MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte explained why he could not fulfill his campaign promise of riding a jet ski to the West Philippine Sea to assert the country's sovereignty.
The president recently visited Casiguran, Aurora to sendoff a team of Filipino scientists who would be conducting a research in Benham or Philippine Rise, which is located in the eastern seaboard.
Duterte was supposed to ride a jet ski on the waters of Casiguran Bay but his son Sebastian and special assistant Bong Go pushed through instead, which critics dub as a mere publicity stunt.
During one of the presidential debates in 2016, Duterte promised to ride a jet ski and plant a flag on one of the contested features in the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing has installed missile systems, jamming equipment and landed military aircraft on its three outposts on the Spratly Islands in the contested waters. — Patricia Lourdes Viray