President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (File photo)
MANILA – Chinese President Xi Jinping said former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario practically gave Philippine islands as a “gift” to China, President Rodrigo Duterte said.
In a pre-recorded speech late Monday night, Duterte lashed out at Carpio and del Rosario anew, reminding them about the “faux pas” when the country lost control over a Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal to China during the previous administration.
“Sabi nga ni Xi Jinping na ‘Ah alam namin. Iyong ‘yong dalawang si Albert pati si Carpio ang nagregalo sa amin niyang mga islands mo eh' (Xi Jinping actually said ‘Ah we know. Those two, Albert and Carpio, gave us your islands as a gift.’),” Duterte quoted Xi as saying. “Tapos (And then) you have the temerity to blame anybody for your --- in diplomatic term ‘faux pas’.”
He blamed them for bringing "misery" to the country over the past government's decision to withdraw ships from the Scarborough Shoal.
“Tanungin mo bakit pinaatras ninyo? Hindi kayo nagpadala doon at nagkagiyera na sana tayo noon, tapos na sana kayong dalawa because kayo ang (Why did you back down? Why didn’t you send ships and go to war then? It would have been the end of you because you are the) a linchpin who brought misery to our country. Ngayon na (Now that) history is being made, recorded every day, you want yourselves to free from any liability,” he added.
Duterte rejected Caprio and Del Rosario’s allegations that he was not “asserting enough” in the maritime row with China.
“Puro naman tayo abugado siguro (We are all lawyers here). What would be the best evidence really to fight for and die for? If they have a piece of paper and say I am going to die, I’m going to fight for my life, for my property and for my happiness, ipag-away ko ‘to, bakit hindi ninyo ginawa kayong mga p***** i** ninyo (I will fight over this, why didn’t you do it)?” he said.
He told Carpio to shut up and questioned his efforts to resolve the Philippines’ conflict with China during his term at the Supreme Court.
“Itong si Carpio tumaba na nang husto. Walang ginawa kung hindi magdaldal. Tumahimik ka ngang p***** i** mo. Leche ka. Tapos madaldal daw ako nagmumura. Eh bakit? Ganoon naman talaga ako (Carpio grew fat. He has done nothing but talk. Shut up son of a b***h. I supposedly talk and curse a lot. So what? That’s how I am),” he said. “Anong nagawa mo? Anong nagawa mo pagka-Supreme Court mo (What did you do? What did you do when you were in the Supreme Court)?”
Duterte said del Rosario is responsible for the Philippines losing possession of the Scarborough Shoal, saying he would have done it differently if he were in charge.
“Itong Albert na ito ako pa ang sinisisi. Kung makita kita suntukin kita eh.Buang ka. Huwag mong pakialaman --- ako ang nakialam? Now pagdating ko nandiyan na ‘yong barko ng China, ang atin ang wala. Buti sana kung nandiyan ‘yong barko ng China tapos pagdating ko mayroon tayong barko. Iyon, ibang istorya ‘yon. Magkahiyaan tayo doon (This Albert keeps blaming me. If I see you, I will punch you. You’re crazy. Don’t meddle. The ships of China were there, ours were not. If China’s ships were there while ours were too it would have been a different story),” he added.
In a speech on April 28, Duterte chided the past administration’s alleged negligence to act on China’s activities in the strategic waters.
“Kung bright kayo, bakit nawala ang West Philippine Sea sa atin? Panahon ninyo ‘yun eh. Panahon ninyo nung nandiyan kayo sa puwesto. Ngayong China na ang naghawak doon, ako na ang nil*****os ninyong gumawa ng paraan (If you are bright, why did we lose the West Philippine Sea? The dispute happened during your time. Now that China is controlling it, why are you forcing me to find a way to address the sea row)?” he said.
China seized control of the Scarborough Shoal in a controversial standoff where China blocked the access of Filipino fishermen in the area in 2012.
The Aquino administration withdrew the country’s ships from the shoal upon the intervention of the United States while China decided to keep its ships in the area, effectively taking control of the shoal then.
On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case it lodged against China after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated Beijing's nine-dash line claim over the contested waters.
China refused to acknowledge the arbitral ruling and instead ramped up its militarization.
Tensions remain between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea, but Duterte has stood pat on a “careful, calibrated, and calculated” approach to the maritime row with China since he assumed office in 2016. (PNA)
