Duterte vows to join troops if war breaks out
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has vowed to be in the frontlines if he could not prevent the country from going to war with China.
President Duterte made the bold statement amid tensions affecting the country’s sovereignty. The Chinese military’s continued encroachment on the waters of the South China Sea is a strong point of discussion in the Philippines diplomatic relationship with the world superpower.
While the Philippines has repeatedly reached out to China to adhere to international treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, China has insisted on its own arbitrary nine-dash line.
The Philippines, meanwhile, is only one of many parties in conflict with Chinese claims of territorial waters.
At the same time, Mr. Duterte said the Philippines intends to pursue a path of peace, agreeing this early that the country cannot afford to go to war.
“I swear to God, I will be first,” he told soldiers during the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command, adding in jest that he can just be given dress fatigues that he can wear to war.
The President was the guest of honor at the event. The Eastmincom has operational jurisdiction in most areas of Regions 10, 11, 12, and 13.
“When the time comes. I will be there to join you,” he said. “You lead, because you know more (about warfare) than I do. But I will be there to share with you. We all go together.”
The much-needed morale boost from the Philippine head of state comes amid a time when the AFP is asking for more allocation to finally pursue modernization.
For example, President Duterte has criticized the purchase of the previous administration of Korean fighter jets, while advocating for high-tech equipment such as state-of-the-art weapons and night vision goggles, to name a few.
Mr. Duterte even said that he was not a fan of the bidding process, which would cost the lives of his men and women in the armed forces because of their low quality.
During the event, he warned that the country is going to “experience another spasm.”
“When? I do not know. Is that sure? That’s certain. So we prepare within our limited talent, our capacity,” he said. “It will come, maybe sooner than later. But we have to prepare.”
He explained that this is the reason why the government must resolve the “small wars” here, referring to the communist New People’s Army and the Moro groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front “because you have to focus on a new (war).”
Duterte did not specify against whom the preparations would be. He repeatedly said the country must avoid trouble with China.
“We still cannot afford it,” Duterte said.
But he told the audience that he met with the Chinese Ambassador – he did not say when – and told him that during the bilateral talks with their head of state, “I would state my case… I have this arbitral judgment. We will not go out of the four corners of this paper. Then, let us talk. But not now. It’s not the right time to talk about it,” he said.
He said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had asked for additional 20,000 forces in the army but “I can only give you 10(,000) this year. I will give it – 10,000 more. Then I would like .. preferably younger ones, because if does not happen, then let’s thank God.”
“There’s always the standing army to protect us. Never mind how many, even if it really causes an imbalance in the budget. It is always good to have men there ready to fight and die, rather than having them at all and just surrender just like a meek lamb there,” he said.
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