangulo.

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Sa security meeting, ipinakita umano ni Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ang surveillance photos ng Chinese vessels sa Panatag Shoal.

“President Duterte, who has been very diplomatic in his approach in solving the West Philippine Sea row with China, was apparently displeased by the proofs of Chinese impunity in violating the International Arbitration ruling,” ayon kay Piñol. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)