Roque calls Duterte modern-day Lapulapu on 500th anniversary of Battle of Mactan

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman has referred to him as a modern-day Lapulapu, the chieftain of Mactan who fought off foreigners 500 years ago in the battle that killed Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Harry Roque made the remark in ceremonies which marked the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan and amid criticisms of the presence of Chinese warships and militia vessels in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. 

“President Duterte is my modern day Lapulapu, lalung-lalo na po sa kaniyang polisiya na independent foreign policy dahil ibig sabihin po niyan kaibigan natin ang lahat – wala tayong kaaway, wala po siyang sinasantong mga dayuhan.,” Roque said.

[The President is my modern day Lapulapu because of his independent foreign policy which means we are a friend to all but we do not back down against foreigners.]

While the Department of Foreign Affairs has been filing diplomatic protests against China, Duterte on April 19 said nothing would happen even if he sailed to the waters which rightfully belonged to the Philippines but claimed by China.

“Maski na ilang balik natin dun wala mangyayari because we are not in the possession of the sea.  . . .Even if you go there and claim it, walang mangyayari, kanila talaga eh, sa isip nila kanila,” Duterte said in a televised briefing.

[Nothing will happen no matter how many times we go there because we are not in possession of the sea... Even if you go there and claim it, nothing will happen because in their minds, it's theirs.]

He said claiming possession of the area by the Philippines would be “bloody.”

In the same briefing, Duterte blamed the Aquino administration for allowing the constructive occupation by China in the West Philippine Sea when Philippine ships left Scarborough Shoal while those of the Chinese remained.

Duterte said he would send Philippine warships to the West Philippine Sea if the country would start drilling for oil or other resources potentially in the area.

 "I am addressing myself to the Chinese government. We want to remain friends... I'm not so much interested in fishing," Duterte said.

"There's not enough fish to quarrel about. But when we start to mine, get whatever it is that is in the bowels of the China Sea, by that time I will send my gray ships there to stake a claim," he added.

Duterte on February 12 said that he could not afford to be brave against China.

At that time, the Philippines just filed a diplomatic protest against China over a Chinese law allowing its coast guard to shoot at foreign ships in waters which it claimed.

“I cannot be brave in the mouth against China because we are avoiding any confrontation that would lead to something that we can hardly afford, at least, at this time,” Duterte said.

In a July 2016 ruling, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration already rejected China's claim of sovereignty in the entire South China Sea which the Philippines calls as West Philippine Sea.

The same Hague court decision—which stemmed from a case filed by the Philippines against China in 2013 or during the Aquino administration—also ruled that the Spratly Islands, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. --NB, GMA News