Duterte breaks silence on ‘promised’ BRP Sierra Madre removal: ‘They’re dreaming’
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"They're dreaming," former president Rodrigo Duterte said as he broke his silence over the claims that the Philippines, during his administration, promised to remove the Philippine Navy's commissioned vessel BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
In a recent episode of his program 'Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa' over the SMNI News Channel earlier this week, Duterte bluntly denied giving out "an inch of territory" to China during his term.
"I did not discuss anything about territory. For one, what is there on the map is ours. We are not claiming an area over what is really legally ours. So, that Sierra Madre—is claimed by the Philippines as ours (in) that area—so let it just remain there," he said.
Duterte agreed that setting up the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin symbolizes the country's sovereign rights over the WPS.
"Maybe, as a symbolic thing, to put a notice on everybody na atin 'yan (that it is ours), which is good. Kung ako ang tanungin mo, prangkahan ko lang either kung sino ang nakikinig dyan (If you would ask me, I will tell you frankly, to whoever is listening now)—whether its a foreign country or the government)" he said.
"Kung ako magdala ako ng maraming barko sa navy na sira-sira butasan ko 'yan dun. Iwan ko. Ilayo ko pa na parang buffer zone (If I were to ask, I would bring many decommissioned and broken navy ships in there. I will leave them there. I will even scatter them as a buffer zone) so that there can be no issue about. I said I would not give an inch that is owned by my country," Duterte stressed.
Duterte emphasized that defending the country's territory should be spared from being a good friend to China.
"Iba yung mag-kaibigan tayo, iba yung teritoryo ko. Ang liit-liit na nga natin tapos kukunan pa nila. Hindi na maganda yan," he said.
Earlier, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo categorically denied that she made promises to China or any other country.
"First, I never made such a promise to China or any other country. Second, I never authorized any government officials to make such a promise. Third, I only became aware of such claims recently, when the matter surfaced in public discussions," she said.
China insists that Ayungin Shoal, which it calls Ren'ai Jiao, is part of its territory.
But the Philippines maintains its sovereignty over the shoal as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral ruling.
