Duterte: China won’t allow me to be ousted

FILE: Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was named by Forbes magazine as the world’s most powerful person, assured President Rodrigo Duterte that Beijing would protect him from any move to oust him from his office. (ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was named by Forbes magazine as the world’s most powerful person, assured President Rodrigo Duterte that Beijing would protect him from any move to oust him from his office.

Duterte made this remark in a speech during the send-off ceremony of 50 Filipino scientists who will conduct research on the Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise, in Casaguran, Aurora on May 15, Tuesday.

“The assurances of Xi Jinping was very encouraging, we will not — ayan nandiyan ngayon sila (they are there) — we will not allow you to be taken out from your office and we will not allow the Philippines to go to the dogs,” Duterte said.

“Siguro kasi (Maybe because I’m a) freely elected leader naman ako. It could be a very justified statement,” he added.

It can be recalled that in March 2017, Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano filed an impeachment case against the President over the alleged extrajudicial killings due to his war on drugs, however, the House of Representatives justice committee dismissed this for insufficiency in substance.

Reacting to Duterte’s latest statement, Senator Panfilo Lacson said that no foreign country, but the Philippines and its people, can determine and decide what is best for the country.

“If he really said that, and in the context that we are made to understand, all I can say is, God help the Philippines! We are a democratic and sovereign country,” Lacson said on Wednesday, May 16.

Lacson’s statement was echoed by Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, an opposition leader, saying that Duterte should rely on Filipinos and not on China.

“Ang pahayag bang ito ang kapalit ng pananahimik ng administrasyon sa (Is this statement an exchange for keeping the administration silent on) West Philippine Sea? Is this the reason why we are willing to enter into loans with China even if the interest rates are 4 to 5 times higher than that of Japan or South Korea?” Pangilinan asked.

“Is China support for this administration to ensure its iron clad grip on power? Whose interest is being pursued by depending on China? Is it the nation’s interest or the interest of those in power that is being pushed here?” he added.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, on the other hand, reminded Duterte that no one is trying to oust him from his office.

“No one is trying to kick him out; he is doing the destabilizing all by himself,” Trillanes said as he expressed disbelief over the President’s claims that Beijing would come to the Philippines’ defense once a conflict broke out in the area.

Despite a maritime dispute in the South China Sea (SCS), Duterte and Xi affirmed diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China when they met last month at the Boao Forum for Asia in the Southern province of Hainan.

In his speech yesterday, Duterte believes the nearest country that could help protect the Philippines will be China.

“China said, ‘we will be there.’ Hindi ako sigurado sa Amerikano (I’m not sure with Americans),” the Chief Executive said.

Americans, he added, has “lost its will to fight” and the United States (US) is now “deteriorating.”