President Rodrigo Duterte said he is not a lapdog of the US, China or any other country, but only of the Filipino people.
(TOTO LOZANO/Presidential Photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte said he is not a lapdog of the US, China or any other country, but only of the Filipino people.
During his departure speech for Japan at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, Duterte made tirades against the US, reminding the public of the US’ bombing of Manila during the Japanese-American war.
“During the time when Manila was to be taken back by the allies, they carpet bombed Manila. Hindi ang Hapon, sila. The come-backing American force, 200,000 died here, ang Manila talaga flattened with just two days of bombing plus massacre (It was not the Japanese. The come-backing American forces, 200,000 died here, Manila was flattened in just two days of bombing plus massacre),” he said.
Duterte called these “historical hurts that would never go away.”
“You know before we can move forward, Mr. America, there are so many things , the massacre of the Filipino peoples these are historical hurts that would never go away. Depende na lang kung makapresidente ang Pilipinas na tuta ninyo (unless the Philippines gets a President that is your lapdog), you count me out, I’m not one of them,” Duterte said.
“I am not also a tuta of any country. Ang pwede lang magtuta sa akin ang Pilipino,period, walang iba (I am also not a lapdog of any country, I will only be subservient to the Filipino people, period, no one else),” he said.
Duterte also said that he has no intention of “sparking international distress” referring to the headlines of a national newspaper.
“What did I do to China, I went there just being nice o tingnan mo ang lumabas, Duterte sparks international distress, kaliit-liit kong tao (I am just a small man),” he said.
“Nerbyoso kayo, kasi guilty (You’re just nervous because you’re guilty),” he said.
In his meeting with Foreign Secetary Perfecto Yasay on Monday, Daniel Russel US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said Duterte’s controversial statements “has created consternation in a number of countries” not only in the US.
He said that this is “not a positive trend”.
Duterte in his departure speech said Russel asked Yasay, “if we can just tone down the rhetoric.”
But Duterte said that there was a lot of speculation on his pronouncements and added that he is only following what is stated in the Constitution.
Based in Article II, Section 7: “The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its relations with other states the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination.”
“There was a lot of speculation. Look at article 7 it states very clearly. That the Philippines shall follow an independent foreign policy, sinunod ko lang yun (I was just following it),” he said.
Although he said that he does not want any other foreign soldier in the country, Duterte has not categorically said whether he will rescind the Enhanced Defense Cooperative Agreement or not.
“If I stay here long enough one day that EDCA will, if it’s an executive agreement then I will … I do not want to see any military man of any other nation except the Filipino soldier,” he said.
Duterte said that he hopes Japan understands his position on foreign policy.
“I go to Japan with full trust that we can understand each other. And Japan would understand my position vis-à-vis the foreign policy that I want to implement. It’s just a question of a policy that is really, truly, Filipino,” he said.(davaotoday.com)
