MANILA – Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he is not afraid of a possible war with China “taking what’s ours” in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Answering a netizen on Twitter on Wednesday, Locsin pointed out that the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in Philippines’ favor regarding the disputed waters.
“The stand is that it is ours. And they took it. World’s highest court ruled that. Period,” Locsin said in response to a question on DFA’s stand on Beijing’s show of power in the disputed territory.
“Now the question is how to take it back. I personally have no fear of war,” he added. “One attack on a public vessel triggers World War 3 with the USofA which is impervious to attack from Asia.”
Locsin added that Manila could not defend its maritime territory before because former US President Barrack Obama “was in love with China” and told Beijing it was “okay to take what it wants from the Philippines.”
The Hague in July, 2016 recognized the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, which the Filipino called as WPS.
China however refused to recognize the ruling and has built artificial islands there and has prohibited Filipino fishermen from fishing and interfered in petroleum exploration./PN
