The Philippines would be a target of China if its tensions with the United States spiral out of control following the expanded American military presence in the country, former President Rodrigo Duterte said in a television interview.
In a television interview earlier this week, Duterte said he “regularly” meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to keep an open discussion with the Communist nation and relay that the Philippines “does not have a quarrel with China.”
However, the former President said Huang stressed that if the Marcos administration “provides places where there can be an aggressive action toward China, the Philippines would always be a target.”
Duterte, who had a policy of appeasing China despite its incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his term, questioned the government’s decision to grant the US government access to more military bases in the Philippines.
In April, the Palace identified four new sites for its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US, all located in the Luzon region — a move that China denounced.
The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reiterated that the EDCA sites are meant to beef up Filipino military capacity.
“It would not only be destructive,” Duterte said. “I believe that the Philippines would be a graveyard if war comes.”
“These were the things in my mind when I was pondering the entrance of these EDCA into my country,” he added.
“If we are fighting a war and destroying the allies nearby, the Philippines will surely be hit because of the presence of military forces of the US,” Duterte said.
“What is really sad is the Philippines granting military bases to the US.”
Thinking that the US would not bring nuclear weapons to the Philippines would be “too pretty naive or stupidity,” the ex-leader added.
“I said by granting America several bases, we can be sure, and I am sure as the sun will rise in the east, that these nuclear bases… will have nuclear warheads,” Duterte said.
Radioactive materials falling on the Philippines would remain in the country for more than 50 years, he warned.
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday guaranteed a “super majority” vote to elevate to the United Nation General Assembly China’s aggressive incursion on the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
He stressed that the Senate has one stand on the WPS.
“It’s not unanimous, but it’s a super majority vote,” he said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, said she is striving to get the Senate majority’s support in bringing the WPS issue to the UNGA before session resumes next month.
The senator previously filed Senate Resolution 659, calling on the Philippine government to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS.
“I am positive that the majority of my colleagues in the Senate will support this resolution,” said Hontiveros.
“I am pleased to hear the support of majority senators and I am striving to get a consensus,” she added.
The proposal to raise the WPS issue to the UNGA was first put forward by former Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who said that the Philippines can win should the matter of China complying with the 2016 Arbitral Award be put to a vote.
Hontiveros pointed out that an UNGA win can have meaningful and consequential outcomes not only for the Philippines but for the wider international community whose peace and security is also threatened by China’s aggression.
“The 2016 Hague ruling must be recognized and respected by all UN member-states, particularly China. The UNGA vote is one way to do it and I hope we can truly unite and rally behind this cause,” Hontiveros added.