Umalma ang Malakanyang sa report at larawang inilabas ng Philippine Daily Inquirer hinggil sa ‘di umano’y malapit nang makumpletong militarisasyon ng China sa South China Sea.
Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, luma na ang mga larawang inilabas ng pahayagan.
Panahon pa aniya ng administrasyong Aquino nang matapos ang paglalagay ng base militar ng China sa South China Sea at walang nagawa dito ang administrasyon ni dating Pangulong Noynoy Aquino.
Those islands were reclaimed during even the time of the former administration, they were completed in fact during the time of the previous administration and I think, whether not they like it, they intended to use them as military bases.
All that we could do is to instruct a promise from China not to reclaim any new artificial islands but what you featured in your newspaper are all reclaimed islands that were there even before the Duterte administration came to office.
If the Aquino administration was not able to do anything about these artificial islands, what they want us to do? We cannot declare war.
Matatandaang nadagdagan pa ang mga barko ng China sa may bahagi ng Panatag o Scarborough Shoal.
Batay sa ginawang pagpapatrolya ng militar, sinabi ni Lieutenant Colonel Isagani, tagapagsalita ng Northern Luzon Command, mula sa limang (5) barko ng China noong nakaraang linggo, ay naging siyam (9) na ito ngayon.
Apat (4) aniya dito ay barko ng Chinese coast guard, isa ang Chinese fishing vessel habang apat ang unidentified Chinese ships.
