Duterte tells of status quo: No movement, no materials for repair

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night said he conceded nothing to China during his administration.

Duterte, however, adverted to a status quo in which neither the Philippines nor China would make any move that would disrupt the South China Sea—including the bringing of construction materials to the BRP Sierra Madre.

“The only thing I remember was that status quo. That’s the word… No movement, no armed patrols there. As is, where is, para hindi tayo magkagulo,” Duterte said in a late night presser that was aired live on SMNI’s Facebook page.

“‘Yun ang naalala ko. I do not even know the Ayungin Shoal,” he added.

(As is, where is so there would be no tension. That’s what I remember. I don’t even know the Ayungin Shoal.)

“I assure you that if it was a gentleman’s agreement, it would always have been an agreement that will keep the peace in the South China Sea,” Duterte said.

Asked about what former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said about the agreement prohibiting construction materials for the repair of rundown BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal, Duterte said, “As is, where is nga. You cannot bring in materials to repair and improve. Wala ‘yan.”

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he was “horrified” by the supposed gentleman’s agreement entered into by Duterte with the Chinese government regarding the BRP Sierra Madre.

“Ang sinasabi sa agreement na ‘yan ay kinakailangan tayong magpermiso sa ibang bansa para gumalaw sa ating sariling teritoryo. Mahirap siguro sundan ‘yang ganyang klaseng agreement,” Marcos said in an interview.

(What that agreement is saying is that we need to seek permission from another country to move in our own territory. That kind of agreement is hard to honor.)

“I am horrified by the idea that we have compromised into a secret agreement the territory, the sovereign rights of the Filipino,” he added.

He said he is waiting for Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to return to the Philippines and explain the said agreement. 

Told about Marcos’ remarks, Duterte said, “Stop complaining and expounding on it. Do it and repair. ‘Yun ang masasabi ko sa kanila.”

(That’s what I want to tell them.)

“I challenge them dahil sila naman ang nasa gobyerno ngayon. I-repair nila at gumawa ng bahay-bahay if they are really ready for that,” Duterte said.

(I challenge them because they are now the ones in government. Let them build structures there if they are ready for that.)

“I-patrol na nila ‘yung Philippine Navy, gray ships, and let us see what will happen,” he added.

(Let the Philippine Navy with its gray ships patrol the area and let us see what will happen.) —NB, GMA Integrated News