President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he never promised when he was still campaigning that he would retake the West Philippine Sea.

In his weekly ‘Talk to the People’, Duterte said he did not promise that he would pressure China over the disputed territorial waters.

“I never, never in my campaign as president, promised the people that I would retake the West Philippine Sea. I did not promise that I would pressure China. I never mentioned about China and the Philippines in my campaign because that — it was a very serious matter,” he said.

Duterte said the disputes need to have a diplomatic aspect which is the job of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

He added that his critics, former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio pretended to work on the issue.

“You pretended to work on it… I never promised anything. Just because I’m president you want me to argue with them… We have ships there (in the West Philippine Sea) and I told them to stay put,” he said.

Duterte then said there is no need to be rude and disrespectful with China even if there is a conflict in the sea.

“China remains to be our benefactor and just because — if I may just add something to the narrative — just because we have a conflict with China does not mean to say that we have to be rude and disrespectful,” he said.

“As a matter of fact, we have many things to thank China for their help in the past and their help now,” he added.

Duterte then blamed Del Rosario and Carpio for giving away the islands under the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to China.

He said the situation in the West Philippine Sea would have been different if the two former officials did not ask the Philippine Coast Guard to back out in 2014 when Chinese government was being aggressive in the territorial disputes.

Duterte said Chinese President Xi Jinping told him that Del Rosario and Carpio are the one who “gifted” the islands to them.

“They gave it away then you have the temerity to blame anybody for your— in the diplomatic term ‘faux pas’,” he said. “When I (became the President) these two blame me because I am not asserting (our claim) enough.”

Duterte revealed that Del Rosario was not given any permission by the former administration to make such an order.

“Then you will blame me when it happened way back in 2014 when the Philippine Coast Guard was ordered to retreat by… I don’t know. I was still a mayor that time and I want to tell the military why they listened (to them)?… He made the order after the suggestion of America who brokered the talks. In a sense, the talks failed in favor of China,” he added.

Duterte said the two former officials want to free themselves from liability over what they did.

“Why did you order (PCG) to retreat? You should have sent (ships) and we had a war before and the two of you should have died now since you two are a lynch who brought misery to our country. Now, history is being made, recorded everyday, you want yourselves to free from any liability,” he said.

He reiterated that he  informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about the country’s resources in the West Philippine Sea during their first meeting.

Duterte said as long as fishermen are allowed to fish in the West Philippine Sea, he will not argue with China.

“I told them— We are not going to argue— Just allow the fishermen because people need to eat. China, I know that it’s yours, according to you, I’ve heard that several times. But you know, you — you must also have heard of the fact that people are hungry, Filipinos are hungry  and you are not oblivious to that fact,” he said.

“So kindly just allow our fishermen to fish in peace and since there is no reason for trouble, if there is one brewing, you call our attention and we can talk immediately to solve the problem,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS