PRRD remarks on MDT with US is challenge to critics: Palace

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Malacañan Palace on July 11, 2019. ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark that he would invoke the Philippines’ mutual defense treaty (MDT) with the United States was a challenge to his critics and detractors to go with him in the event of armed attack in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacañang said on Thursday.

In a Palace media briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the same remark by the President was just another ‘sarcasm’.

“Still the same. Because he (Duterte) knows that you cannot invoke that treaty without any armed assault or attack against any of the parties in that treaty,” Panelo said.

“He kept on saying that by way of putting into absurdity the criticism by the critics and detractors — and challenging them that in the event of any armed attack and the treaty will be operational, then these critics and detractors which the President has named should go with him in defending the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

In a TV interview on Pastor Quiboloy’s show early Wednesday (July 17) morning, Duterte said he would invoke the MDT and would ask Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and other critics who pushed him to aggressively enforce the arbitral ruling which nullifies China’s claims in the disputed waters to accompany him in the event of an armed attack.

“I’m calling now. Now, I’m calling now America. I am invoking the RP-US pact, and I would like America to gather all their Seventh Fleet in front of China.

I’m asking them now and I will join them, and I will ride on the boat where the admiral of the US,” Duterte said.

“But I will drag along this Carpio and the rest of the — Albert,” he added.

Panelo said despite several other non-war options to resolve the sea row against China, the “best” option is still through diplomatic negotiations.

“The very effective method of getting whatever benefits we can achieve from the arbitral ruling could be gotten in the diplomatic negotiations,” Panelo said.

On July 15, the US reaffirmed that any armed attack against the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea will trigger Article IV of the 1951 MDT.

Although the US did not discuss calls for a review on the defense pact, the Philippines vowed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.