US Seventh Fleet in South China Sea both serious and metaphorical for Duterte —Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks that the United States should deploy naval forces to the South China Sea to keep China at bay in the disputed waters was both "serious" and "metaphorical," his spokesperson said Tuesday.

Duterte on Monday said the US Armed Forces should send the Japan-based Seventh Fleet amid China's increasing military activities including those inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The President, however, sounded less serious in his following words.

He invited administration critics Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario, and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to join him in the trip to the South China Sea.

"Puwedeng he was really serious, at the same time metaphorically he is saying that. The point of the President is, may problema sa South China Sea – they are in possession,"  presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference.

"So, we’re trying to settle our differences through diplomatic negotiations. Ang problema, mayroong mga tao na...gusto siyang gawing pain eh. Eh alam na nga nilang the Chinese government claims that it is their own."

Panelo added: "Ito namang mga sutil, mga hecklers, 'Hindi, hindi… punta ka doon.” O kaya sabi niya, 'O sige… O sige na nga, punta tayo. Ayan si Justice Carpio, sino pa? Si another Justice Carpio naging Ombudsman, si Del Rosario. 'O sige tayo, tayo ang nandoon sa harapan punta tayo doon. Nandiyan na ang 7th Fleet.' O kaya ginaganun niya na."

Duterte had said that driving the Chinese away would be easier said than done.

China does not recognize the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing's excessive claims to the South China Sea and spelled out the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.

Aside from the Philippines and China, other claimants include Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia. —NB, GMA News