Duterte to ‘demand’ fishing rights of Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines cannot expect the US “to die for us,” so the country “will just have to navigate our way around” and go to China.

President Duterte vowed to “demand” the fishing rights of Filipinos and to talk of a possible joint venture for oil exploration when he goes to China.

“I’m willing to talk. I’m going to China…I will present the problem,” Duterte in a speech during the inauguration of the Filinvest Development Corp. power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental on Thursday.

“You can just imagine if we can get their help in the years to come,” the President said.

According to Duterte, the rights of Filipino fishermen is non-negotiable and should be given back by China.

He noted the Philippines and China were previously talking of a joint gas exploration in the contested areas in the South China Sea.

“When former president Benigno Aquino rose to power, he stopped it so China got angry. They are really mad at him,” Duterte said.

Malacañang has yet to announce the date for Duterte’s visit to China, although it earlier said it would be within the year.

Duterte also said he is going to use the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague as parameters in talking with China.

The PCA rendered China’s claim to historic rights through its nine-dash line in the South China Sea as contrary to international law.

It determined that none of the Spratlys could be considered islands because they cannot sustain a stable human community or independent economic life.

The court also found China guilty of damaging the marine environment by building artificial islands and illegally preventing Filipinos from fishing and conducting oil exploration in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

China has repeatedly said it would not honor the decision.