Duterte disappointed over delay in sea code of conduct —Panelo

President Rodrigo Duterte, at Sunday's 34th ASEAN Summit Retreat, expressed his concern and disappointment over the delay in the negotiations for a Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea, the Palace revealed in a statement.

Duterte had explained during the retreat that the longer the delay in the conclusion of a COC, the higher the probability a maritime incident would occur, and there was thus a greater chance for miscalculations that could spiral out of control.

Nevertheless, as country coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, and together with fellow ASEAN member-states, Duterte said that the Philippines would continue to push for the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

According to the Palace, the president’s remarks during the retreat "underscored the fact that the President Duterte is not beholden to or afraid of any foreign country."

Meanwhile, the president also took the opportunity to impart to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc the Philippines' gratitude for the rescue of 22 Filipinos by a Vietnamese fishing vessel during the June 9 Recto Bank ramming. — DVM, GMA News