Duterte ‘concerned’ over Pinoy troops ‘harassed’ by China Navy —source

President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern over the safety of Filipino troops who were reportedly harassed by the Chinese navy while on a re-supply mission in Ayungin Shoal in May.

Duterte made this clear during a confidential meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Santa Romana on Monday, a source privy to the discussions told GMA News Online.

“He [Duterte] expressed his concern about the safety of Philippine soldiers. He looked concerned and had a serious tone,” the source said.

The meeting was in preparation for the briefing on Wednesday for members of the House of Representatives on the developments in the West Philippine Sea, the part of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines.

The meeting discussed the progress of projects in Pagasa Island and other Philippine-held features in the area.

Also tackled during the meeting was the May 11 incident in which a China chopper flew close to a Philippine Navy rubber boat carrying supplies to troops at the disputed Ayungin Shoal.

The Philippines filed a note verbale or diplomatic note against China over the weekend in relation to the incident as well as China's installation of missile systems on three of its outposts in the Spratlys.

This was not the first time that the presence of Filipino troops on Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal had been challenged by China.

In March 2014, two Chinese Coast Guard ships tried to block a Philippine supply boat from bringing fresh troops and supplies to the military detachment aboard the rusted BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded in 1999 to mark the country's sovereign rights over the area.

Critics have slammed Duterte's insistence not to antagonize China even after Beijing's reported deployment of military aircraft and installation of anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on Manila-claimed reefs.

Instead, Duterte blamed the United States and his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, for not confronting China's excessive claims and buildup of military facilities on the artificial islands in the resource-rich sea.

Duterte, however, admitted on May 22 that he thought about asserting the country's rights in the West Philippine Sea, in a stronger even more violent way, when he assumed the presidency almost two years ago in 2016.

In a speech at the Philippine Navy's 120th anniversary, Duterte said he decided against it because going to war with China would have resulted in a huge losses for the country.

Still, Malacañang confirmed on Thursday that the Philippines had filed diplomatic protests against China over the last two years, adding the Duterte administration “will resort to all diplomatic initiatives when warranted but without fanfare.”

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said Friday that the government was not remiss in its duty even if it did not publicize the diplomatic actions taken.

He added that the talks between the Philippines and China over Beijing’s activities in the West Philippine Sea are “detailed and heavy.”

“So we continue to assure you, that we continue to engage in very serious conversations,” Abella told reporters in Malacañang.

“We continue to ensure that our areas of cooperation especially with China are protected: safety of the seas, safety of travel, oil and gas, fisheries, and environmental concerns. We continue to engage in diplomatic actions.”

Relations between China and the Philippines have improved considerably under Duterte who temporarily set aside the arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing's excessive claims in order to forge stronger trade and economic ties with the Asian power. —NB, GMA News